Alternate weekly collections in Lewes district
From week commencing Monday 9 February 2026, Lewes District Council changed to fortnightly refuse (black sack waste) collections, to increase household recycling in the district.
Download your new bin collection calendar
Moving to alternate weekly collections brought Lewes district in-line with the rest of East Sussex, and the majority of other councils in England. It had been clearly demonstrated elsewhere that this encourages residents to think carefully about what goes in each bin and has already helped increase the amount recycled in the district.
We have continued to collect food waste every week in our dedicated electric vehicles. These collections are at a different time of day to your refuse and recycling collections.
What didn't change
Households must still put their bins out at the edge of your property by 6am on your collection days. After we have emptied your bins, please make sure they are not on the path and store them within the boundary of your property as soon as possible. Bins left on pavements are a hazard, forcing mobility scooters, pushchairs and people with sight loss into the street.
For an example from the RNIB of why this matters please see:
www.rnib.org.uk/campaign-with-us/support-a-campaign/inclusive-journeys
Help to adapt to alternate weekly collections
Additionally, you can apply for assisted collections (help with putting out your bin) by visiting lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/bins
We have continued to offer weekly collections for anyone who puts out a bag or more of non-infectious medical waste, such as adult incontinence pads. You can also request this service via the link below.
We offer a number of options that can help residents with a change to fortnightly refuse collections, these include:
- Request free weekly food waste collections
- Request a replacement food waste caddy if you are already signed up to the service
- Requesting a larger recycling bin - see FAQ section on bin sizes below for guidance
- Requesting an additional recycling bin - see FAQ section on bin sizes below for guidance
- Requesting a larger refuse bin - see FAQ section on bin sizes below for guidance
- Requesting an assisted collection
- Request a weekly clinical waste collection e.g. for adult incontinence pants
Frequently asked questions
When did the changes take place?
Alternate Weekly Collections for most properties in Lewes district began from week commencing Monday 9 February 2026.
Collection calendars were posted to all properties in the district In January, showing the new collection days for refuse, food waste, and recycling.
Which properties stayed on weekly refuse collections?
Some flats, houses of multiple occupation and town centre properties with nowhere to store a bin off the street, continued to get weekly refuse collections. If your property currently uses a gull-proof sack for refuse, your property stayed on weekly refuse collections.
Why did the council make these changes?
Central government has set all councils a target recycling rate - the amount of household waste recycled - of 55%. This will increase to 65% by 2035.
Lewes district residents are great at recycling and what we send for processing is generally low in contamination, quality material, meaning it is clean, dry and consists of the right items.
Beofre the changes were made, the recycling rate in Lewes district was around 41% and had been for several years. However, because of the high targets set by government, we needed to look at ways to increase the recycling rate in the district.
With food waste collections becoming mandatory across the country from 2026, there was an increased national focus on performance in this area, and this is where Lewes district did not perform so well.
Alternate Weekly Collections are a proven way to encourage householders to recycle more of their waste. Most councils in England have already moved to alternate weekly collections, including all other district and borough councils in East Sussex.
The change resulted in an increase in the amount of waste recycled in the district and reduced the amount of waste sent for incineration. It also meant fewer collection vehicles on the roads.
How did this increase the rate of recycling?
Our colleagues in the waste team at East Sussex County Council (ESCC) - with an overview of all the waste data in the county - indicated that recycling rates increase by several percentage points when alternate weekly collections are introduced.
The ESCC modelling from 2025 looked at four examples of local authorities that had made the change to alternate weekly collection (AWC). They were Eastbourne (2021), Adur & Worthing (2019), Horsham (2018) and Litchfield (2009). The average increase in dry mixed recycling in these local authorities was 5%, while the average reduction in residual waste was 12%.
The assessment also draws up an earlier piece of work by ESCC looking at food waste projections which concluded that food waste tonnage could realistically double if Lewes changed to AWC. This is based on analysing food waste yields in 2023/24 from 18 similar district councils on AWC that also collect food waste.
For further detail of Lewes District Council's performance, the report can be found here: Improving Recycling - Appendix C Performance analysis.pdf (PDF, 161 KB)
Were there any changes recycling, food waste or garden waste collections?
We did not change how often we collect recycling, food waste or garden waste.
What about households that already fill up a refuse bin each week?
- On average, about 38% of refuse collected in Lewes district is food waste which could have been composted.
- A further 37% is comprised of other recyclable items.
- Just under a quarter of all homes currently use the council's free weekly food waste collections.
- Only about 25% of the average refuse bin is non-recyclable waste.
If you currently have a slimline refuse bin (140 litre), you can request a larger refuse bin (240) here:
To sign-up for our free, weekly food waste collections, visit:
If you have a large household (10+ adults) you can request a second refuse bin by visiting:
Request a second refuse bin (for larger households only)
What can I do about the extra waste created from nappies or medical waste?
Children's nappies are not considered to be non-infectious medical waste and are counted as general refuse. If possible, nappies and other hygiene waste should be placed in securely tied nappy bags before being placed in a rubbish bag, to reduce the risk of odours.
