The free garden waste collection season will increase from 30 to 36 weeks, with the service continuing throughout November and into the beginning of December. The last garden waste collections will now be completed on Friday 4 December.  

A new updated Household Waste Collection Policy sets out how household waste and recycling services will be delivered across the borough and reflects national legislation and changes to recycling requirements. 

The changes agreed by Cabinet include: 

• Extending free garden waste collections from 30 to 36 weeks, providing three additional fortnightly collections each year. 
• Introducing weekly food waste collections from 2027, using kitchen and kerbside caddies. 
• Introducing weekly kerbside collections for small electrical items, household batteries and disposable vapes alongside food waste collections from 2027. 
• Moving to an alternating collection pattern from 2027, with residual waste and food waste collected one week, followed by dry mixed recycling and food waste the next. 

“ The updated policy provides a clear framework for household waste collections across Walsall and sets out how our services will respond to changing recycling requirements.

“Extending the free garden waste season means residents will receive three additional fortnightly collections each year. Residents have consistently told us that the garden waste collection season was too short, so we have made this change to better meet the needs of the borough.

“These changes will support our work to improve recycling, reduce waste and meet our legal responsibilities, while continuing to provide reliable services for residents. “

Councillor Ian Benton, Portfolio Holder for Street Scene and Enforcement

The policy was informed by a public consultation carried out in November 2025 and aims to balance customer feedback with operational and financial constraints.  

Food waste containers and supporting information are expected to be distributed during summer 2027. Weekly food waste and small electrical collections are expected to begin in late summer 2027, subject to procurement. 

The full Cabinet report and approved Household Waste Collection Policy are available to view on the Council’s committee meetings website(opens in new tab). 

Residents can check their bin collection dates on the council website(opens in new tab). The site has been updated with new schedules for the extended garden waste season.