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Knowsley bin collection days

Knowsley Council uses four containers, each with its own colour: a maroon bin for general waste, a grey bin for recycling, a blue bin for garden waste and a grey caddy for food. Household waste is collected weekly, but the maroon and grey bins alternate, so each is emptied every other week. The food caddy is collected every week.

Last checked against 5 sources (www.knowsley.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Maroon general waste bin · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • General waste and items that cannot be recycled
  • Nappies
  • Plastic wrappers
  • Polystyrene

Not in this one

  • Building materials
  • Rubble

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

Grey recycling bin · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Cardboard
  • Paper, newspapers and magazines, and envelopes
  • Food tins and drink cans
  • Aerosols
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Plastic bottles
  • Plastic pots, tubs and trays
  • Tetra-paks such as milk, juice and soup cartons
  • Foil trays and tin foil

Not in this one

  • Plastic bags and bin bags
  • Textiles
  • Polystyrene

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

Blue garden waste bin · Garden waste

Bin · Every three weeks

Yes please

  • Grass cuttings
  • Shredded paper
  • Flowers, plants and weeds
  • Prunings, hedge and tree clippings, twigs and branches
  • Leaves
  • Untreated bark and wood chippings
  • Pet bedding made of wood chippings, sawdust, straw or hay, clean or soiled

Not in this one

  • Soil
  • Food waste

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

Grey food waste caddy · Food waste

Caddy · Every week

Yes please

  • Uneaten food and plate scrapings
  • Meat and fish, raw or cooked, including bones
  • Dairy products and eggs, including eggshells
  • Baked goods such as bread, cakes and pastries
  • Fruit, and raw or cooked vegetables with peelings
  • Rice, pasta and beans
  • Tea bags and coffee grounds
  • Out-of-date or mouldy food

Not in this one

  • Food packaging
  • Liquids such as milk
  • Oil or liquid fat
  • Anything that is not food waste

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

Check your bin day

Use Knowsley’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.knowsley.gov.uk(opens in a new tab)

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Knowsley
BinCollected
Maroon general waste bin · General wasteEvery two weeks
Grey recycling bin · Mixed recyclingEvery two weeks
Blue garden waste bin · Garden wasteEvery three weeks
Grey food waste caddy · Food wasteEvery week

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Knowsley collects food waste every week. Knowsley's weekly food waste collection began on 13 April 2026, on the same day as the grey and maroon bins. The council says the extra materials now accepted in the grey bin, such as plastic pots, tubs and trays and cartons, apply from 1 April. Flats were due to follow with food waste collections in October 2026, each building getting its own arrangement.

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

If your bin was missed

Check the council's list of missed streets first, which is updated hourly on collection days. If your street is listed you do not need to report anything, just leave the bin at its usual collection point. Otherwise report online with your full address and postcode, the type of bin and the date of the missed collection, and you get a confirmation email. A bin is not collected if it is too heavy, overfull, has the lid raised, holds the wrong items or was not at the kerbside by 7am. You can report from 3pm on your collection day, and no later than 48 hours after your collection window. Anything after 48 hours cannot be reported.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Knowsley

  • The council's postcode search gives your own collection days. Put bins at the kerbside by 7am on the day, but not before 6pm the evening before. Crews empty between 7am and 3pm, and the bin must be back on your property, stored securely, by midnight the same day.
  • Garden waste is collected once every three weeks during the gardening season, which the council gives as March to November. The pages used here do not say whether the blue garden bin is free or charged, so check the council's bin charges page before ordering one.
  • Extra recycling can sit next to the grey bin if it is in a cardboard box or a clear plastic bag, not a bin bag or carrier bag. Keep the box small enough to fit into the bin, because crews tip it in. Extra waste next to the maroon or blue bin is not collected.
  • The grey bin does not take plastic bags, textiles or polystyrene, and it needs rinsed cans, tins, bottles and jars and flattened cardboard. Polystyrene and plastic wrappers belong in the maroon bin, and the grey bin rejects polystyrene.
  • Food waste collections started on 13 April 2026 for households. Each home should have a 5l indoor caddy, a roll of liners and a 23l outdoor caddy, and any bag will do as a liner because plastic is separated at the treatment plant. Replacement caddies are free.
  • Knowsley publishes a live list of missed streets on collection days, with a target of collecting those bins within 48 hours. It also lists reasons crews may skip a bin: blocked access, a vehicle breakdown, bad weather, or the crew leaving a sticker about the contents.
  • The two household waste recycling centres, at Huyton and Kirkby, are run by the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority. Residents using a van of any size or a trailer between 2 and 3 metres need an appointment and are limited to 12 visits a year.

Bin questions in Knowsley

What colour is the food waste caddy in Knowsley?

The food waste caddy is grey. It is collected every week on the same day as the grey and maroon bins, and the council says it is included in the standard service at no charge.

How often are Knowsley's bins collected?

Household waste is collected weekly, alternating between general waste in the maroon bin one week and recycling in the grey bin the next. Food waste is weekly, and garden waste is every three weeks from March to November.

How long do I have to report a missed bin in Knowsley?

You can report after 3pm on your collection day, and within 48 hours of your collection window. Check the missed streets list first, because a street already on it does not need a report.

Where are Knowsley's recycling centres and when are they open?

There are two, in Huyton and Kirkby, both open from 8:00am to 5:00pm every day. The Huyton site is on Wilson Road, L36 6AD. You can phone 0151 255 1444, and van users must book an appointment.

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