NewsUK NewsEnvironmentNew bin colection rules across the country came into force this yearNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)10:55, 14 Jul 2026A man has had to resort to bolting his wheelie bins shut thanks to new waste collection rules. Matt Shoul, of Margate, says months of missed and delayed bin collections since country-wide rules changed have prompted some people to use neighbours' bins to dispose of their rubbish.‌Councils across the country, including Thanet District Council (TDC), introduced a new recycling system earlier this year to meet the government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ requirements. Under the changes, affected homes switched to weekly food waste collections, with fortnightly alternating collections of general waste and recycling.‌The disruption has left some households with bins overflowing for weeks. Mr Shoul believes three months of disrupted collections have encouraged people to dump rubbish in their neighbours' bins instead.‌‌“I bolted my bins shut to stop residents from hijacking them because if they fill my recycling bin with landfill waste, I can’t recycle,” he said. “Likewise, if they fill my black bin with their stuff, I can’t put my rubbish anywhere. So I’ve done it in the hope that they just go somewhere else.”Mr Shoul says bin collections have become increasingly unreliable, with people sometimes waiting more than a fortnight for their waste to be picked up. “It really beggars belief." He added:"Somehow, the schedule has just gone out the window."Article continues belowThanet cabinet member for cleansing and coastal services Cllr Steve Albon said: "We apologise to all the residents who have been affected. Addressing these issues is our immediate priority, and we are committed to restoring the service levels our residents expect as quickly as possible.”TDC said collections had been disrupted while crews worked through issues arising from the service changes, with periods of extreme heat adding to the challenges.Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Environment