Launching in summer 2026, our new food waste collection service will enhance waste management practices across the borough, making the process more efficient and environmentally friendly.
We will be providing two free food waste caddies, a compact 7-litre indoor caddy designed for use inside the home and a larger 23-litre outdoor caddy for transferring waste, which will be collected weekly.
Use your blue-lidded bin for recyclable waste, collected fortnightly. See suitable recyclable items.
Use your green bin for garden waste, collected fortnightly. See fees and sign up for the collection service. Alternatively, you can compost at home.
Your black bin will be collected every two weeks.
Some waste collection days may change, updates will be provided before the new service launches in summer 2026.
Stay informed with the Rugby Borough Council app, where you can check your next bin collection date and easily see what waste belongs in each bin.
Rugby Borough is working to increase its waste recycling rate to 65 per cent by 2035 through an improved waste management service.
Currently, around 57 per cent of the borough's waste is recycled, with approximately 85 per cent of non-recycled material sent to Energy from Waste.
To address this, the new waste collection service will help residents separate waste efficiently while supporting sustainability efforts.
The government has implemented a new “Simpler Recycling” plan to make recycling as straightforward and easy as possible.
As part of this, Rugby is rolling out our new food waste collection service, which will allow every household to recycle their food waste, keeping your kitchens cleaner, the planet greener, and bins less smelly.
Food waste that is sent to landfill decomposes into methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times as potent as CO2, as well as contaminating material recycling and preventing it from being processed.
Instead, by sending food waste to an anaerobic digestive plant, we can take that dangerous gas and reuse it to generate energy and provide power for the local community. This means we can save the earth, and money, at the same time.
The new food waste collection system will make disposal easier and more efficient.
A compact 7-litre indoor food caddy lets you conveniently gather all types of food waste, including meat, dairy, leftovers, fruit, and vegetables.
Once full, simply transfer the contents to the larger 23-litre outdoor caddy, which will be collected weekly.
The outdoor caddy comes with a secure, lockable lid to keep pests out. Please ensure it is properly closed and placed at the front of your property on your scheduled collection day, your collection dates will be announced closer to the service launch.
Q) What if I don't produce any food waste?
A) Remember there is no amount too small. The best thing we can do with our food is enjoy it but some waste like banana skins, tea bags, and plate scrapings are inevitable and this can all be recycled.
Q) I don’t have time to do this – why should I?
A) Food waste that goes to landfill releases methane – a harmful greenhouse gas, that's about 25 times as potent as CO2. By collecting food waste separately, we can use these gases to produce energy, saving money and the earth at the same time.
Q) I have no space for my caddy, what can I do?
A) A lot of people find that keeping it under the sink, next to the kitchen bin or on the work top is really practical. And remember you can use your own container if you prefer something more stylish or it fits better in your kitchen.
Q) Will the food in my bin smell?
A) The outside bin is lockable, which means pests can be easily kept from getting in - all you need to do is put the caddy handle in the locked position.