Belfast City Council is bringing in a package of focused measures to improve waste collection, recycling and street cleansing across the city.

To boost reliability on narrow or congested streets, restricted-access bin routes are being expanded and reorganised. The council is adding more small, specialist collection lorries, including two new 18-tonne refuse vehicles designed to navigate tight urban areas safely, reducing missed collections where standard 26-tonne trucks are frequently obstructed.

As these narrow-access vehicles are re-routed across services, some households will see a change to their usual collection day. Services will remain on a fortnightly schedule, but during the transition there may be a slightly shorter or longer gap between the final old collection and the first new one. Affected households will receive a letter with full details.

Because the smaller vehicles have tighter weight and space limits, residents on affected routes are reminded to follow updated presentation guidance: put bins out by 7am on collection day; ensure lids close completely flat as overfilled bins may be tagged and left uncollected; do not leave extra bags beside bins or use full-size plastic liners inside recycling containers; and park as close to the kerb as possible so the vehicles can pass safely.

A major expansion of the kerbside glass recycling scheme is also under way, part-funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The final phase will extend kerbside glass collection to remaining households without the service, primarily in north and south Belfast. The roll-out will enable more residents to recycle glass from home using a 44-litre purple box and is expected to divert an additional 650 tonnes of glass each year into the local circular economy. The final phase is scheduled to begin in early 2027.

Street cleansing teams are intensifying activity with an extended power-washing programme in the city centre. A specialist "Gladiator" chewing gum removal machine, funded by the UK-wide Chewing Gum Task Force, has also been deployed.

Chair of Belfast City Council's People and Communities Committee, Councillor Jenna Maghie, welcomed the ongoing service improvements. Councillor Maghie said: "Keeping Belfast clean and supporting our residents to recycle effectively remains a top priority for the council. We are actively investing in practical solutions across our city, from extending kerbside glass boxes to more front doors, to upgrading our fleet with smaller vehicles and deploying specialist equipment to tackle chewing gum litter."

"Alongside these immediate service boosts, we are actively working to tackle the obstruction and eyesore of abandoned and permanently presented bins on our pavements and entryways. By refining our processes, introducing smarter routing for narrow streets, and targeting resources at known hotspots, we want to make our shared spaces safer and more accessible."

"I would encourage all residents to support our frontline crews by recycling everything they can, using their designated containers, and presenting their bins responsibly."

For details on waste services, recycling facilities, bulky waste collections, or to report a bin issue, visit the council's Bins and Recycling pages.