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Arun bin collection days

Arun changed its collections in April 2026. Weekly food waste began on 13 April, and general rubbish moved to fortnightly collections in a 180-litre wheeled bin, to encourage use of the food service. Dry mixed recycling stays fortnightly in a green bin with a blue lid, and garden waste is a paid subscription run through Biffa's Green Waste Club. Because bins move around the fortnightly cycle, the council's postcode checker and app are the way to see your own dates.

Last checked against 8 sources (www.arun.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Black 180-litre wheeled bin for general rubbish · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Animal waste and bedding, bagged
  • Plastic bags and polystyrene
  • Sanitary products and nappies
  • Crisp packets
  • Glassware such as Pyrex and mirrors
  • Ash, vacuum cleaner dust and personal hygiene products, always bagged

Not in this one

  • Recyclable rubbish, which goes in the recycling bin
  • Garden rubbish, soil, mud, rubble, bricks, plaster and tiles
  • Textiles and carpets
  • Light bulbs and saucepans
  • Large electrical items
  • Clinical waste and sharps
  • More than one 180-litre bin

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Green bin with blue lid for dry mixed recycling · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Junk mail, newspapers and magazines, catalogues and directories
  • Cereal boxes, egg boxes and scrunchable wrapping paper
  • Clean takeaway containers, foil trays and tin foil
  • Glass bottles and jars, including wine, beer, perfume and jam jars
  • Food and drink cans, pet food cans, empty aerosols and biscuit or sweet tins
  • Milk, juice, custard and soup cartons
  • Plastic bottles, tubs, pots, trays, moulded packaging and container lids
  • Coffee cups and lids
  • Non-black plant pots at least 40x40mm

Not in this one

  • Shredded paper, paper towels and tissues
  • Polystyrene, polystyrene cups, plastic bags and film
  • Food and pet food pouches and crisp packets
  • Pyrex, drinking glass and crockery
  • Batteries, cables and electrical items
  • Black plant pots and pots smaller than 40x40mm

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Grey food waste bin with orange lid and kitchen caddy · Food waste

Bin · Every week

Yes please

  • Meat, fish and shellfish, including bones
  • Dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt
  • Cooked and uncooked fruit and vegetables, including peelings
  • Bread, cakes and pastries, rice, pasta and beans
  • Plate scrapings, tea bags, coffee grounds and eggshells
  • Solid fats, pet food, and mouldy or out-of-date food

Not in this one

  • Packaging, including plastic, which must be removed
  • Oils and liquids
  • Animal waste and bedding
  • Flowers and other non-food items

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Brown bin for garden waste (Green Waste Club) · Garden waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Leaves and grass cuttings
  • Hedge and tree cuttings

Not in this one

  • Woody material over 10mm across
  • Kitchen waste, vegetable peelings, tea bags and egg shells
  • Soil, hardcore, bricks and concrete
  • Animal bedding and animal waste
  • Fallen fruit, and items in bags

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Check your bin day

Use Arun’s own page for your bin day

The council's bin collection date finder needs a browser, which BinWeek's lookup service does not run, so the page links to the council's own finder.

Find my bin day on www.arun.gov.uk(opens in a new tab)

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Arun
BinCollected
Black 180-litre wheeled bin for general rubbish · General wasteEvery two weeks
Green bin with blue lid for dry mixed recycling · Mixed recyclingEvery two weeks
Grey food waste bin with orange lid and kitchen caddy · Food wasteEvery week
Brown bin for garden waste (Green Waste Club) · Garden wasteEvery two weeks

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Arun collects food waste every week. Weekly food waste collections began across the district on 13 April, as part of the council's 2026 Simpler Recycling changes, alongside a move to fortnightly general waste collections. Houses get a 23-litre grey outdoor bin with an orange lid and a 5-litre indoor caddy; purpose-built flats were phased in between April and June 2026. The council says using the service is strongly encouraged but not compulsory.

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid-for service. Arun Garden Waste Club is run by the contractor Biffa. A new annual subscription costs £91.78 plus a £25 bin supply and delivery charge, renewal is £91.78, and a second bin is £91.78 plus £25. Removing a bin when a subscription ends costs £12, and replacing a lost, damaged or stolen bin costs £25. The brown 240-litre bin is collected every 2 weeks. Subscriptions, terms and payments are handled through Biffa, whose number is 0800 0858 286, rather than the council.

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

If your bin was missed

Crews have until 5pm to finish their rounds. Report a miss within two working days of your normal collection day, online or by phone on 01903 737500, but during the 2026 changes the council asks you to wait for your next collection if you can, and to report only if the bin is full, a hygiene problem or missed more than once. It aims to complete missed collections within 3-4 working days. It will not return for bins not out from 7am, not near the kerb, contaminated recycling, or rubbish not in a 180-litre bin. Report within two working days of your normal collection day.

Source: www.arun.gov.uk (opens in a new tab), read

Good to know in Arun

  • The council says the vast majority of households got a free 180-litre black general waste bin ahead of the change. Communal properties and purpose-built flats were assessed separately, and some blocks of flats keep a weekly general waste collection where it is clearly needed.
  • The council will collect a maximum of one 180-litre bin, or a smaller one, every two weeks. Extra rubbish is not collected. In special circumstances, such as households of five or more, you can apply for a second bin if you also use the recycling and food services.
  • Food waste collection is not compulsory, but if you do not use it the council says you will still have fortnightly general waste collections and extra bags will not be accepted.
  • Some Arundel residents have green recycling boxes or sacks instead of the blue-lidded bin. Glass cannot go in the sacks and can be taken to a neighbourhood recycling site.
  • Only some recycling centres need an appointment, and the county council, not Arun, runs them. The council's pages send you to West Sussex County Council for the sites and booking.
  • Fortnightly recycling collection days may have changed during the 2026 service change. Check the Arun app, the postcode checker, or contact the council on 01903 737754.

Bin questions in Arun

How often are bins collected in Arun?

General rubbish, in a 180-litre bin, is collected every two weeks. Dry mixed recycling is also fortnightly. Food waste is collected every week, and subscribers' brown garden bins are collected every 2 weeks.

What can go in the Arun recycling bin?

Paper, cardboard, clean foil and trays, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, empty aerosols, cartons, and plastic bottles, tubs, pots and trays. Plastic bags and film, shredded paper, crisp packets and Pyrex are not accepted.

How much does garden waste cost in Arun?

A new subscription to the Arun Garden Waste Club is £91.78 plus a £25 bin supply and delivery charge, and renewal is £91.78. It is run by Biffa and the brown bin is collected every 2 weeks.

What do I do if my bin is missed in Arun?

Report it within two working days of your collection day, online or on 01903 737500. While the new collections settle, the council asks you to report only if the bin is full, a hygiene problem or missed more than once.

How do I find my collection day in Arun?

Use the council's online postcode search to find your collection day, or the free Arun District Council mobile app.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils