Harrow gives every house a food caddy collected weekly, a general waste bin collected every two weeks and a blue recycling bin collected every two weeks. Garden waste is an optional paid brown bin, also fortnightly. Your own bin days are set per address, so check by postcode.
Last checked against 7 sources (www.harrow.gov.uk).
What goes in each bin
Green (or grey) general waste bin · General waste
Bin · Every two weeks
Yes please
Ceramics such as broken mugs or plates
Foil packets and wrappers such as biscuit or crisp packets
Lightbulbs
Nappies
Old textiles such as old socks and clothing
Pet waste, which must be bagged
Plastic bags
Polystyrene found in boxed packaging
Everything bagged in bin bags before it goes in the bin
Not in this one
Waste left beside the bin, such as black bags or broken down boxes, which the crews will not collect
Recyclable waste, because the bin is for non-recyclable waste only
Garden waste is a paid-for service. The service costs £69.00 for the year, or £34.50 for the year if you receive Council Tax support. You subscribe online with a debit or credit card and get a sticker for your bin. The council collects garden waste every two weeks from April 2026 to March 2027. Stickers for early subscribers are sent at the end of March and later ones should arrive within two weeks.
Enter your postcode on the council's bins page and choose the missed bin option under the bin that was not collected. After you report, the crews try to return within three days, and the council emails a reference number you need to follow the report up. You cannot report a bin that was contaminated, not put out on the kerb, blocked from the crew, overloaded or the wrong bin for that day. You can report from 5pm on your usual bin day and no later than 48 hours after it.
General waste goes in a green bin, or a grey one for some households. The recycling bin is blue for every household. The food waste caddy is a small black bin. Garden waste has a brown bin.
Residents of flats often have communal bins instead: a large blue general waste bin, a large grey recycling bin and a red food waste bin. Flats have different collection dates from houses, and the council has a separate page for bins in flats.
Put your bins out before 6am on your bin day. The council says most residents put them out the night before. Place them as close as you can to the public footpath without blocking pedestrians.
Crews will not take a bin that is contaminated, such as one with food in the recycling bin, or one put out on the wrong week. They will also leave bins with too much waste in or around them. Extra waste can go to the recycling centre in Wealdstone.
You may be able to order an extra general waste bin if there are five or more people in the house, or if you need one for healthcare items such as incontinence pads.
If the lid or pin of a bin is damaged the council repairs it free. If the crew damages your bin or it falls into the truck, the council replaces it free. A bin that has gone missing has to be paid for, so the council suggests writing your door number on it.
The recycling centre is for residents arriving by car with a booking, photo ID and proof of address. Vans are charged extra and should report to the weighbridge.
Bin questions in Harrow
How often are bins collected in Harrow?
The council collects food waste caddies every week, and general waste bins, recycling bins and paid garden waste bins every two weeks. Flats have different dates, which you check by postcode.
Do I need to book to use the Harrow recycling centre?
Yes. You choose a date and time, give your contact details and vehicle registration, and arrive in a car. You can book up to two visits per vehicle a day, up to 14 days ahead. Your time slot is valid for 30 minutes from the time you booked.
How much is garden waste collection in Harrow?
The council charges £69.00 for the year, or £34.50 if you get Council Tax support, for fortnightly collections from April 2026 to March 2027.
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