City of York Council will begin talking with residents on proposals to move from kerbside recycling boxes to wheeled recycling bins.
This aims to make recycling easier, safer and more efficient for households across the city.
The proposed change forms part of the Council’s wider transformation of waste services. It would support future national recycling requirements, improve storage of recyclables, reduce litter, and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries among residents and waste collection crews.
Under the proposals, which will be considered by Executive on 3 March, Councillors will be asked solely to approve the start of engagement and development of an emerging business case, and if approved in the coming months, most households currently using three recycling boxes could move to two wheeled recycling bins.
Properties included in the recent Bags to Bins project (2025–2026) will automatically be out of scope for any changes at this stage.
Talking with residents in different types of properties across the city will inform the next stage of the proposal. A final decision on the shape of any changes will be made later in the year.
This change could include one wheeled bin for paper and card and another for tins, plastics and glass. This arrangement supports high‑quality recycling and aligns with forthcoming reforms to recycling from the government.
Introducing recycling bins to replace boxes would:
- Increase capacity for household recycling
- Reduce litter by improving containment of materials
- Make recycling easier to manoeuvre for residents, removing the need to carry heavy boxes
- Improve safety for crews, reducing manual handling injuries
- Enable the collection service to operate as efficiently as possible, with the expectation that this would help deliver future savings.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said:
We want to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle and to do so in a way that supports a cleaner, greener city. A potential move to wheeled recycling bins is designed to improve safety for our collection teams and residents who may struggle with the boxes, increase recycling capacity for households, and reduce litter on our streets.
“Talking to people about these proposals is an important first step. We want to hear from communities about the opportunities and challenges so that any future service changes work for everyone in our city.”
The Council recognises that not all properties have space to store additional bins. As part of the engagement exercise, officers will identify homes, such as some city‑centre properties, where boxes will need to remain in use or alternative solutions considered.
York currently generates significant income from the sale of well‑sorted recyclables and maintaining high‑quality recycling is essential. The move to wheeled bins would support the city’s climate commitments by improving recycling rates and minimising waste‑related emissions.
The change also has strong workforce benefits. In 2024 and 2025, more than 2,600 days of staff absence were linked to musculoskeletal injuries, many resulting from lifting and carrying recycling boxes. Wheeled bins would help reduce this risk.
There is no financial impact at this stage; any decision to invest in bins would be the subject of a future report to Executive and require Full Council approval.
The Executive will be asked to approve the start of resident engagement to inform a full business case.