From 4 August 2025, Hitchin residents will see what the council are describing as "new and improved changes" to their waste and recycling collections as part of North Herts Council's new contract with Veolia UK Ltd.

As part of the change households will have received a new 240-litre, blue-lidded bin for the separate collection of cardboard and paper, replacing the current lidless blue or black recycling boxes.

These bins have now been delivered in preparation for the upcoming change, and they are accompanied by instructions not to use them until the new service begins.

The new service is designed, say the council, "to make recycling easier and more efficient for residents while aligning with the Government's 'Simpler Recycling' environmental requirements".

These changes follow a public consultation held in summer 2022 and a competitive procurement process to appoint the new contractor.

Key changes include:

• Your non-recyclable waste, mixed recycling and cardboard and paper bins will move to a new alternating three-week collection cycle.
• New collection days for some residents to improve route efficiency.

Food waste will continue to be collected weekly and garden waste will continue to be collected fortnightly for subscribers.

The new system is predicted to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and improve the quality of recycled materials by keeping paper and cardboard clean and dry. It also supports the council's wider environmental goals of reducing carbon emissions and increasing recycling rates.

Cllr Amy Allen, Executive Member for Waste at North Herts Council, said: "We're pleased to be working with Veolia to deliver a more sustainable and efficient waste service for our residents. The introduction of the blue-lidded bin is an important step towards helping households recycle more and reduce what we throw away.

"We understand that changes to routine can take a bit of getting used to, but we're confident our communities will adapt and develop new habits that make a real difference."

North Herts Council do recognise that support will be required to help ease the transition, so an 'FAQ' (Frequently Asked Questions) page has been created, which in conjunction with their customer service team, will be available to offer answers and support to anyone who may need it.

Residents will receive further information about their collection schedules and how to use the new bins soon.

They can also look out for updates via North Herts Council's social media and drop-in community sessions to learn more about the new scheme as the start date approaches.

For more details and FAQs, visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/binchanges