Food waste collection

This information has been reproduced from the announcement by Cheshire East Council dated 30 June 2026.

In autumn, Cheshire East Council will introduce a new weekly food waste collection service, representing a major step forward for the borough in recycling and waste reduction. 

 

A key milestone of the rollout of this new service is the distribution of outdoor food waste caddies to residents – which we are now nearing. 

 

The below information has been provided to support you to inform and assist residents in your area. The council’s website has also been updated with further detailed information about food waste collections: cheshireeast.gov.uk/foodwastechanges and the wider service changes: cheshireeast.gov.uk/changes-to-bin-collections 

 

As a reminder, the changes from autumn include: 

 

• Introduction of weekly food waste collections. 

• Black bin (general waste) collections will move from fortnightly to three-weekly. 

• Residents may have a new bin collection day as the routes and rotas for collections are being updated to incorporate the new food waste service. 

 

Key dates

 

Afternoon of Tuesday 30 June: Communications and engagement activity launches to inform residents of caddy rollout. 

From Monday 6 July 2026: Delivery of food waste caddies to residents begins. Deliveries will take place in phases and will be distributed by an external company on behalf of the council. 

By mid- September 2026: All caddies expected to be delivered. 

Mid-September 2026: Residents can check their collection start date and any changes to collection days online. 

Service launch: Autumn (exact dates to be confirmed online in September). 

 

Phasing plan for the caddy deliveries

 

Phase 1  
Crewe and Middlewich 

Phase 2  
Nantwich, Bridgemere, Hatherton, Henhull, Hough, Shavington, Stapeley, Weston, Willaston, Wistaston and Wybunbury. 

Phase 3  
Audlem, Barbridge, Bunbury, Calveley, Cholmondley, Haslington, Hassall Green, Minshull, Rode Heath, Sandbach, Wrenbury. 

Phase 4 
Alsager, Congleton (part), Holmes Chapel, Mow Cop, Scholar Green, Siddington. 

Phase 5  
Remainder of Congleton and Macclesfield. 

Phase 6  
Alderley Edge, Bollington, Bosley, Disley, Handforth, High Legh, Kettleshulme, Knutsford, Mere, Mobberley, Mottram St Andrews, Peover/Marthall, Poynton, Prestbury, Rainow, Tytherington, Wildboarclough, Wilmslow. 

 

Residents living in more remote/isolated areas are likely to receive their caddy on a different timetable to that above. 

 

What residents will receive

 

Most households will receive an outdoor food waste caddy. Each caddy will include:

 

• A leaflet with information about how to use the service – this has space at the top for residents to write their food waste service start date and collection day (if different) so they can keep it for future reference.
• A sticker for the caddy lid – this tells residents what can be put in it and has space for residents to add their house number.

 

What residents should do once they receive their caddy

 

When a resident’s outdoor food waste caddy arrives, they should: 

✔ Not put it out for collection straight away – caddies are being delivered in phases and therefore it may be several weeks before their collections start. 
✔ Store the caddy outside with their household bins 
✔ Read the leaflet that’s inside their food waste caddy 
✔ Add the sticker to the lid of their caddy and write their house number on.
✔ Check when their start date will be and whether their collection day has changed. They information will be available to check on the council’s website by mid-September at: cheshireeast.gov.uk/mycollectionday 

 

Residents living in flats or shared accommodation

 

Residents living in flats or shared accommodation will also receive the new food waste collection service.  

 

We are assessing bin capacity and collection arrangements for each building. Depending on the property type this may involve either of the following:  

 

• A new outdoor food waste caddy for each individual flat. All food waste caddies are expected to be delivered by mid-September and will be distributed by an external company on behalf of the council.
• Or, a new communal 140 litre food waste wheelie bin that will be shared between residents. These are currently expected to be delivered in September and will be delivered by in-house teams at the council.
• Generally, properties with three or more flats will receive a new communal food waste bin.
• The food waste wheelie bin will be stored in the building’s usual bin storage area.

 

If residents think they have been missed from the food waste caddy/bin rollout

 

Around 182,000 caddies and bins will be distributed to residents during the rollout. 

A new missed bins form – which will also allow residents to check whether their street or building should have received their caddy/bin yet – will be available soon. More information will be provided to you once the form has launched.  

 

Kitchen caddies

 

Residents can use any suitable container in their kitchen to collect food waste and transfer it into their outdoor food waste caddy. They may already have a kitchen food waste caddy from a previous service. If they do, they can use it again.  

Indoor food waste kitchen caddies should not be put out for collection and won’t be emptied by our crews. 

 

If residents would like a kitchen caddy 

 

If residents would prefer to use a kitchen caddy to transfer their food waste to their outdoor caddy, a small number of kitchen caddies are now available to collect from libraries and household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). There is no need to call ahead to collect a kitchen caddy, but a booking is needed for visiting household waste recycling centres at weekends and Bank Holidays.  

 

Supporting residents to prepare for the changes

 

The council’s website has been updated with detailed information about the service changes: cheshireeast.gov.uk/changes-to-bin-collections 

 

This includes guidance on what can and cannot be put in the food waste caddies, how to keep their caddy locked and secure and assisted collections. 

 

Our ongoing ‘Be the BIG Difference’ campaign – funded by a grant from Defra - will also continue to support residents to recycle right and reduce waste and to prepare for the service charges. 

 

As part of this campaign, a flyer is being delivered to all residents that explains all upcoming changes, including that their caddy/bin will be delivered shortly.