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Plymouth bin collection days

Plymouth collects its brown general waste bin and its green recycling bin on alternate weeks, on the same weekday. Garden waste is a paid permit scheme running to 22 November 2026. Weekly food waste caddies arrived in March 2026 and are still being delivered in phases, with the last areas due in November.

Last checked against 6 sources (www.plymouth.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Brown general waste bin or bags · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Coffee cups
  • Lightbulbs
  • Nappies
  • Polystyrene
  • Broken glass, mirrors and sheet glass
  • Shiny gift wrap and shiny foil gift wrap
  • Cards with glitter and glue
  • Dirty foil and foil-lined food packets
  • Soft plastics such as plastic bags and film

Not in this one

  • Batteries, which go to a supermarket or the recycling centre
  • Rubbish left next to the bin or bags

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

Green recycling bin or bags · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Glass bottles and jars of any colour
  • Detergent, drink and shampoo bottles, food trays, fruit punnets and tubs
  • Cardboard packaging, cereal packets, catalogues, envelopes and junk mail
  • Magazines, newspapers, office paper and shredded paper
  • Aerosols, aluminium food trays, biscuit tins and food and drink cans
  • Clean cooking foil and metal lids

Not in this one

  • Black bin bags
  • Batteries

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

Grey food waste caddy · Food waste

Caddy · Every week

Yes please

  • Uneaten food and plate scrapings
  • Tea bags and coffee grounds
  • Out of date or mouldy food
  • Raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones and skin
  • Shellfish shells, dairy products, eggs and eggshells
  • Rice, pasta, beans and baked goods
  • Fruit and vegetables including peelings and cut flowers
  • Pet food waste

Not in this one

  • Packaging such as plastic bags, wrappers and foil
  • Liquids and oils including milk, cooking oil and drinks
  • Pet waste, animal bedding and cat litter
  • Garden waste
  • Glass, metal and general household rubbish

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

Garden waste bin or bags (paid permit) · Garden waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Flowers, grass cuttings and hedge trimmings
  • Plants and weeds
  • Twigs and branches up to 7cm wide

Not in this one

  • Food and vegetable peelings
  • Invasive species such as Japanese knotweed or ragwort
  • Plant pots or trays
  • Soil or rubble

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

Check your bin day

We can’t check Plymouth addresses yet

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

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

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Plymouth
BinCollected
Brown general waste bin or bags · General wasteEvery two weeks
Green recycling bin or bags · Mixed recyclingEvery two weeks
Grey food waste caddy · Food wasteEvery week
Garden waste bin or bags (paid permit) · Garden wasteEvery two weeks

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Plymouth does not collect food waste every week. Plymouth began weekly food waste collections in March 2026 and is rolling them out in phases. The council's food waste page says around 80 per cent of homes now have the service, and the final phase, covering Lower Compton, Mannamead, Manadon, Widey, Stoke and Stonehouse, starts in November with caddies delivered during October. Households get a post notice before their phase starts.

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

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid-for service. A standard garden waste permit costs £58, as of 3 October 2026. Each household can have up to three garden waste bins, and each needs its own permit. Collecting an unwanted garden bin from your home costs £23; taking it to Chelson Meadow is free. The 2026 season runs from Monday 30 March to Sunday 22 November, with a collection every other week.

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

If your bin was missed

Report a missed bin through the council's online form. You cannot report a missed collection if you did not put your bin out. For brown, green and garden waste bins the council says it will return within two working days. For a missed food waste caddy it will not return, and collects on your next normal collection day, but the report still helps the service.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Plymouth

  • Put your bins at the kerbside from 6.30pm the night before and bring them back inside your boundary before midnight on collection day. If there is a bank holiday your collection moves one day later than usual.
  • Some parts of Plymouth use community collection points with shared bins for rubbish and recycling. These are emptied as and when needed rather than on a fixed day.
  • Everything must be inside the council's bins or bags with the lid closed. Nothing may be left beside them. Surplus household waste can be taken to a recycling centre.
  • Recycling goes in loose, and the council asks for a quick rinse and for plastic bottles and cardboard to be flattened. Batteries must not go in the green or brown bins; take them to a supermarket or the recycling centre.
  • Food waste is collected every week on the same weekday as the brown and green bins, and the caddy goes in the same spot as the green bin. Some flats, apartment blocks and houses in multiple occupation share a communal outside food bin.
  • The council's own pages call the garden waste bin both black and grey, so rely on the permit sticker rather than the colour. The sticker must be on top of the bin so the crew knows it is registered, and permits are posted within 10 working days.
  • Plymouth has two recycling centres, Chelson Meadow and Weston Mill, and you can take an unwanted garden bin to Chelson Meadow without booking.

Bin questions in Plymouth

Which bin goes out this week in Plymouth?

The council collects your bins every other week: domestic waste in the brown bin one week and recycling in the green bin the next. Use its check my collection day tool to see which applies to your address.

How much is garden waste collection in Plymouth?

A standard permit costs £58. The 2026 season runs from 30 March to 22 November, and the bin is emptied every other week. You can have up to three garden waste bins, each with its own permit.

Is my street getting a food waste caddy in Plymouth?

Weekly food waste collections started in March 2026 and are being rolled out in phases. The council says it contacts each household by post before its phase begins, and the final phase starts in November.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils