Kerbside glass recycling collections in Bracknell Forest are a step closer as the council’s cabinet has agreed plans to introduce them in autumn 2026.
Following a change in the law, all councils must offer a full suite of recycling options at the kerbside, including glass, flexible plastics, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, metal cans, tins and foil, paper and card, food, and garden waste.
Bracknell Forest residents already diligently recycle a host of plastics, foil, tins, paper and card in their blue bins as well as food waste in their caddies and garden waste in brown bins.
The next step is to add glass recycling collections and then extend the flexible plastic recycling trial* – which more than 10,000 residents are currently taking part in.
Glass recycling collection at the kerbside is something that many residents have been requesting for some time, making it easier and more convenient to recycle glass jars and bottles.
At a meeting on Tuesday, 24 June, cabinet councillors agreed to the kerbside glass recycling scheme starting in autumn 2026.
They agreed to all households receiving a new slim-line wheelie bin for their glass recycling. Wheelie bins are a safer option for residents and crews than kerbside boxes. The bins will be collected every 4 weeks on the working day after other bins are usually collected. This is to help reduce the impact of multiple bins out at collection points, especially on weeks where all bins are due to be collected.
Flats will be provided with larger communal bins, which will be emptied every two weeks.
The council must implement kerbside glass recycling as its part of the national Simpler Recycling legislation, which is part of the Environment Act 2021.
Cllr Helen Purnell, cabinet member for environment, community and housing, said:
“For many years, residents have been asking about the possibility of glass recycling at the kerbside. We’re now starting to plan for such collections to be introduced in autumn 2026. This will make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle glass like bottles and jars from home, without having to take them to a bottle bank.
“We have very good recycling rates in the borough, and I thank everyone who is already doing their bit to recycle and reduce climate change. Our residents have a great track record of adapting to new recycling schemes and further boosting our recycling rate and I’m sure that they will again embrace this new scheme to help push our recycling rates up even further.”
More information
Residents currently recycle around 75% of all glass waste. The rate is expected to go up to 85% to 90% once kerbside collections are introduced.
A co-mingled recycling collection (with glass going in the blue bin with other recyclable materials) was explored but was much more expensive to implement.
If the council did not implement a glass recycling collection it would risk losing funding from the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. Non-compliance could also lead to judicial review.
New glass collection trucks will be needed to provide the service. Subject to full council’s agreement for funding in July, the trucks will be ordered but take more than a year in production and delivery. This is why the scheme cannot be rolled out earlier. The council will look at hydro treated vegetable oil options for these vehicles to help minimise the impact on climate change.
The scheme will be rolled out to all households to meet the Simpler Recycling legislation requirements. An opt-out option will not be available.
Glass recycling bins will be collected the working day after other bins are usually collected. For example, residents who have their bins collected on a Tuesday will still get their green, brown, blue and food bins collected on the Tuesday, but their glass recycling will be on the Wednesday. This is to help reduce the impact of multiple bins in streets on ‘all out’ bin weeks.
*The flexible plastic trial is currently well received but more information and learning is needed before it is rolled out to all households. No date is currently set for the extension of the trial.
More information is available on our glass recycling page.