COLCHESTER’S waste collection system had to change because the authority had slipped into the recycling relegation zone after years of inaction, a council boss has said.

The new system comes into effect from Tuesday and will see black sacks collected fortnightly, instead of weekly.

Some 14,000 homes will now use wheelie bins and all black sack waste must fit into the 180-litre container.

Households without wheelie bins will be limited to three black sacks per fortnight.

Recyclables will also switch from weekly to fortnightly collections but there will be no change to weekly food waste pick-ups.

Paul Smith (Lib Dem), Colchester Council leader, said: “We were never going to keep going along in the status quo.

“We have been falling down the recycling league tables in Essex because we hadn’t changed anything.

“Where once we were nearer the top, little by little the other authorities which have made changes have crept above us and that just in not acceptable to us as an administration.

“In footballing terms, we were once in the Champions League spots but we are now battling in the relegation zone.

“Hopefully the changes will be the equivalent of a few great new signings and an improved stadium.”

Mr Smith also denied the “change in manager” - Jessica Scott-Boutell has taken over the responsibility from former waste boss and fellow Lib Dem Dominic Graham - has hindered the system switch.

He added: “The impact has been minimal because Dominic had already done an awful lot of the work and the project was ready to hand over.

"He was very conscientious in making sure of that.”

Miss Scott-Boutell said: “Over the next few years we want to see our recycling rates increase and send less general rubbish to landfill.

“On average?around?85 per cent of the contents from a Colchester rubbish bin is recyclable but the current recycling rate in Colchester is only 45 per cent.

“We have made these changes to our collections to help reduce the amount of rubbish we send to landfill and increase recycling.“