UK councils struggled with over 10,000 missed bin collections per working day last year. Local authorities attributed this issue to various factors such as strikes, safety regulations, and even favorable weather conditions. In 2024, a total of 2.5 million bin collections were overlooked across the UK, impacting the essential service provided to the public.
Residents in Yorkshire and the Humber experienced the most significant challenges with collection services, with over 312,000 missed bin collections reported in the region, translating to 57 missed collections per 1,000 residents. This figure was double the rate seen in the North East of England and Northern Ireland.
Barnsley in South Yorkshire emerged as the worst-performing council, recording the highest number of missed bin collections in 2024. The council had to allocate £1.8 million to hire additional staff to address the poor state of rubbish collection services.
Cllr James Higginbottom, the environment spokesperson for Barnsley council, cited severe weather conditions, fires at waste facilities, and adjustments in crew working practices as reasons for the significant number of missed collections. The council also highlighted an increase in garden waste due to warm and wet weather as a contributing factor.
Despite the challenges, Barnsley reported improvements in service performance following the investment made earlier in the year. An investigation into bin collection services revealed that councils under Labour control at the beginning of 2024 had higher rates of missed collections compared to Conservative or Liberal Democrat-led councils.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance expressed concern over the widespread issue of missed bin collections, emphasizing the need for councils to deliver the services expected by residents. In contrast, the Local Government Association defended councils, citing high public satisfaction levels with waste services.
Various councils across different regions in the UK reported significant numbers of missed bin collections in 2024, highlighting the need for improved efficiency and service delivery in waste management operations.