North Somerset collects recycling and food waste every week, but empties the black rubbish bin only every three weeks. The council made that change in 2025 to push more waste into recycling, and it also takes plastic bags and soft plastic wrapping at the kerbside. Garden waste is a paid subscription.
Last checked against 8 sources (n-somerset.gov.uk).
What goes in each bin
Black wheelie bin for rubbish (grey rubbish sacks where a bin is not practical) · General waste
Bin · Every three weeks
Yes please
Nappies, incontinence pads and sanitary products
Hygiene waste such as tissues, plasters and wound dressings
Empty blister packets, black plastic and pet waste
Broken household items such as a drinking glass, crockery and toys (not electrical)
Not in this one
DIY or construction waste
Large items that do not fit the bin, which go to a recycling centre
Waste beside the bin, or in a bin with the lid not closed
Black wheelie bin for rubbish (grey rubbish sacks where a bin is not practical) · General waste
Every three weeks
Green or black recycling boxes · Mixed recycling
Every week
Food waste caddy (small kitchen caddy and larger container for collection) · Food waste
Every week
Garden waste bin or bags (paid subscription) · Garden waste
Every two weeks
Food waste and the national recycling rules
North Somerset collects food waste every week. The council collects food waste every week from houses and flats. Many properties with communal recycling now have a communal food waste bin, and where a block has none the council says it can offer an alternative food waste service in line with Simpler Recycling.
Garden waste is a paid-for service. The 2026/27 subscription is £70 per garden waste bin, with a maximum of two bins. Where a bin is not possible the council supplies three garden waste bags for the same price, and a household can have a maximum of six bags. The council cuts the price by 75 per cent to £17.50 if you receive Council Tax Reduction, live in a student-only household, have the Severe Mental Impairment discount or have an armed forces council tax exemption. The service runs from April to March, and the 2026/27 year ends on 31 March 2027. Garden waste is collected fortnightly for most of the year and monthly in December, January and February. The service stops for a period around Christmas. Permits arrive by post within 15 working days and containers can take up to 28 working days to deliver.
Check the council's missed collection report for the day, uploaded to Google Drive at around 6.30pm each weeknight. If your road is listed, a crew will come back and you need do nothing. If it is not, sign in to MyAccount to report the missed collection and leave the containers out. A bin that was not emptied because of incorrect items, such as DIY waste, or a second black bin at the property is not treated as a missed collection. Tell the council by the end of the following working day; it then aims to return the day after that. For a Friday collection, report by 11.59pm on the Monday and expect collection on the Tuesday.
Most households now get a weekly recycling collection and a black bin collection every three weeks. For properties where a bin is not practical, the council collects up to four rubbish sacks per collection, or two sacks if the collection is weekly. Check your own calendar for the pattern at your address.
Soft plastics are accepted: food wrappers, film lids, carrier bags, bread bags, crisp packets and similar. Stuff them into one soft plastic bag no bigger than a carrier bag, tie the top and put it in the recycling box with the glass. The council says it is the first local authority in the country to offer this across a whole district.
Items such as small electricals, spectacles, sunglasses, reusable clothes, shoes, mobile phones, batteries and vapes are collected from the doorstep if each is bagged separately and loosely tied to keep it dry. Electricals should be smaller than a standard domestic toaster.
Recycling is sorted by hand. If a prohibited item is in the box, the crew does not empty it but leaves a card explaining why. Stack the boxes with the food caddy on top to stop items blowing away.
Households are allowed one black bin per property. The bin belongs to the council, so leave it for the next residents if you move, and note that replacements may not be new. The council only collects from bins it supplied.
Families with children in nappies, people with medical needs and some larger households can apply to a waste minimisation officer for extra capacity. If approved, they may get a bigger bin or an extra sack allowance.
The council says that in July 2026 93% of the containers its crews collected were done on the scheduled day. A free North Somerset Council app sends reminders and live service updates.
Backwell recycling centre is reached via Church Road from 12 October to 14 November, because Dark Lane is closed. All three sites are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Bin questions in North Somerset
How often is the black bin collected in North Somerset?
Most households now have a black bin collection every three weeks and a weekly recycling collection. The council introduced three-weekly collections in 2025, with some sack-based properties on a weekly pattern.
How much is garden waste collection in North Somerset?
The 2026/27 subscription is £70 per garden waste bin, or £17.50 where a discount applies. Collections are fortnightly for most of the year and monthly in December, January and February.
Do I need to book to use North Somerset's recycling centres?
Yes. The council runs a booking system for all three of its recycling centres, at Weston-super-Mare, Portishead and Backwell, and asks residents to use their nearest site and only visit with a full load.
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