Blue bin waste

What can I put in my blue bin?

You must only place items that we can accept for recycling, such as cardboard, cans and glass in your blue bin. Find out what else you can put in your blue bin:

When and where should I put my blue bin out?

You must put your blue bin out on the street at the edge of your property by 7am on the morning of your  collection day.

If you live on a farm or have a private ten foot, you must place your blue bin at the collection point we have agreed. This is usually at the nearest point to the public road.

Please note: your collections will temporarily change following a bank holiday.  Check the bin collection checker to find out when your bins will be collected over these periods.

Can you remind me to put my blue bin out?

Yes, you can sign up to our text reminder service which will send you reminders for all your different bins the night before they are due to be collected.

Simply text your 'calendar code' to '07507 307088'.

Please note: you can find your 'calendar code' on the printed collection calendar that was posted to you. Can't find it? See below...

Here's how to find your 'calendar code' online:

Why wasn’t my blue bin collected?

The most common reasons for a blue bin not being collected are:

• you didn’t put it out before 7am on your scheduled collection day
  
• it wasn’t accessible to our crew
  
• the lid wasn’t fully closed
  
• there was a reason why we couldn’t accept your waste and a tag will have been attached to your bin explaining why 
  
• parked vehicles may have stopped our bin lorry reaching your property
  
• it’s before 3pm on the day of collection - the bin crew may still come and collect your waste. 

If none of the above reasons apply, find out if we can come back and collect it for you.

Can you come back for my uncollected blue bin waste?

We may be able to come back and collect your recycling waste if you meet certain conditions:

What can I do with extra recycling waste?

If your blue bin is full and you can’t wait for the next collection, you can:

• separate extra recyclable items and take them the recycling bank. Please make sure you check which materials can be accepted at your local mini recycling site or household waste recycling site (HWRS) as it varies at each site
  
  Please note: for the health and safety of yourself and others you must not bring wheelie bins to a household waste and recycling site

• put any extra recyclables in a bag, preferably a clear bag, so our bin crew can be sure that it contains waste that is recyclable, and leave them next to your bin on your next collection day. For the safety of yourself and others, including our bin crew, please put glass bottles and jars in your bin
  
• check if you can request an extra blue bin if you regularly have more recycling than you can fit in your bin.

Why is there a tag on my blue bin?

We’ll leave a tag on your bin if we haven’t been able to empty it because there was something in there we don’t collect.

The tag lists items that shouldn’t be in your blue bin. Remove any such items and place your bin out on your next collection date.

Find out what you can do with extra recycling waste if you can’t wait this long.

Can I request a blue bin?

How do I return an unwanted extra blue bin?

Request collection of an unwanted blue bin

What happens to the waste I recycle in my blue bin?

All the waste you put in your blue bin is taken to a materials recycling facility. A range of processes, such as magnets, wind tunnels and lasers are used to separate the waste ready for recycling. Our YouTube video, produced in partnership with Biffa Waste Services, shows this process in more detail:

How can I reduce, reuse or recycle my waste?

Find out more about how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and how it can help save money.