My bin hasn't been collected
- We carry out over 5.8 million individual waste and recycling collections each year.
- We complete 99.95% of collections as scheduled.
Sometimes, for various reasons, we may fail to empty your bin. We appreciate how inconvenient this can be for you!
If we don’t empty your bin, let us know. We aim to return within 5 working days.
However, if your bin:
- was not put out by 6:30am
- was not in your usual collection point
- is broken or damaged
- had the wrong things in it
- was too heavy for us to safely move it
- did not clearly display a valid collection sticker (brown bin only)
- or the lid was open,
…we will only return to empty it on its next scheduled collection. Where possible we will tag the bin so you know why we couldn’t empty it.
You could make other arrangements:
- You can take the material to your nearest Recycling Centre.
- Pay for a bulky waste collection.
Remove any heavy or incorrect items, and put the bin out on its next scheduled collection day.
Access issues
We can only empty your bin if access is not blocked by:
- roadworks
- or badly parked vehicles.
If we can’t access your bin because of this, we will arrange to return within 5 working days. Leave your bin at the usual collection point.
If there is still an access issue when we return, we will empty the bin at its next scheduled collection.
Assisted collections
If access is stopped by:
- locked gates
- parked vehicles
- dogs in the garden
- untreated icy paths
- overgrown vegetation,
...we will only empty bins at the next scheduled collection, and when access has improved.
Glass and food waste collections
If we don’t collect your food waste or glass as expected, please let us know.
However, our crew will return only at your next scheduled collection.
- Glass is inert and safe to store.
- You can put food waste in your grey bin if necessary.
If you follow all our guidelines, but your bin still wasn’t emptied:
- Let us know by 5pm on the next working day (Monday to Friday) after your scheduled collection. This lets us efficiently plan our return.
- Leave it out. It must be at the usual collection point.
We aim to empty your bin within 5 working days.
During wintery or adverse weather:
- check our service updates page
- if you can:
- remove snow from the top of your bin
- clear a path in the snow so we can move the bin to the lorry.
- avoid reporting a missed collection unless you know we have collected other bins in your street. We are aware of which streets have been a problem.