Would you share a bin with your neighbour? You may have to in Sheffield

The controversial proposal is outlined in a new council consultation on proposed changes to waste services – which also include new charges for replacement black bins and garden waste containers.

It follows a pilot scheme which saw large shared containers instead of individual bins at 20 houses on Sharrowvale Road last year.

The consultation document did not say how many households, streets or communities would potentially move to shared bin initiatives if changes went ahead.

The report says: “The proposed change will mean that shared bins will be provided, rather than individual bins for every household, in areas where there is limited space at each property to store bins, and there is space in the local amenity to provide shared bins.”

Other changes proposed include charging £20 for replacing lost and damaged black bins or blue containers, after a first replacement. Blue bins would remain free but green garden waste containers will also cost £20 from 2016.

The council said the changes as a whole could ‘potentially affect every household in the city’.

From 2016, extra Christmas waste which will not fit in the bin will no longer be taken for free unless residents have had to wait longer than two weeks for a collection.

Missed collections will be dealt with within two working days rather than one and extra paper and card left next to recycling containers will not be taken.

Council leader Coun Julie Dore said money needed to be saved to meet Government cuts.

She said: “Part of our budget savings involve coming up with proposals for our waste service that increase efficiency where possible, while still providing a good service for everyone in the city.

“We welcome people’s views and will act upon them so that we do what is best for Sheffield in terms of waste management and recycling.

“I would urge as many people as possible to get involved with this consultation, so that when we make our final decisions we have an accurate a picture as possible of the views of communities across our city.”

The consultation runs until Wednesday April 1.

Other proposed changes include starting collections at 6am rather than 7am and limiting blue boxes for card and paper to one per household.

Currently, black bins are picked up on the same day as blue bins and boxes but on alternate weeks.

But under the proposed changes collections may take place on different days.

Customers who normally have bins picked up from their homes could also be asked to bring their black bins to the roadside, including in rural areas.