Rubbish and recycling collections in Herefordshire will remain unchanged in 2024, despite cost-of-living pressures and uncertainty over council funding. Plans for additional waste services, including food waste collection and separate bins for paper and card, hinge on future government announcements.

Residents have been assured that collection days will remain the same for now. Should there be any changes, the community will be notified well in advance. When asked why the new recycling plans are taking time to implement, the council said, "As the council responds to the pressures of the cost-of-living increases, it will look to phase in the additional services. We are taking this approach to ensure residents can continue to receive a reliable and good-value-for-money service."

Food waste collection and garden waste services are part of the new services to be phased in. While waiting for these changes, residents are encouraged to maximise the use of their existing green recycling bins. On average, 8 per cent of items in the black bin could be recycled using the green bin.

The council also stated it is on track to achieve its 2030 carbon net-zero goals, constantly exploring ways to reduce waste and environmental impact. As for the government's "Simpler Recycling" scheme, the council is awaiting further information. Non-recyclable waste will continue to be sent to EnviRecover, where it is converted into electricity. In the previous year, 99 per cent of all non-recyclable waste was processed this way, and the council aims to maintain this rate in the current year.