Household rubbish collections

Please place your bin out the night before collection to make sure it is out in time for your collection.

Your general waste

Your black rubbish bin is collected every two weeks and is for household items that cannot be recycled. The sort of things you might put in your rubbish bin are:

  • Plastic film and bags,
  • Disposable nappies,
  • Pet bedding and waste,
  • Food pouches,
  • Crisp packets,
  • Polystyrene packaging,
  • Broken crockery and glassware,
  • Cat litter,
  • Bubble wrap,
  • Sweet wrappers or any item of foil coated with plastic,
  • Shiny foil gift wrap and greeting cards with glitter,
  • Dirty and stained paper and card,
  • Foil coated lids (e.g. yoghurt tops),
  • Sandpaper - including any liners used in pet cages.
  • Nappies - wrapped tightly and bagged. If you are a larger household of five or more with a baby in nappies you can apply for a larger bin. 

Please do not put any of these materials in your black rubbish bin:

  • Green garden waste,
  • Food waste,
  • Old clothes and textiles,
  • Glass jars and bottles,
  • Plastic bottles, tubs and containers,
  • Metal food and drink tins and cans,
  • Card and paper,
  • Foil and aluminium containers,
  • DIY or builders waste,
  • Wood,
  • Turf and soil,
  • Electrical items,
  • Batteries – household,
  • Car batteries,
  • Oil cans and engine oil,
  • Paint tins,
  • Sheet glass,
  • Light bulbs,
  • Broken furniture,
  • Mirrors,
  • Dead animals.

No side or excess waste 

We only collect household rubbish inside the bin with the lid closed. We will not collect rubbish that is overflowing, placed on top of or beside the bin. 

Your bin lid should be closed so that it can be safely lifted by the vehicles. Rubbish left in sacks next to the bin will be left behind and if your bin is so full that the lid cannot close the whole bin may be left uncollected.

Rubbish must not be left on top of the closed lid. If you are struggling to fit everything in, it probably means you are not recycling as much as you could. 

80% of the rubbish in an average bin can be recycled, so try to reduce what you throw away, recycle as much as you can and try to only buy what you need and will use. 

Hazardous and flammable waste disposal

Hazardous waste is anything that can cause harm to someone handling the waste. This includes residents, collection crew and staff at processing plants. If you are not sure if your waste is hazardous, check out our recycling directory to find out how to correctly dispose of it. 

Examples of hazardous waste that should never be placed into your bins are:

  • Chemicals: Includes things like paint, cleaning fluids, solvents, pesticides, printer ink, and acids.
  • Oils and Fluids: Such as used motor oil, brake fluid, and other non-edible oils.
  • Batteries: Specifically those containing lead, mercury, or cadmium.
  • Electrical and Electronic Waste: Includes items like old fridges, laptops, and printers that may contain ozone-depleting substances.
  • Fluorescent Light Tubes and Bulbs: These often contain mercury and are considered hazardous.
  • Asbestos: A material that can cause severe respiratory issues if inhaled and is highly regulated.
  • Oily Rags: Items contaminated with flammable or toxic oils that pose a fire risk.
  • Clinical Waste: Waste that is potentially infectious or biohazardous from sources like hospitals.
  • Other items that could be hazardous if not disposed of correctly are fireworks and disposable BBQ’s.