Cornwall Council collects food waste every week, and recycling and rubbish every two weeks on opposite weeks. Homes are given colour-coded reusable bags and a black box rather than a single recycling wheelie bin, so the colour of the bag tells you where an item goes. Garden waste is a paid subscription.
Last checked against 6 sources (www.cornwall.gov.uk).
What goes in each bin
Rubbish bin or protective sack · General waste
Bin · Every two weeks
Yes please
Household rubbish, bagged before it goes in the bin or sack
Non-infectious clinical waste such as nappies, incontinence pads and stoma bags
Not in this one
Infectious clinical waste, which has its own weekly collection
Waste from businesses, holiday lets and other non-household properties
Rubbish that is not inside the bin or sack with the lid fully closed
Red bag for plastic, cartons and metal packaging · Mixed recycling
Every two weeks
Orange bag for cardboard · Paper and card
Every two weeks
Blue bag for paper · Paper and card
Every two weeks
Black box for glass and textiles · Glass
Every two weeks
Green outdoor food waste caddy · Food waste
Every week
Brown garden waste bin or reusable bag (paid subscription) · Garden waste
Every two weeks
Food waste and the national recycling rules
Cornwall collects food waste every week. Food waste is collected every week from the green outdoor caddy, on a separate round from rubbish, and goes to an anaerobic digestion plant in Holsworthy.
Garden waste is a paid-for service. The 2026/27 subscription is £76 a year for a 240 litre bin, £58 for a 140 litre bin or £30 for a 70 litre reusable bag. First-time subscribers also buy the container once: £33, £26 or £14. Collections are fortnightly. The subscription year runs from 1 April to 31 March, and anyone who joins later pays for the remaining months. New applications stop at the end of December and renewals open in mid-February.
Check you put the right container out on the right week, then report the missed collection through the council's online form. The council's contractor checks vehicle tracking data and CCTV footage from the vehicle to confirm your waste was out and correctly presented by 7am. If the checks confirm a miss on a report made Monday to Friday, the crew returns by 6pm the next day. Reports made on Saturday or Sunday are answered by 6pm on Monday. Leave your waste out until then.
Rubbish and recycling alternate, so one of them goes out every other week while the food caddy goes out every week. If you are unsure which week you are on, the council's My Area page shows your calendar and lets you download it.
Put food waste, recycling and rubbish out by 7am on collection day, at your usual collection point, which for most homes is the property boundary. Rubbish and food waste are collected by different crews, so one container can be emptied before the other.
Flats and homes that share bins with neighbours may have recycling bins rather than bags and boxes. The colour coding is the same, and your site manager can tell you which containers apply to your building.
Broken glass does not go in the black box. The council asks you to wrap it carefully or put it in a sturdy plastic tub, label it clearly and leave it on top of your wheelie bin or sack so the crew can see it.
Holiday lets and self-catering accommodation are not eligible for household collections, even if the property is only rented out for part of the year. Businesses must arrange a licensed waste contractor.
Brown garden waste bins are collected on a separate round by a different crew. The household rubbish crew does not check them, so rubbish put in a brown bin is not collected.
The council has a page for booking a slot to visit the tip and another for vehicle permits. Check both for the site you plan to use before you load the car.
Bin questions in Cornwall
How often are bins collected in Cornwall?
Food waste is collected every week. Recycling is collected every two weeks, and rubbish every two weeks on the opposite week to recycling. Garden waste is collected every two weeks if you subscribe.
What time do I need to put my bins out in Cornwall?
Cornwall Council asks for waste to be out by 7am on your collection day. Crews start their rounds at 7am, so waste put out later can be missed.
How much does garden waste collection cost in Cornwall?
For 2026/27 the annual subscription is £76 for a 240 litre bin, £58 for a 140 litre bin and £30 for a 70 litre reusable bag. The subscription year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
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