At present, the dozen Lancashire district councils each run their own kerbside collection systems.
Currently, 11 districts – Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre – operate alternate fortnightly collections, with general waste collected one week and recycling the next.
Ribble Valley Borough Council remains the only Lancashire authority to collect residual waste weekly.
The councils of Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen also run alternate fortnightly systems, but Blackpool Council agreed last month to move to three-weekly collections of general waste from spring 2026.
Wider waste reforms
Alongside changes to collections, the government has asked Lancashire authorities to draw up plans for a reduction in the number of councils in the county.
This could see the current 15 local authorities across Lancashire replaced with a smaller number of new bodies, each responsible for both collecting and disposing of waste.
A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: “Changes to waste collections are being driven nationally, starting with the introduction of weekly food waste collections next year.
“Lancashire County Council has been working in partnership with districts and the unitary authorities to develop a new waste strategy for Lancashire to incorporate the national changes into existing waste services.
“Several options have been modelled, all of which aim to improve recycling rates across the county and deliver value for money for residents. But ultimately it will be up to each waste collection authority to decide what works best for them.
“Whilst collection and disposal functions are provided separately in Lancashire, all councils must work together to ensure we provide an efficient and well-functioning waste system for all of Lancashire.”
The County Council’s cabinet is due to consider the issue of waste disposal at its meeting today (4 September 2025).
Three-weekly collections
If Lancashire were to adopt three-weekly collections more widely, it would follow a growing number of councils across England weighing up longer intervals between general waste collections.
Bristol City Council recently consulted on the possibility of moving to four-weekly residual waste collections as part of its waste strategy.
However, following opposition from residents in a consultation, the plans the council announced that it would be moving to three-weekly collections from May 2026.
With national reforms driving weekly food waste collections from next year, local authorities across the country are under pressure to reshape services.
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