Redbridge residents can expect to receive new wheeled recycling bins starting in 2027/28, aligning with the commencement of the new East London Waste Authority (ELWA) disposal contract in December 2027. Under the forthcoming ELWA contract, recycling will be financially incentivised for Redbridge and the other three East London constituent councils. The gate fees charged at recycling facilities per tonne will be lower for recycling than residual waste.

The rollout, approved in principle by the cabinet in 2020, aims to modernise and improve the borough's waste collection service, following the successful implementation of wheeled bins for refuse. The decision was discussed at a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 10 September 2025, where members considered a report on the proposed changes.

The council anticipates financial benefits from diverting waste from refuse bins to recycling. The recycling rate in Redbridge for 2023/24 was 30.2%. The capital implementation costs for the wheeled bins are estimated to be £2.1m, with an additional £0.1m revenue allocated for communication and project support.

Switching to wheeled bins is also expected to improve health and safety for Redbridge Civic Services (RCS) waste collection staff by reducing manual handling. Additional benefits include a reduction in wind-blown litter and an opportunity to standardise the vehicle fleet, which could lower maintenance costs and improve service reliability. The report pack stated that an increase in the proportion of waste recycled in Redbridge would also lead to environmental benefits.

To ensure residents understand how to properly use the new recycling bins and avoid contamination, the council plans to implement a comprehensive communications campaign outlining how to use the new bin and how easy it is to recycle when everything goes in one bin. This will include roadshows, leaflets, videos, a social media campaign and advertising of the scheme on the side of refuse collection vehicles.

The report pack considered several options:

  • Continuation of the current scheme: This was not preferred due to health and safety challenges for the collection operatives.
  • Introduce a 240 litre wheeled bin for dry mixed recycling: This was the recommended option.
  • Introduce a split 240 litre wheeled bin with internal segregation panel for dry mixed recycling: This was not recommended as this methodology would be more complex for residents and could lead to potential for contamination.
  • Introduce two 180 litre bins per household: This was not recommended as the capital investment required would be double that of one bin.

The report pack stated that containers would be procured via a compliant procurement framework, and that delivery of bins to residents would commence from 2027/28, to align with the new ELWA disposal contract which commences in December 2027.

The report pack stated that the roll out of new bins would be accompanied by a comprehensive communications campaign.

Councillor Jo Blackman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability is a contact point for this report. Sarah Foster, Director of Neighbourhood and Environmental Services, is the report author.