MAJOR changes to bin collections for Wokingham have come into force today, as the borough will use wheelie bins for the first time and services have been reduced to once a fortnight.

General waste and recycling will now be collected on alternate weeks.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has delivered more than 60,000 black wheelie bins to households over the summer ahead of the new regime. These come in replacement of blue bags, while recycling will still be collected in green sacks.

Wheeled bins hold 180 litres, which is equivalent to about two full blue bags worth of rubbish.

Food waste collection will remain weekly, and option garden waste collections will remain fortnightly.

The council said that they will not collect overly full bins with their lids not fully down, as well as additional rubbish.

WBC first proposed the changes due to ‘unprecedented financial pressures, new government legislation and climate emergency goals’.

Fortnightly collections should increase recycling across the borough by 10 per cent, which would reduce carbon emissions by 2,400 tonnes per year, according to the authority.

WBC also said it would save more £1 million per year by 2025/26 due to the move amid general cost-cutting measures.

Wokingham will join many authorities across England collecting waste in this way – with 85 per cent of councils  having adopted a fortnightly alternation between general waste and recycling.

According to the council, this change meant that the national average of recycling rose by around 30 per cent.

But the changes have proved unpopular with some residents – particularly over the ‘eyesore’ wheelie bins.

It was the topic of a question from Peter Humphreys at the recent Wokingham Borough council meeting on July 25.

Mr Humphreys asked Cllr Jordan Montgomery, executive member for environment and climate emergency, whether it would be possible to have a smaller bin.

He was told that the only sizes possible are the 180-litre regular bin, or a larger one of 240 litres.

Campaigner Simon Chapman has also taken issue with wheelie bins being put on the street, and the obstruction this could create.

The council has told residents to not block the pavement with bins, but Mr Chapman claims this comes ‘with no clear guidance or any mention of fines’.

Alternative arrangements have been made for some residents living in flats or living in properties with no space for the bins.

A calendar showing which collections fall each week until July 2025 has also been published by the council.