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Norwich bin collection days

Norwich City Council collects household waste from a black bin for rubbish, a blue bin for recycling, a food caddy and, on a paid subscription, a brown bin for garden waste. Black and blue bins are emptied on alternate weeks, food waste goes out every week, and homes without a bin use a black sack for rubbish and a blue sack for recycling.

Last checked against 7 sources (www.norwich.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Black bin or black sack for general rubbish · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Waste that cannot be recycled and has no place in the recycling or food bin

Not in this one

  • DIY waste such as bricks, tiles and wood
  • Electrical items such as toasters, phones and kettles
  • Hazardous waste such as paint, batteries and chemicals

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

Blue bin or blue sack for recycling · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Cardboard, catalogues, leaflets, magazines, newspapers, paper and packaging card
  • Envelopes including envelopes with windows, and greeting cards
  • Shredded paper, kept loose and not in bags
  • Aluminium and steel cans and tins, aluminium foil, and empty aerosol cans
  • Clean foil trays and containers
  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays for food, drink and bathroom products, plus toothpaste tubes
  • Fruit juice, soup, food and milk cartons
  • Glass bottles and jars, with the lids kept on

Not in this one

  • Paint aerosols
  • Pizza boxes with food left inside
  • Wrapping paper with tape, ribbons or glitter
  • Junk mail still in its plastic wrapping
  • Dirty foil trays and containers

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

Food waste caddy · Food waste

Caddy · Every week

Yes please

  • Leftover food from meals
  • Eggs and eggshells
  • Cheese and other dairy foods
  • Fruit and vegetables, raw or cooked
  • Bread, cakes and biscuits
  • Meat, fish and bones, raw or cooked
  • Rice, pasta and beans
  • Tea bags, coffee grounds and pet food

Not in this one

  • Packaging of any kind
  • Glass
  • Recycling such as cans or paper
  • Garden waste such as grass or leaves
  • Straw or animal bedding

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

Brown garden waste bin (paid) · Garden waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Grass cuttings
  • Leaves and small plants
  • Hedge trimmings
  • Twigs and small branches
  • Cut flowers

Not in this one

  • Big tree trunks or fences
  • Stones, rocks, soil or dirt
  • Paper or cardboard
  • Plastic bags
  • Food or kitchen waste, including fruit and vegetable peelings
  • Straw, sawdust or pet bedding
  • DIY or building waste
  • Ash tree leaves and branches, because of ash dieback

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

Check your bin day

We can’t check Norwich addresses yet

Live bin day lookups for Norwich are planned. Until then, Norwich’s own page will show your collection day.

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

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Norwich
BinCollected
Black bin or black sack for general rubbish · General wasteEvery two weeks
Blue bin or blue sack for recycling · Mixed recyclingEvery two weeks
Food waste caddy · Food wasteEvery week
Brown garden waste bin (paid) · Garden wasteEvery two weeks

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Norwich collects food waste every week. Norwich collects food waste every week in its own caddy, separate from the black bin. Small electrical items, batteries and textiles can be left in separate bags beside the bin for a weekly collection.

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

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid-for service. Garden waste collection is paid for each year: £65 for a large 240 litre brown bin or £49 for a small 180 litre bin, and you can pay for more than one bin. No refunds are given if you cancel part way through the year, and bin size can only be changed at the annual renewal. Brown bins are collected every other week, with no collections for two weeks over Christmas and New Year. The bin arrives about a week before the first collection, which is 3 to 5 weeks after you sign up. The council's summary terms say the service renews automatically each year unless you cancel at least 6 weeks before renewal.

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

If your bin was missed

Check the bin went out on time and in the right place, and that it held the right items, then report it through the council's online form. A bin may be skipped if it was out late, held the wrong items, was too heavy or overfilled, or the crew had no safe access. In those cases fix the problem and wait for the next collection. Food waste, textiles, electricals and batteries cannot be reported as missed, so leave them out the following week. You must report a missed collection within 2 working days of your scheduled collection day. The council cannot accept reports after that.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Norwich

  • The council's timing rule is unusual: put wheelie bins or bags just outside your property boundary after 6pm the evening before collection and no later than 6am on the day itself, and have them back inside the boundary by 9am the next morning. Lids must be closed, and overflowing bins or bins with wrong items are not emptied.
  • Households using sacks get a black sack for general rubbish every week and a blue sack for recycling every other week. Communal bins follow the pattern of recycling and rubbish every other week and food waste every week.
  • If your blue bin is full you can put extra items in a clear bag or cardboard box beside it and break large boxes down. Glass always goes inside the bin, never next to it. For a large amount of recycling, the council points you to the Norwich North and Norwich South recycling centres.
  • Small electrical items, batteries and clothes can go in separate bags next to the bin on collection day for weekly pick-up. If the truck is too full they may be left, and the council says you do not need to tell anyone, just put them out again the next week.
  • Pizza boxes are accepted in the blue bin only if no food is left inside. Wrapping paper needs to be free of tape, ribbons and glitter, and the foil trays and containers must be clean. Keep lids on bottles and jars.
  • Garden waste excludes ash tree leaves and branches because they can spread ash dieback. The council suggests leaving them where they are or burning them safely if allowed. Its summary terms also say bins must be marked with your house number or name, and bins are only collected when the subscription is paid.
  • Collection days change after bank holidays and other public holidays, so check your collection day each time rather than assuming last week's pattern.

Bin questions in Norwich

How often are bins collected in Norwich?

Black bin rubbish and blue bin recycling are each collected every other week, food waste is collected every week and garden waste is collected every other week. Households using sacks have a weekly black sack collection.

How much is garden waste collection in Norwich?

A large 240 litre brown bin costs £65 a year and a small 180 litre bin costs £49. The council gives no refunds for cancelling part way through the year, and there is a two week break at Christmas and New Year.

What time should I put my bin out in Norwich?

Put it outside your property boundary after 6pm the evening before, or before 6am on the day, and bring it back inside by 9am the following morning. The lid must be closed.

Can I report a missed food caddy in Norwich?

No. Food waste, textiles, electricals and batteries are not eligible for missed collection reports, so leave them out for the following week. For other bins, report within 2 working days.

Guides that may help

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