Denbighshire waste and recycling container charges face review

Denbighshire County Council’s Community Scrutiny Committee is set to discuss a review of Waste and Recycling Container charges on September 3 and make recommendations. This follows a notice of motion raised in May at Full Council.

Following a review of current arrangements and subsequent financial costs, including how the the system could be improved to introducing universal free provision, it has been recommended that charges are retained, but that the scope of the free allocation is expanded to include those on low incomes.

Members of the committee will discuss and make recommendations on a proposed policy revision which includes

• Implementing a free customer exchange process at Household Waste Recycling Centres for blue bags and food caddies only
• Retaining charges for all items if customers require items to be delivered to their door
• Expand the free single item per year for any recycling container to those on the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS). The Troliboc component black boxes are each considered a single item.

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: "The committee will be presented with a paper at the meeting on September 3 outlining a number of options for consideration and feedback.

"Charging for waste containers in Denbighshire has been in place since 2019.The current policy of charging for waste and recycling containers was agreed in September 2023 prior to the formal roll out of the new waste model in June 2024. 

"This was reviewed in late 2025 which led to an approved Lead Member Delegated Decision for the relaxation of the charging policy to allow for those in receipt of School Essentials Grant or Pension Credits to receive one recycling container replacement free of charge per calendar year.

"In May, councillors asked for a review of the current arrangements regarding the provision of waste and recycling containers and to give options for alternative methods of providing these items."

The spokesperson added: "A full review of the arrangements and subsequent financial costs regarding different options ranging from improving the current system to introducing universal free provision has now taken place, and further details on this can be found in the papers for the Community Scrutiny Committee online."

Following recommendations from the Community Scrutiny Committee, the Council’s Cabinet will make the final decision on any options in regards to the container charges.

A second paper will also be presented to the Scrutiny Committee for discussion in regards to the performance of the Waste and Recycling Service which can also be found online.