Household leaflet information about waste collection dates
Case reference FOI2025/00987
Received 14 November 2025
Published 19 November 2025
Request
There has not been a printed list of waste collection dates for the year 2025-2026. What was the annual cost to produce and deliver them from 2020? What is the reason for not providing one for 2025-26? How much might the council save per household by not providing one?
Response
Thank you for taking the time to contact the Council, following the recent Environmental and Development Services Committee on the 6th November 2025 it has been agreed to stop printing paper collection calendars to each household.
The previous practice typically costs £27,068 in printing and staffing costs to deliver these calendars. If calendars are delivered this year they would only run until April 2026 due to the pending food waste changes.
Many Councils have moved away from this approach and instead, direct residents to their website if they are unsure of the day of collection. Collection information is already available to residents on the Council’s website.
It is particularly challenging to continue with paper calendars this year, because the collections days will change during 2026 due to the introduction of food waste. If paper calendars are issued on each of these occasions the costs increase significantly to £81,000.
It was therefore recommended and agreed that the annual delivery of paper calendar ceases and that in addition to the collection day information already available on the Council’s website, an electronic version of the calendar be provided online so that residents can print them off if they wish to do so.
In addition, additional messaging will be circulated via social media, press, Parish Council’s and the website.
Prior to Christmas, stickers will be applied to those bins affected by the disruption caused by the Bank Holidays.
In exceptional circumstances where vulnerable residents can’t access the calendars or they can’t be sourced through libraries, Parish Council’s, friends or family members a copy can be printed off and sent out or emailed.
Documents
This is South Derbyshire District Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.