Bulky waste collections will return, council's waste chiefs confirm

Bulky waste collections in Birmingham are set to return in the near future, more than a year after they were suspended during the bin strike.

The service, which collects large items such as furniture, mattresses and fridges from people's homes, was stopped last year along with recycling and garden waste collections as the strike took its toll on the council's waste service.

"As quickly as possible"

Chris Smiles, the council's head of waste and logistics, told a meeting this week that officers hoped to bring bulky collections back as part of the next phase of changes to the waste service, if the plans are signed off.

"Hopefully the plan that we'll be presenting will look to bring bulky collections back as quickly as possible as part of the next phase of the transformation, should we get the relevant sign-off," he said.

But he warned residents not to expect the full service straight away. "Just to manage your expectations, obviously we're still working within industrial action, so we probably won't be able to work at the capacity that we did pre-industrial action. But we're proposing to offer a service that will allow residents to have some collections."

Councillor Harris Khaliq, the cabinet member for waste, said conversations had been taking place about how bulky collections could be reintroduced. Councillor Mick Brown, the Labour member for Gravelly Hill, said the news would be "reassuring" for many of his residents.

Two pilots compared

The update comes as the council prepares to decide on the future of rubbish and recycling collections across the city.

Two pilots ran this year. In the north of the city, household rubbish collections moved from weekly to fortnightly, alongside a second recycling bin and a new food waste collection. A second pilot, in parts of the Hodge Hill and Bromford, Moseley, Kings Norton South and Stirchley wards, kept weekly rubbish collections.

A recently published council report said the data showed the first pilot had "performed more favourably". A final decision will be made by the cabinet, and a plan is expected before the end of the year.

Why it matters

The loss of bulky collections has been one of the most visible effects of the bin strike for many residents. With fewer ways to get rid of large items legally, councillors from all parties have linked the suspension to a rise in fly-tipping in some streets.

In the meantime, residents can take large items to one of the city's household recycling centres. Charities and furniture reuse schemes will often collect items in good condition free of charge, and some retailers will take away an old appliance when delivering a new one.

The bin strike began in early 2025 and became all-out in March of that year. A deal to end it has been agreed in principle but is still awaiting final approval.