As January rolls around, many of us begin to make our New Year’s resolutions. As 2026 nears, the UK’s waste and recycling landscape is shifting, and new reforms are on the horizon. There’s never been a better time to make some New Year’s resolutions that actually stick. Unlike your typical January promises, these can’t be forgotten about when times get tough!
Flexible Packaging Collections: The Soft Plastics Revolution
Another shake-up to waste collections is soon to follow the introduction of separate food waste collections; the kerbside collection of flexible plastics. From crisp packets to bread bags, soft plastics used to be the bane of the plastic or general waste bin. They will soon be joining the household kerbside collections. This means less confusion and a whole lot more material captured for reprocessing. Whilst the new scheme is not actually set to become mandatory for all councils until March 2027 under new UK government regulations, there has been a noticeable influx of councils getting ahead of the game and preparing for this a year in advance.
Pilot schemes (like the FlexCollect project) show high public satisfaction and good collection quality, proving it’s feasible. Cromwell’s products are designed for effective capture and containment. This shift underscores why using fit-for-purpose liners and sacks matters. If you’re bagging flexible plastics for the first time, make sure your liners are up to the job, and the Cromwell team can support with this , even creating bespoke printed bags, for increased recycling success!
Food Waste Gets a Front Seat
Alongside flexible packaging, food waste collections are becoming mandatory across the UK too. Okay, we know we sound like a broken record now, but we cannot stress enough the importance of being prepared for the Simpler Recycling reforms which are now only 3 months away!
As of March 2026, that leftover lasagne or limp salad no longer belongs in your general waste bin. Instead, it will be captured separately and sent for composting or anaerobic digestion, turning yesterday’s lunch into tomorrow’s low-carbon energy and useful feedstock. Before the April 2026 deadline, every household will require a new addition, a food waste bin or caddy. To support this rollout, many councils are planning to provide residents with liners, either compostable or polythene, to encourage hygienic and convenient participation. Supplying the right liner not only improves user compliance but also enhances the overall success of food waste capture.
Are you a council looking for a new liner supplier for the food waste roll-outs? Cromwell stocks both compostable liners certified to EN13432 and polythene caddy liners to help increase participation and success rates in collections in your area. Get in touch to find out more.
Here for you in 2026 (and beyond)
New Year’s resolutions are notoriously fragile. But improving how you manage your residents or businesses waste? That’s a goal with staying power. Here are a few ways to start:
- Audit your collections. Know what’s going on in your collection so you can produce the contamination rate and the contributing area. This will help you formulate a plan for improving education to increase recycling and participation rate.
- Use the right products. Choose liners and sacks that are colour-coded, compliant, and capable.
- Stay informed. As regulations evolve, keep up with guidance from your trusted suppliers.
At Cromwell Polythene, we’re here to help people and organisations become more resourceful, and implement their new waste streams seamlessly for all round success.