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Salford bin collection days

Salford sorts household waste into a black bin for what cannot be recycled, a blue bin for paper and card, a brown bin for glass, cans and plastics, and a pink-lidded bin that takes garden waste and food waste together. Its bin pages describe the bins in detail but leave the days to a street-and-postcode checker.

Last checked against 8 sources (www.salford.gov.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Black bin for household waste · General waste

Bin · Varies by area, so check your address

Yes please

  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic film trays
  • Cat litter
  • Dog waste, bagged first
  • Polystyrene
  • Disposable nappies

Not in this one

  • A second black bin: only one is emptied per household
  • Side waste next to the bin
  • Anything with the lid left open

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

Blue bin for paper and card · Paper and card

Bin

Yes please

  • Paper and junk mail
  • All types of cardboard
  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Envelopes and catalogues
  • Corrugated packaging and shoe boxes
  • Cartons (Tetra Pak)

Not in this one

  • Plastic bags

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

Brown bin for glass, cans and plastics · Mixed recycling

Bin

Yes please

  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays
  • Food and drink cans
  • Foil and foil trays
  • Empty aerosols

Not in this one

  • Plastic bags

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

Pink-lidded bin for garden and food waste · Garden waste

Bin

Yes please

  • Grass and hedge cuttings
  • Leaves, flowers and plants without pots or soil
  • Twigs and small branches no thicker than your wrist
  • Bread, cakes and pastries
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Dairy products, eggs and eggshells
  • Rice, pasta and meal leftovers
  • Raw and cooked fish and meat, including bones
  • Tea bags, ground coffee and pet food

Not in this one

  • Plant pots and soil
  • Branches thicker than your wrist, which go to a recycling centre

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

23 litre outdoor food bin · Food waste

Bin

Yes please

  • Bread, cakes and pastries
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Dairy products, eggs and eggshells
  • Rice, pasta and meal leftovers
  • Raw and cooked fish and meat, including bones
  • Tea bags, ground coffee and pet food
  • Flowers and plants without pots or soil

Not in this one

  • Plant pots and soil

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

Check your bin day

We can’t check Salford addresses yet

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

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

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Salford
BinCollected
Black bin for household waste · General wasteVaries by area, so check your address

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Salford has a transitional arrangement for weekly food waste. Salford is listed in the schedule to the Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 with a later food waste collection date. In the meantime the council collects food waste together with garden waste in the pink-lidded bin, or in a 23 litre outdoor food bin where a household has one.

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

If your bin was missed

Use the council's online missed bin form for homes, businesses or managing agents. The form checks the progress of your round and any problem logged by the crew before it accepts your report. You can only report a bin as missed within two working days of the scheduled date. A report made before 12pm on a collection day from Tuesday to Friday, with no problem logged, is sent to the crew to try again the same day.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Salford

  • Put your bin out no earlier than 7pm the evening before collection and bring it in by 11pm on the day. The council ties this to a take-it-in policy aimed at reducing bin theft.
  • Salford has a no-side-waste, closed-lid policy. Extra bags of rubbish or recycling are not taken, and a bin with its lid open can lead to a fixed penalty notice under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Surplus goes to a recycling centre.
  • Bin sizes follow a policy: 240 litres as standard, a smaller 140 litre black bin for elderly, infirm or single-person homes, and a 360 litre black bin for homes with six or more occupants who show they are committed to recycling.
  • Food waste caddy liners are free. Tie an empty liner to the lid of the pink-lidded bin or outdoor food bin and the crew leaves another. Liners can also be collected from sites such as Swinton Gateway, Eccles Gateway and Walkden Gateway.
  • A replacement standard black bin costs £30.16 as of 3 October 2026, a full set of bins for a new build property costs £120.64, and a large black bin costs £66.41 once a waste awareness officer has confirmed eligibility. New recycling bins and kitchen caddies are free.
  • The black bin page says only the one black bin is emptied at each home, and that around 100,000 bins are emptied across the city each week.

Bin questions in Salford

What goes in Salford's pink-lidded bin?

Garden waste such as grass, hedge cuttings, leaves, flowers and small branches, together with food waste including bread, fruit, vegetables, dairy, leftovers, meat and fish with bones, tea bags and ground coffee.

How do I find my collection days in Salford?

Use the council's Bin collection days page. Enter your street name or full postcode, choose your property, and it lists dates for food and garden waste, paper and cardboard, glass, cans and plastics, and household waste.

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

Two working days from the scheduled collection. If your bin was missed on a Thursday or Friday you can still report it on the following Monday.

Can I leave extra bags next to my Salford bin?

No. The council has a no-side-waste and closed-lid policy, so extra bags are not taken and the lid must be fully shut. Take surplus rubbish or recycling to a recycling centre; breaches can lead to a fixed penalty notice.

Do I pay for a replacement black bin in Salford?

Yes, a new standard black bin costs £30.16 because the council can no longer replace them free. A full set of bins for a new build is £120.64. Recycling bins and kitchen caddies are free.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils