Bin and box collections

Easter holiday collections

If your usual bin or Bryson recycling box collection day falls on Monday 13 April (Easter Monday), your bins or boxes will be collected on Saturday 11 April. Bin or Bryson recycling box collections due on Tuesday 14 April will be collected as usual.

Coronavirus update: changes to waste services

Last updated: Friday 3 April 2020

This page gives information on which waste services have been suspended, which are running as usual and what to do with coronavirus waste. We are reviewing our service delivery on a daily basis. Please check this page or our social media regularly and share updates with neighbours and friends who may not be online.

Waste and recycling collection services

• From Wednesday 1 April, normal collections have resumed for black, brown and blue bins. Please present your bins for collection on your usual collection day. Blue bins that were missed will be collected on the next scheduled day. Find your bin collection day online.
• Bryson recycling box collections are continuing as usual. From 6 April, you will need to sort your recycling differently. Find out how to sort your recycling from 6 April (opens in new window).
• Purple glass recycling box collections have been suspended. If possible, please continue to separate and store any glass waste until our normal collection resumes.
• The wheelie box trial in north Belfast has been suspended. Please put your food and garden waste into your brown bin for collection. If possible, please continue to separate and store any recyclable waste until our normal collection resumes. If this is not possible, you can put these into your black bin.
• We're unable to deliver green food waste bags at this time. If you have none left, you can put food scraps into your brown bin without a bag, or wrap them in newspaper instead.

• not leave side waste or extra rubbish bags next to your bin, as we can’t collect them
• sort your recycling properly
• ensure you wash your hands, before and after handling your bins or recycling boxes
• wipe the handle of your bin and boxes down after you leave it at your usual collection point
• not approach our staff and follow social distancing guidance
• make sure disposable gloves are placed into your black bin once you’ve finished using them
• visit NI Direct for more advice on bin hygiene and fly-tipping

Coronavirus waste

If you have suspected, or confirmed coronavirus, before you put items such as used tissues and disposable cleaning cloths in your black waste bin, you should:

• double-bag them, tying the bags securely
• keep them separate from other waste for 72 hours before putting them into your black waste bin for collection

Recycling centres and civic amenity sites closed

Our recycling centres and civic amenity sites are now closed. This is for the safety of our crews and the public. 

New black bin orders are suspended

If your black bin has been lost or stolen please email wastemanagement@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 0800 032 8100.

Bulky waste collections suspended

We’re not taking new bookings for bulky waste collections.

More information

Thank you for your continued support and patience in these challenging circumstances.

• Read all our coronavirus updates

• Find your bin collection day online 
• Call us on 028 9027 0230
• Email refusecollection@belfastcity.gov.uk 
• Find your holiday bin collection dates

If you have already reported a missed bin collection to us by phone or using our online form please follow the instructions you received.

Bin and recycling box collections information

Please recycle as much as possible to avoid over-filling your general waste bin.

We have two types of collection in Belfast:

For general waste bin, a recycling bin and compost bin:

• All bins are collected fortnightly - recycling bin one week, general waste and compost bin the next week.
• In most cases, your collection day is the same each week.
• If you have a purple glass recycling box it may be collected on a different day to your wheeled recycling bin.

For general waste bin, red and black recycling boxes and a green food waste bin:

• Your general waste bin is collected fortnightly.
• Your recycling boxes and food waste are collected weekly (on the same day).
• Your collection day will be the same day of the week as your general waste collection. 

Using your bin

Please remember:

• Always leave your bin out by 7am, and keep it out until 8pm if it hasn't been collected.
• Leave it at your bin collection point and return it to your property after collection.
• Don't overfill your bin - make sure the lid closes properly.
• Don't leave waste next to your bin as we can't collect it and you risk an £80 fine.
• If using a wheelie bin liner, make sure you remove it from the rim of your bin before collection.
• Don't put electrical or bulky items in your bin. Book a bulky waste collection for these.
• Keep your bin clean, disinfected and in good repair.
• Don't put waste in or take waste out of a bin you don't own or control.
• We'll only collect one general waste bin per property, unless there are exceptional circumstances, where:
  
  • there are six or more people living in the property, or
  • someone with a medical condition in the property requires another bin for their waste. 

Recycling

Please try to separate your waste as best you can. It’s very important that you put the correct items in our recycling bins or it can contaminate a whole bin lorry of waste. This waste could end up in landfill. 

Our staff cannot empty a contaminated bin and will put a contamination label on it.

Below are five handy tips to help avoid contaminating recycling bins.

1. What goes in my bins? - Belfast City Council
2. Look out for recycling labels on packaging to help identify whether it is recyclable or not. 
3. Try to recycle items you are sure we collect - such as plastic bottles, papers, cardboard, plastic tubs and trays, tins and cans. And try to recycle from every room in the house.
4. If in doubt, leave it out – don’t put an item in your recycling bin if you are not certain we can recycle it. (We cannot collect recycling bins with items such as dirty or wet paper or card, glass or nappies).
5. Empty and rinse all containers before you put them in your wheeled bin.

Putting the wrong materials into your recycling bins or boxes?

If you put the wrong materials in your recycling bins or boxes, we can't collect them. It could contaminate our whole collection and all waste in the lorry may have go to landfill. We'll put a non-collection tag on it telling you why it wasn't collected. Please remove the offending item, dispose of it correctly and put your bin or box out on the next collection date.

See what goes in my bins for more information.

Braille on bins

We can provide blind and partially sighted residents with tactile plaques for their bins. These plaques are attached to bins and boxes so residents can tell the difference.

If you would like these plaques for your bins, please call us on 0800 032 8100 or email: wastemanagement@belfastcity.gov.uk