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Sheffield bin collection days

Sheffield houses have three bins, and one of them is emptied every week: black for general rubbish every two weeks, and the blue and brown recycling bins every four weeks. There is no food waste collection for houses, so the black bin is the one that comes round most often.

Last checked against 6 sources (www.sheffield.gov.uk, www.legislation.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Black bin · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • General household rubbish
  • Plastic film lids peeled off cartons

Not in this one

  • Recycling that belongs in the blue or brown bin
  • Extra waste left next to the bin, which is not taken
  • Anything so heavy or so full that the lid will not close

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

Blue bin for paper and card · Paper and card

Bin · Every four weeks

Yes please

  • Paper and card
  • Extra paper and card, neatly bundled with string and no bigger than the bin, beside the blue bin

Not in this one

  • Plastic bags, because recycling goes in loose
  • Glass, cans, plastics, cartons, aerosols and tubes, which go in the brown bin

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

Brown bin for glass, cans, plastics, cartons, aerosols and tubes · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every four weeks

Yes please

  • Glass bottles and jars in clear, green and brown glass
  • Empty drinks cans and food tins
  • Plastic drinks, toiletry and cleaning bottles
  • Rinsed yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, punnets and meat or ready meal trays
  • Rinsed cartons such as juice, milk and soup cartons
  • Empty aerosols with the cap on
  • Empty toothpaste and cosmetic tubes

Not in this one

  • Drinking glasses, Pyrex, window glass, mirrors, light bulbs and ceramics
  • Broken glass of any kind
  • Black plastic trays and polystyrene
  • Compostable or bioplastic packaging
  • Full or partly full aerosols, paint tins and gas canisters
  • Cartons with straws attached, and paper or takeaway coffee cups

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

Green garden waste bin (paid) · Garden waste

Bin · Varies by area, so check your address

Yes please

  • Grass mowings, hedge and plant clippings, leaves and prunings
  • Small branches and twigs
  • Weeds, cut flowers and chipped bark

Not in this one

  • Food waste and household waste
  • Japanese knotweed
  • Plant pots and garden gnomes
  • Plastic bags and packaging
  • Soil, stones, rubble and sawdust
  • Waste from professional gardeners
  • Pond weeds, mulch and large branches

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

Check your bin day

We can’t check Sheffield addresses yet

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

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

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for Sheffield
BinCollected
Black bin · General wasteEvery two weeks
Blue bin for paper and card · Paper and cardEvery four weeks
Brown bin for glass, cans, plastics, cartons, aerosols and tubes · Mixed recyclingEvery four weeks
Green garden waste bin (paid) · Garden wasteVaries by area, so check your address

Food waste and the national recycling rules

Sheffield has a transitional arrangement for weekly food waste. Sheffield houses have three bins (black, blue and brown) and no separate food waste collection. Sheffield City Council is listed in the schedule to the Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024 with a food waste collection date of 1 August 2038.

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

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid-for service. A new green bin costs £35 including delivery, and 20 collections over 12 months cost £66.58. You need to sign up for collections to get a new bin. The 2026 to 2027 service lets you sign up at any time of year. You get 20 collections over the following 12 months, with a short break for Christmas and New Year.

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

If your bin was missed

Look for a tag or sticker on the bin, which explains why it was not emptied and how to get it emptied. If there is none, check the service alerts for delays and then report a missed collection through the council's online form. The council says it will return within 1 working day to empty the bin, or contact you within 1 working day to explain why it cannot.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in Sheffield

  • The four-week cycle runs blue bin, black bin, brown bin, black bin. Because the order is fixed, knowing which bin went out last time tells you what is next, but your own collection calendar is the reliable guide.
  • Put the right bin out on the pavement by 7am on collection day and bring it back onto your property before 9am the following day. The council offers help putting bins out if age or a medical condition makes it difficult.
  • Every house is due a larger 240 litre blue bin for paper and card between July and December 2026. Flats are not part of the rollout. The week before your new bin is due, crews put a tag on your black bin.
  • The brown bin takes aerosols, cartons, food tins and drinks cans, glass, plastics and tubes. Leave labels on, and put plastic lids back on bottles.
  • Recycling must go in loose, with no plastic bags, and each type in its own bin: the council says recycling cannot be mixed in one container. Bins that are too heavy, or so full that the lid will not close, cannot be emptied.
  • For soft plastics such as carrier bags, bread bags and crisp packets, the council's page points people to supermarkets rather than the home collection.
  • Garden waste is a paid service with a short Christmas break. If you only have the odd bag, the household waste recycling centres take garden waste free of charge.

Bin questions in Sheffield

How often are bins collected in Sheffield?

One of your bins is emptied every week. The black bin is emptied every 2 weeks, and the blue and brown recycling bins every 4 weeks. The pattern runs blue, black, brown, black.

Does Sheffield collect food waste?

Not for houses at the moment. Sheffield City Council is listed in the 2024 transitional provisions with a food waste collection date of 1 August 2038, so houses keep the black, blue and brown bins for now.

How much does a bulky waste collection cost in Sheffield?

The price depends on how many items you book: 1 to 3 cost £40.25, 4 to 6 cost £55.01, 7 to 9 cost £75.59 and 10 to 12 cost £95.48. Up to 12 items are collected within 7 working days of payment. Some council and housing association tenants get a free collection.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils