Bedford Borough broadens glass recycling trial ahead of UK’s Simpler Recycling reform

Bedford Borough Council, UK, is expanding its glass recycling trial to an additional 12,000 households starting December 9. The extension aims to capture the increase in glass waste during the festive period and further evaluate the curbside collection process.

The expanded trial covers glass bottles of any color or size, jars for food products like sauces, jams as well as baby food and non-food glass items such as perfume bottles. Excluded items, such as drinking glasses and cookware, remain unchanged.

Councillor Jim Weir, portfolio holder for environment, highways and transport, says: “We’re delighted to extend this vital initiative. The initial trial has shown fantastic results, with an average 28% increase in overall recycling tonnage and minimal disruption to existing collections. Expanding the program allows us to assess the impact of Christmas and New Year on glass waste, a key period for household recycling.”

The expansion will include households in designated areas in the UK, such as Bedford, Bromham, Kempston, Stewartby, Sharnbrook, Wixams, Odell, Wilden, Renhold and Kempston Hardwick. Participating residents will receive a leaflet and a sticker on their orange-lidded bins.

An update on the trial’s progress is expected in spring 2025.

Improving recycling procedure

Residents not included in the trial can continue using local mini-recycling sites for glass disposal. Glass deposited in bottle banks no longer requires sorting by color, as this process is handled later. 

The government sees the Simpler Recycling reform as “a new, common-sense approach.”The initial trial, launched in May 2024, sought to enhance the convenience of glass recycling and capture approximately 1,200 tons of glass from black bins. 

Initial results have demonstrated the potential for a more sustainable and efficient recycling system, which will also help the council comply with the UK’s forthcoming Simpler Recycling reforms, a change that will allow people across England to recycle the same materials, eliminating the confusion about what can and cannot be recycled in different areas. 

Last week, a policy update on Simpler Recycling was released by the government to introduce the new default requirement for most households and workplaces. 

The update involves the use of four containers to streamline waste management: one for residual non-recyclable waste, one for food waste, which may be combined with garden waste if appropriate, one for paper and card, along with another one for all other dry recyclable materials, including plastic, metal and glass. 

These containers may come in various forms, such as bags, bins or stackable boxes.