A 10% drop in recycling rates over the past decade could result in people being given half-size black bins. 

Analysis by Rutland County Council has revealed that recycling rates have dropped significantly in the county since 2013 and more than half of what people are throwing away in their black bin could be recycled instead. 

As part of a national waste reform, the authority will be introducing weekly food waste collections from March 2026 and will also restrict the amount people can put in their black bin, with options for smaller bins and less frequent, three weekly collections under consideration. 

The council's scrutiny committee will look at the proposals on Thursday (October 17) and make recommendations to the cabinet.  

The new scheme, which will need new food collection trucks and waste caddies, will not be fully covered by government support. 

Since the council wants to make financial savings, it may need to include more charges for residents, although details will only be made public next month. 



Cash-strapped Rutland Council is expecting this to create further budget short falls. (Photo: Nub News)

Currently Rutlanders have their recycling taken away in grey bins once a fortnight and on the alternate week the black bin waste is collected. Residents can also opt in to a green waste scheme for nine months of the year for an annual £60 charge. 

Recent analysis by the council of the contents of black bins showed that 43% is food waste and 16% could have been recycled. Black bins collect 7,900 tonnes of waste in Rutland each year, which is transported to Nottinghamshire for incineration. 

Cabinet member for environment Christine Wise (Lib Dem – Uppingham) said: "With national waste reforms soon to be enforced by the government, it is vital that we look at Rutland's waste and how we can reduce what is unnecessarily being thrown away. 

"Not only will this help the environment by reducing what goes to incinerators, but it will also help reduce rising financial pressures on the council and, of course, residents' own purses. 

"We are therefore urging residents to get behind our 'Waste Less, Recycle More' campaign by planning meals, using leftovers, understanding what can be recycled in our grey bins and ensuring recycling is clean, dry and loose. 

"Every little bit we all do will have an important impact on Rutland's overall waste levels as well as ultimately saving money on weekly shopping." 

Recycling rates in the county have fallen from 60 per cent in 2013 to 50 per cent in 2023. 

Options being considered by the authority include halving the size of the black bins to 140 litres and possibly introducing a three-weekly collection for the residual waste instead of fortnightly. 

The government has said the county will receive £534,000 to assist with the introduction of the food waste scheme, which will pay for the trucks. But the authority thinks there will still be a shortfall.

Rutland's new fleet of food waste trucks are the first step in hopefully reducing non-recycled waste. (Photo: LDRS)

Cllr Wise said: "It is evident that the statutory introduction of food waste collections will put further financial pressures on our service, however, it is also clear from the composition analysis that food waste collections are needed in Rutland and could be extremely successful should residents get behind it. 

"Looking at the results of the analysis we can see that by introducing a food waste collection alone we can potentially reduce what is in our black bin by almost half. 

"If we then look at recycling more it could mean over half of the waste we currently put in our black bin could be diverted away from incineration."