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South Ribble bin collection days

South Ribble splits recycling into a blue bin and a green box, both emptied every 2 weeks, and uses a grey bin for everything else on the same fortnightly pattern. The blue bin takes plastic, cans and glass together, including cartons. The green box is only paper and card, and it does take shredded paper. Garden waste is a paid brown bin, also every 2 weeks except over Christmas and New Year. Weekly food waste is described on the council's page as starting the week of 13 April 2026.

Last checked against 9 sources (southribble.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Grey bin · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Non-recyclable household waste
  • Disposable nappies, wet wipes and tissues
  • Plastic film, carrier bags and wrappings
  • Polystyrene packaging
  • Pet waste

Not in this one

  • Paper, card, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, cans and glass
  • Electrical items and batteries
  • Hazardous waste such as asbestos, car batteries and oil
  • DIY waste, including rubble, bricks, timber, plasterboard and tiles
  • Bags of waste left next to the bin

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

Blue bin · Mixed recycling

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Plastic bottles, including drinks, cleaning and cosmetics bottles
  • Plastic pots, tubs, trays and punnets, and toothpaste tubes
  • Plant pots, and chocolate and biscuit tubs
  • Glass bottles and jars, including lids
  • Steel and aluminium tins and cans, empty aerosols, and clean foil and foil trays
  • Food and drink cartons made from a fibre-based composite

Not in this one

  • Paper and card, which go in the green box
  • Plastic carrier bags, film, wrappings and bubble wrap
  • Polystyrene, nappies, wet wipes and tissues
  • Food, which goes in the food waste caddy
  • Crockery, pans, cutlery, Pyrex, drinking glasses and window glass
  • Crisp and sweet wrappers, film lids and laminated pouches
  • Recycling tied up in a black sack or carrier bag

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

Green box · Paper and card

Box · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Newspapers, magazines, brochures, catalogues and telephone directories
  • White paper, leaflets, brown paper and envelopes with a window
  • Gift wrap, and shredded paper
  • Cardboard boxes and corrugated cardboard, with plastic inserts, polystyrene and tape removed
  • Greetings cards without glitter

Not in this one

  • Glass, cans and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays
  • Plastic carrier bags, film, bubble wrap and polystyrene
  • Food and garden waste
  • Books, wallpaper and decoration paper
  • Nappies, wipes, sanitary products, paper towels, tissues and cotton wool
  • Foil-based gift wrap, and crisp or sweet wrappers

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

Food waste caddy · Food waste

Caddy · Every week

Yes please

  • Fruit and vegetables, raw or cooked, including peelings, banana skins and cherry stones
  • Tea bags and coffee grounds
  • Bread, cakes, pasta, rice, beans and pulses
  • Meat and fish, raw or cooked, including bones and shells
  • Eggs and eggshells, dairy products, and tinned or dry pet food
  • Small amounts of gravy, sauces or custard left on food, and meal leftovers

Not in this one

  • Liquids such as milk and oils
  • Packaging, cardboard and other recycling
  • Garden waste
  • Anything that is not food

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

Brown bin · Garden waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Grass, leaves, weeds, flowers and plants with the soil removed
  • Twigs and small branches, and windfall fruit
  • Houseplants, flower cuttings and chopped real Christmas trees
  • Hay or straw used as bedding for non-meat-eating animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs
  • Vegetable waste from the garden, such as potato tops, not kitchen waste

Not in this one

  • Large branches, pieces of wood, and treated or painted wood
  • Soil, turf, stones, rubble, hardcore, sand and grit
  • Cat litter and dog faeces
  • Plastic bags, flower pots, trays and any other plastic
  • Food or kitchen waste, vacuum dust and fire cinders

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

Check your bin day

We can’t check South Ribble addresses yet

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

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

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for South Ribble
BinCollected
Grey bin · General wasteEvery two weeks
Blue bin · Mixed recyclingEvery two weeks
Green box · Paper and cardEvery two weeks
Food waste caddy · Food wasteEvery week
Brown bin · Garden wasteEvery two weeks

Food waste and the national recycling rules

South Ribble collects food waste every week. South Ribble's food waste page says weekly collections start the week commencing Monday 13 April 2026, on the same day as the other bins. Households were due a 7-litre kitchen caddy, a 23-litre outdoor caddy, two rolls of liners and a leaflet. The outdoor caddy goes out at the kerbside for 7.30am.

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

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid-for service. The 2026/27 garden waste subscription is £40 per bin, covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. You can have more than one subscription, and each bin needs its own permit. The brown bin is emptied every 2 weeks, except over the Christmas and New Year period. If you renew, keep the 2025/26 permit on the bin until the new one arrives.

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

If your bin was missed

Report a missed bin online after you have checked the collection day, that the right bin was out with the lid closed, and that it was not tagged for the wrong items. If the miss was the council's mistake, the crew returns within 2 working days. Bins that were not presented, were too heavy or held the wrong items wait until the next scheduled collection. Put bins out by 7:30am. Only report a miss after 4pm on the collection day, and within 2 working days. Overfilled bins and bags left beside them are not collected.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in South Ribble

  • Leave bins at the kerbside with the handles facing the road, lids fully closed, and bring them in after collection. Blue bin and green box recycling must be loose, not bagged. A black sack in the blue bin can send a whole vehicle load of recycling to landfill, the council says.
  • On recycling week, textiles go beside the bin or box in a clear or translucent bag that is tied up. Crews will not take textiles that are in a charity collection bag.
  • The green box takes gift wrap, envelopes with windows and shredded paper, but not books, wallpaper, tissues or glittery cards. Large cardboard has to be broken down. The council's test is to scrunch paper: if it does not spring back, it can be recycled.
  • The brown bin is only for garden waste, including chopped real Christmas trees and soiled bedding from rabbits or guinea pigs. Kitchen scraps, cat litter and dog faeces stay out. A damaged brown bin can be reported on 01772 625625, and the old bin should be collected at the same time.
  • Food caddies should be presented with the other bins. Terraced homes that use a collection point put the outdoor caddy at the front of the property. Packaging, liquids and garden waste do not go in it.
  • Recycling centres are run by Lancashire County Council. The borough page names Flensburg Way in Farington and Coppull Road in Chorley, and sends you to the county site for opening hours.
  • As of 3 October 2026 the food waste page still gives the start as the week commencing 13 April 2026 and still says not to put the outdoor caddy out before that date. Use the page for what the caddy takes, and the collection-day checker for whether your address is on the round.

Bin questions in South Ribble

How often does South Ribble collect each bin?

The blue bin, green box and grey bin are each emptied every 2 weeks. The brown garden bin is emptied every 2 weeks as well, except over Christmas and New Year, and only if you subscribe. Food waste is weekly, on the same day as the other bins.

How much is the South Ribble garden waste bin?

The charge for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 is £40 per bin. Each subscription has its own permit, which has to be displayed on the bin.

When should I report a missed South Ribble bin?

After 4pm on the collection day, and within 2 working days. Bins need to have been out by 7:30am with the lid closed. If the crew left a tag, or the bin was not presented or was too heavy, the council does not return until the next scheduled collection.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils