Braintree District Council opened applications on May 12, 2026, for a household collection service covering nappies and continence care products. The service is scheduled to start on June 1, alongside changes that move general waste collections to a three-week cycle and expand the range of materials collected for recycling.
The council says a 2025 consultation identified concerns about accumulating used nappies and continence products between collections, including odours. Its new absorbent hygiene products service will provide two collections in each three-week period for households meeting the eligibility criteria. Accepted items also include disposable gloves and aprons, bedpans, bed pads, feeding tubes, catheter bags and colostomy bags. Households can choose to continue putting these items in their grey general waste bins; the separate service offers additional capacity. Residents can check eligibility and apply through the council's dedicated AHP collections page. The accompanying recycling changes will add glass containers, food and drink cartons, plastic film and bags to kerbside collections.