Key Points
- Wirral’s weekly household food waste collection service, originally targeted for April 2026, has been delayed until summer 2026.
- The delay aligns with national mandates requiring all councils to introduce separate food waste collections from 1 April 2026, but Wirral Council has adjusted its timeline.
- Enhanced recycling collections, including more plastics, metals, and cartons, remain scheduled to start from 1 April 2026 across Merseyside.
- Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is upgrading sites and working with councils to meet a 31 March 2026 preparation deadline amid poor regional recycling rates.
Wirral (Liverpool Standard) February 18, 2026 – Wirral Council has postponed the rollout of weekly household food waste collections until summer 2026, missing the national April deadline despite broader recycling improvements proceeding as planned.
The delay affects thousands of residents who were expecting the new service alongside expanded kerbside recycling for items like pots, tubs, trays, and Tetra Pak cartons from 1 April 2026, as confirmed by official council updates.
Why has the food waste collection been delayed?
According to Wirral Council’s official bins and recycling page, the weekly household food waste collection service will now launch from summer 2026, providing more details to residents in due course. This adjustment comes as the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority coordinates upgrades to processing sites across the region to handle the national mandate for separate food waste collections starting 1 April 2026.
As reported by Birkenhead News, Lesley Worswick, MRWA’s Chief Executive, updated Wirral councillors on 20 October, emphasising preparations to meet the 31 March 2026 deadline while addressing Merseyside’s low recycling rates that require doubling in areas like Wirral by 2035.
What recycling changes are still on track?
Wirral View reported on plans for food waste collections moving forward, noting the mandatory national requirement from April 2026, with Wirral aligning enhanced services despite the specific delay. Current household bins accept only paper, card, glass, food tins, drink cans, and plastic bottles, but from April, metals like aerosols, foil, trays, and tubes will join, alongside more plastics and cartons.
Which councils are already trialling food waste services?
Birkenhead News detailed that St Helens Council already offers food waste collections, while Liverpool Council is trialling the service with 15,000 properties in a phased rollout, informing Wirral’s preparations.
What does this mean for Wirral residents?
Residents face a wait until summer for dedicated food waste bins, but immediate recycling expansions will reduce contamination and boost rates, as Ms Worswick described the changes as a “once-in-a-generation” shift driven by society’s throwaway culture. Council updates stress ongoing communication via their website.
Wirral Globe coverage highlights the delay’s impact on local sustainability goals, with MRWA focused on regional compliance.
