A new weekly food waste collection service is proposed for Darlington households. 

Scheduled to start in March 2026, residents would receive a 5-7 litre caddy bin for kitchen waste if the proposal is approved. 

Councillors will consider four different collection options at a scrutiny meeting next week and suggest the best option before a final decision is made later this year. 

The options include introducing a separate food waste collection service and introducing a new combined food and dry recycling material weekly collection service. Darlington Borough Council said all the options will increase overall recycling and composting rates. 

Proposed changes to the food collection service mean residents will be asked to empty their caddy bins into a new outside food waste bin, also provided by the council, which will be collected weekly from the kerbside.


The food waste that will be collected will include:

  • all uneaten food and plate scrapings
  • dairy products
  • bread, cake, pastries
  • raw meat, cooked meat, bones
  • tea bags, ground coffee
  • taw and cooked vegetables, fruit and peelings
  • raw and cooked fish, fish bones
  • rice, pasta, beans


Libby McCollom, cabinet member for local services, said: “The Environment Act 2012 has a broad remit to improve air and water quality, protect wildlife and increase recycling and reduce plastic waste. It requires us by law, to introduce household food waste collections, which already take place in many towns and cities across the country.

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“Scrutiny committee members will look at the options and feedback to cabinet before a decision is made on how we introduce this change. There is a lot to be considered before food waste collections are introduced. There will be no changes until 2026 and we will make sure residents are kept informed at every stage of the process.”

The council’s communities and local services scrutiny committee will meet next Thursday (24 October) to discuss the proposal. 

Changes to food waste collections were recently approved in County Durham, meaning households will receive new containers to store food waste and follow new rules for recycling glass by 2026.