A number of Greater Manchester councillors have warned that local residents “will go mad” if they’re forced to have seven different wheelie bins.
The government is looking to introduce new measures to standardise the waste collection process in England from 2023 in a bid to boost recycling rates as part of its proposed Environment Bill, and it means that households could be issued four bins for dry recyclables, as well as separate containers for non-recyclable materials, garden waste, and food waste.
As part of the process shake-up, the government is also pushing for food waste to be collected separately and on a weekly basis.
But Greater Manchester is hoping to avoid the changes.
The region’s waste and recycling committee fear that the proposals will lead to “streets full of bins” and clutter that could block pavements for people with mobility issues.
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Waste officials also say that some homes in the region, such as terraced houses and apartment blocks, may not even be able to accommodate the new bins, and on top of that, the extra lorries needed to collect the additional bins could cause congestion and an increase in vehicle emissions.
Concerns have also been raised about a potential lack of drivers to man the bin lorries, as earlier this month, collections were stopped in South Manchester due to national shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers and COVID-related issues.
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The government is looking to introduce new measures to standardise the waste collection process in England from 2023 / Credit: Geograph
This is just one of the reasons why the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has made the case to the government that the four-bin system should remain in place.
Labour councillors for Bury, Trafford, and Stockport have all voiced their concerns.
Speaking at a waste and recycling committee on earlier this month, Allan Quinn – Labour Councillor for Bury said: “I think we’re paying the price for being 20 years ahead of the game [as] we’ve got a system that works, and if it’s not broken, don’t try and fix it.
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“Residents will go mad over this.”
On the other hand, Conservative councillor Adele Warren said that she could see the merits in weekly food collections, even if it will be “incredibly challenging”.
She pointed out that local authorities in Greater Manchester are striving towards carbon neutrality by 2038, and that this could lead to more food waste being turned into a type of renewable energy called biogas to help towards that goal.
The government is expected to respond to local authorities in the autumn, with further consultation on statutory guidance and minimum service standards expected in 2022.
Featured Image – Flickr
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Sportsbet.io Tour Championship 2026: Manchester welcomes some of snooker’s best
Danny Jones
This Monday marks the start of the World Snooker Tour’s 2026 Sportsbet.io Tour Championship, which is back in Manchester once again– and there are some big names on show.
Returning to our city for a third consecutive time, this year’s Tour Championships began at 1pm, with the likes of world number one Judd Trump playing some of the opening frames against Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen, along with Barry Hawkins taking on 2026 World Open winner, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
These are just the first two opening fixtures in what is set to be an eventful week-long tournament that will span a total of 19 matches, concluding in the final on Sunday, 5 April.
Hosted once again over at Manchester Central, this elite field of in-form players is basically only missing Ronnie O’Sullivan, who the aforementioned Thai tour start beat in last week’s final.
Only the top 12 players from this season’s highly competitive rankings earned a place in the draw, so all pretty much all the greats and the next generation are shooting for the title.
Defending champions John Higgins – a four-time world champion – will be breaking off against Mark Williams on Tuesday, 31 March.
Meanwhile, other names on the schedule of play include World Champion Zhao Xintong, Mark Selby (who Higgins beat in Manchester last year), Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson and Mark Allen.
Put simply, this isn’t just another big sporting event landing in our city centre, but a showcase of some of the very best talent in the discipline.
With tickets starting from just £25, these games are also some of the most affordable premium sports you can enjoy in central Manchester.
Better still, it’s also worth noting that the official Fanzone over in the foyer of the venue is open to all, even without a ticket.
There’s completely free coaching for players of all ages, interactive games, and even the chance to try a proper full-sized professional table – a perfect day out for the Easter school holidays.
The event itself is being aired on Channel 5, but if you’re interested in going along to see the action up close and personal, you can grab your seats right HERE.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied via Manchester Central)/The Manc Group
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The Oldham Man and The Sea: the documentary about the Latics owner’s record-breaking Atlantic voyage
Danny Jones
It doesn’t matter if you’re not an Athletic fan or native to the borough; we think everyone should go along to watch the much-anticipated documentary about football club owner Frank Rothwell and his record-breaking journey across the Atlantic Ocean: The Oldham Man And The Sea.
One of the simplest and most satisfying names for a film we’ve heard in a long time.
For anyone who doesn’t know about the Oldham Athletic FC chairman turned OBE’s incredible story, Frank Rothwell has set multiple records with his impressive sea-faring feats in recent times.
This new doc, which just premiered at this year’s Manchester Film Festival, charts his latest trip across one of the biggest bodies of water on the planet in March 2024.
As you can see from the recent trailer, it’s almost as arduous a tale as the original Hemingway story.
This movie – produced by Journeyman Pictures and Chief Productions – made its full debut at the Odeon in Great Northern Warehouse for MFF 2026, and is set to have a number of other screenings in and around Greater Manchester in the coming weeks and months.
One of those is happening rather soon, in fact, over at Saddleworth’s Millgate Arts Centre on Saturday, 28 March, which is ideal for those local to the region; grab your tickets now.
ln fact, there’s also one happening even closer to his hometown the following month, with Oldham’s very own Queen Elizabeth Hall also hosting a special screening of Rothwell’s incredible achievement.
You can reserve your seats for that one right HERE.
Having not only become the eldest (70) Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge finisher back in 2021, but now holding the Guinness World Record for the oldest person to ever complete the crossing while rowing solo at 73 years old, he’s become nothing short of a local hero – and that’s just his stewardship of the Latics…
The film does, obviously, touch on his time at the helm of the League Two side, who finally returned to the EFL last June, but the heart and soul of this inspiring watch is the sail itself.
More importantly, it also documents not just the gruelling nature of the 64-day, seven-hour and 53-minute trek, but also how Frank has now helped raise more than £1.4 million on behalf of Alzheimer’s Research UK.
What an absolute icon.
Hopefully, this should be just about all the reason you need to watch The Oldham Man And The Sea the very next opportunity you get to do so – and, of course, all proceeds from ticket sales will also be going to charity, because just the kind of bloke he is.
And here’s hoping we get a streaming version sometime soon.
The Manc -
28th July 2021 
