Households in Lancashire will be able to put all recyclables in one bin

Get ready to say goodbye to sorting your recycling into multiple bins.

The Government has announced a huge shake-up in England's waste collection system, aiming to simplify the process and boost recycling rates. From now on, you'll be able to chuck all your recyclables, whether it's plastic, metal, glass, paper or card, into one single bin.

The Environment Department (Defra) announced that the same materials will be collected from homes, workplaces, and schools nationwide. This move is set to clear up the confusion caused by different councils having their own unique recycling rules.

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Not only will this make life easier for households who won't need to second-guess what goes where, but it's also going to streamline operations for those collecting our waste. Plus, Defra reckons this could give a much-needed boost to the country's recycling figures.

Elsewhere, the Government said it is supporting councils to increase the frequency of collections in a bid to prevent bins from cluttering streets. A minimum backstop will be introduced so that councils are expected to collect black bin waste at least fortnightly, alongside weekly food waste collections, it announced.

Recycling Minister Robbie Moore said: "We all want to do our bit to increase recycling and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill – but a patchwork of different bin collections across England means it can be hard to know what your council will accept. Our plans for Simpler Recycling will end that confusion: ensuring that the same set of materials will be collected regardless of where you live."

Paul Vanston, chief executive of the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN), said: "Householders can take this government announcement as a pledge that, wherever we live across the nation, our local councils will all speedily implement recycling collections of the full range of materials that will match on-pack recycling labels citizens rely on for guidance."

Defra said the plans will apply to all homes in England, including flats. Similar measures will apply to non-household municipal premises, including businesses, hospitals, schools and universities, places of worship, penal institutes, charity shops, hostels and public meeting places.