Households who produce a bag or more of incontinence waste due to a medical need, qualify to have this waste collected via our clinical waste collection service which will continue weekly after we move to alternate weekly collections.
Request a weekly clinical waste collection e.g. for adult incontinence pants
Are the bins much heavier?
Although it was likely that household refuse bins would be heavier when collections moved to fortnightly, experience elsewhere indicated that it was not a case of the weight doubling. This was due to increased diversion of material into recycling and composting schemes, including higher uptake of the weekly food waste collection service, as people were more inclined to prevent the refuse bin from becoming too full.
It was also noted that the National Waste Strategy had introduced a levy on packaging materials as a means of encouraging producers to reduce the quantity of packaging being used. As this took effect, it was anticipated that this would reduce the amount of packaging and the volume demand in the residual waste bin.
I struggle to put my bin out when it contains two weeks' worth of rubbish, what help is available?
We offer assisted collections to anybody who, due to medical or other reasons, is unable to move their bin to the kerbside for collection.
If we already provide you with assisted collections, you wouldn't need to do anything - your assisted collections would continue.
If you think you might benefit from an assisted collection you can apply here:
Has this cause an issue with smells?
If food waste is placed into the normal rubbish bin, then it might start to smell before it's collected, particularly in the warmer months. This is why it's so important for residents to use their food waste collection service, which will remain weekly. Food waste is the main reason why bins tend to smell.
Has this change attract flies to the bins?
If good practice measures are taken, residents are unlikely to experience issues with flies. Measures include not leaving wasted food uncovered and open to attract flies, keeping waste containers closed to keep out flies, bagging all waste and using food waste liners, placing containers outdoors and out of direct sunlight, if possible and occasionally washing out bins and containers if feasible.
Has this cause an increase in vermin issues?
There is an occasional perception that alternate weekly collections of refuse leads to an increase in vermin or health problems. This system has been successfully operating in the UK for years now and it's just not been the case. There have been studies conducted by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the Chartered Institution of Waste Management which found no documented evidence of a direct link between the frequency of waste collection and any actual health impacts on householders or waste collectors.
How can I keep foxes out of my food waste bin?
To secure your outdoor food waste caddy, put the handle all the way forward. This will 'lock' the caddy closed and prevent foxes and other animals getting to it.
What does this mean for the team who empty my bin?
We involved staff and the trade union throughout the process, and it was agreed there would be no compulsory redundancies as a result of these changes.
Do you collect extra side waste?
For refuse collections, side waste will not be collected unless prior agreement has been given by our collection teams. All waste must be contained within your refuse bin.
Recycling side waste will be collected if stored in appropriate recyclable containers.
Is there a charge for a new or additional bin?
No, new or replacement bins will be issued to residents free of charge.
How do I sign up for food waste collections?
Lewes District Council collects food waste separately from your household food waste caddy. It is collected on the same day as your refuse using our new electric vehicles. It is taken a local facility and composted into a soil conditioner for local farmers.
If you are not already using this free service, you can sign up to the service here:
Sign-up for free Food Waste collections
You will be given an outdoor caddy, a small indoor caddy, a roll of compostable cornstarch caddy liners to get you started, and a set of instructions. Rolls of free liners can be picked up from Tourist Information Centres and other local outlets as and when you need to.
When should I put my bins out?
To find out your collection days or to download your collection calendar, visit:
After we have emptied your bin, please ensure it is not on the path and store it within the boundaries of your property. This really helps people with mobility needs get around the district.
Where should I put my bins for collection?
Please ensure that your bins are put out at the edge of your property by 6am on the day of collection (collection times may vary).
Please note that food waste is collected in a separate vehicle so will be at a different time of day to your other bins
After we have emptied your bin, please ensure it is not on the path and store it within the boundaries of your property. This really helps people with mobility needs get around the district.
How can I find out what I can recycle from home?
You can check the types of items which can be recycled using:
If the item isn't included in our A-Z, please check other local recycling options at:
What if I have too much recycling to fit in my recycling bin?
If you squash and crush your recycling as much as possible and you still frequently run out of space in your recycling bin, you can request an additional here:
New and replacement bins
To help you recycle even more from home, we have partnered with Anglo Doorstop Collections Lewes District Council to offer free pickups of wide range of second-hand items. They will collect items such as clothes and other materials, books, toys, antiques, kitchenware, CDs, DVDs, video games and many electrical items.To book a collection visit Anglo Doorstop Collections Lewes District Council
What sizes are the bins?
Our refuse and recycling bins come in 140 litre and 240 litre sizes. These containers are the same height, with the larger containers being wider to give them a greater volume.
The 140 litre bins measurements are:
- Height: 106cm
- Width: 48cm
- Depth: 55cm
The 240 litre bin measurements are:
- Height: 106cm
- Width: 57.5cm
- Depth: 73cm
How do I report a missed bin collection?
Please report a missed collection here:
Report a missed bin collection
