Council faces criticism over replacement recycling bag charges
Richard Evans, Local Democracy Reporter
A county council is facing fresh criticism for its household cardboard recycling system, due to blue bags ripping and the authority charging residents for replacements.
Earlier this year, independents at Denbighshire County Council called for a rethink on the authority’s recycling container policy which states residents should be charged for replacement containers and bags.
The council currently charges £25 for a new bin or Trolibocs and £12.50 for collection bags – and the blue bags are reportedly ripping easily.
This has led to various petitions online, but the council continues to ask residents to foot the bill.
One Ruthin dad contacted the Local Democracy Reporting Service to complain about the bags.
“The blue bag situation is a joke. All the blue bags are ripped to shreds because they’re such poor quality, and then the council are trying to charge people to replace them. It is scandalous,” he said.
Ruthin councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts said the blue bags were causing real issues for residents.
“There is a massive frustration among residents, especially during the bad weather recently where bags were blown away, and also the quality is very poor, causing them to damage easily,” he said.
“Some residents have even bought their own blue bags to compensate because they are so expensive to buy from the council, but the council has also refused on some occasions to collect the bags because they are not council issued.”
Cllr Hilditch-Roberts then explained independent councillors put a motion forward at May’s full council to review the replacement procedure, which was backed by councillors’ vote.
He added: “My position is very clear. Residents should not be charged for any replacement blue bags or any bins of any kind.”
Rhyl councillor Brian Jones agreed and commented: “I feel that the blue bags have proved themselves not to be man enough for the job.
“They don’t take reasonable wear and tear that you would probably expect, and it would appear to be a problem with the material because the bags are shredding apart and ripping easily. They haven’t been in use that long, so maybe there is a problem in the specifications used to manufacture them.”
He added: “People are getting charged. If you want a replacement bag as of today, there is a charge. I expect Denbighshire will see sense and come up with a policy and a system that allows residents to claim for a new bag where the damage is proved to be wear and tear.”
The blue bag situation is the latest in a long line of problems faced by Denbighshire’s Trolibocs scheme. Launched in June 2024, the multi-million-pound recycling and bin collection scheme has faced numerous issues, with both the council leader and former chief executive apologising for late collections and bin bags piling up on the streets during the rollout.
A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “We are aware of concerns raised by residents and recognise issues some households have experienced recently with their blue bags.
“The Waste and Recycling Service is reviewing all options available to address these issues and support effective recycling across the county. We will provide any further updates to residents when appropriate.”
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Why do All the different councils have different bags, bins, rules, charges etc.? No wonder recycling is not working as it should be in Wales.
It’s good because the best systems should displace the bad.
Wrexham works well
What system does Wrexham use?
Recycling is working in Wales. We are literally the second best country in the world, only beaten by Austria. Just 0.7% of waste goes to landfill and we recycle over 70%.
I obviously don’t agree with Denbighshire County Council charging for replacement bags, but saying recycling isn’t working in Wales is factually incorrect. It’s one of the few things we are excellent at.
This is the least sensible charge by a council. These bags fly away, break and can easily be misplaced. If the council are short of funds, this is not the right avenue to replenish them.
It’s the same in Powys if you need purple bags that they charge £70 for just 25 bags then tell you it’s done to encourage you to recycle we recycle everything we can
It’s not the residents who cause 90% of the damage to the cardboard recycle bags. It’s caused by the wagon crews. They just throw them anywhere when they have emptied them, I frequently have to collect my bag from down the street or even the road if it’s windy.
Why don’t all councils use the really big wheelie bins with the red lid, blue lid, & green lid so much easier than stoopid little bags & boxes
The blue bags for cardboard are clearly not fit for purpose and expecting us to pay for a new one is insulting, when we are paying council tax for our recycling. I suggest a box which would sit on top of the trolley block.
We need a different “European” domestic waste collection system….
https://swalesmetroprof.blog/2026/07/13/its-rubbish-and-so-are-some-people/
Why bags and not solid containers?
They use solid containers in Yeovil where my in-laws live and they are made of good quality plastic. Not quite as much volume as the bags but my bags never go out full accept maybe at Christmas.
It’s the council’s choice to go with these pathetic short lived bags, let them replace them at their cost. Councils are there to serve the people of the area, and they fail to do so on many counts.