Doncaster Council approves purchase of 140,000 new wheelie bins
Rollout of the new, brown, 180-litre wheelie bins is set to start in autumn 2026
The City of Doncaster Council will purchase 140,000 new wheelie bins to support the implementation of the Government’s new Simpler Recycling policy.
Rollout of the new, brown, 180-litre wheelie bins is set to start in autumn 2026, in time for a new recycling service to separately collect “fibre” – paper and card – in April 2027.
The council plans to collect paper and card in existing blue bins, similar to nearby Sheffield and Barnsley, with the new brown bins used for “mixed dry recyclables” which the authority already collects, such as plastics, metals and liquid cartons.
Glass will still be collected in green wheelie bins.
Councillor Glyn Jones, cabinet member for environment, housing and safer communities, said: “I understand that some residents may have preferred not to have another bin, but with all councils now being required by law to collect paper and card separately, we felt that a new bin would be the best and most convenient option for residents to store materials for recycling between bin collections.
“Most residents I speak to are keen to recycle and do their bit for the environment, and the changes will also make a real difference to Doncaster’s recycling rates, which can only be a good thing.”
Councillors have previously raised concerns about the potential burden placed on residents by adding another bin.
Councillor Frank Jackson, who represents Norton and Askern ward for Reform UK, asked officers where residents in terraced houses would be expected to store the extra bin, during a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee in December 2025.
Dan Swaine, the council’s executive director of place, explained the additional bin was coming out of new requirements put in place “by law”.
He said: “I can accept it’s a frustration for people to have more bins, but the reality is it is a legitimate and legal expectation from Government to provide that facility.”
Mr Swaine said authorities that are not able to reduce the amount of waste they are burning will be taxed.
“Government have taxed people who create packaging waste, so Amazon, those sorts of people, and that money is available to local authorities,” Mr Swaine said.
“Now that money isn’t ringfenced and can be used to deal with our other challenges, but an element of that money should and could be appropriated for futureproofing the waste service.”
Officers in the meeting confirmed the new bibs would be the same height as the existing 240-litre bins, but will have a smaller depth and width.