Thurrock Council collects household waste in wheeled bins on two alternating rounds. The green or grey bin for non-recyclable waste goes out one week, and the blue recycling bin goes out the next, together with the brown garden bin for anyone who has subscribed. A separate food recycling bin is emptied every week, and your street is on either Round A or Round B.
Last checked against 7 sources (www.thurrock.gov.uk).
What goes in each bin
Green or grey wheeled bin for non-recyclable waste · General waste
Bin · Every two weeks
Yes please
General refuse
Pet waste
Plastic bags and polystyrene
Light bulbs, but not fluorescent ones
Glassware such as Pyrex, and mirrors
Sanitary products and nappies
Food waste, wrapped in newspaper or kitchen paper towel, until a food bin has been delivered to the household
Not in this one
Electrical items such as microwaves, toasters and hairdryers
Fluorescent light bulbs
Recyclable waste
Textiles, including duvets and pillows
Garden waste, soil or mud
Liquids, except bottled cooking oil
DIY waste such as rubble, bricks, plaster or tiles
Green or grey wheeled bin for non-recyclable waste · General waste
Every two weeks
Blue wheeled bin for recycling · Mixed recycling
Every two weeks
Brown wheeled bin for garden waste (subscription) · Garden waste
Every two weeks
Small green food recycling bin (23 litre) and grey kitchen caddy · Food waste
Every week
Food waste and the national recycling rules
Thurrock collects food waste every week. Thurrock collects food waste every week in a food recycling bin, free of charge. Food bins were delivered to all houses during 2024. Flats and other properties were being assessed, and the council's stated plan was to give every residential property in the borough access to a separate food waste collection by March 2026, with a communal service for some residents.
Garden waste is a paid-for service. For 2026/27 the brown bin subscription starts at £80 for one bin collected every two weeks, paid in full upfront by credit or debit card. Each additional bin added to the subscription is £50. The subscription runs from the fortnight beginning Wednesday 1 April 2026 to the fortnight ending Wednesday 31 March 2027, and the dates are the same whenever you sign up. Brown bins are emptied every two weeks on the same day as the blue recycling bin. There is no winter seasonal pause in 2026/27, so collections continue through Christmas and New Year. A permit sticker arrives within 10 working days of payment, and only bins showing a valid sticker are collected.
Put the right waste out at the approved collection point and report it online if it was not collected and you got no bin tag or sticker explaining why. A bin is not emptied if it was not at the edge of your property by 6am, held the wrong waste, or had too much waste or a lid that was not shut. After a valid report, the council returns to collect within two working days. Report before midnight on the second working day after the collection was due, working days being Monday to Friday. Later than that and you cannot report it as missed.
Which bins go out in a given week depends on whether your street is on Round A or Round B. The council collects blue and brown bins from one round and green or grey bins from the other, then swaps them the next week. Look up your street by its first letter on the council's collection days page, or use the postcode lookup for houses.
Bins must be out before 6am on the scheduled day, at the kerbside or agreed collection point and as close to the pavement as possible without blocking it. Collection times vary from week to week. Contaminated bins are not emptied, and non-recyclable and garden waste left as side waste is not taken without notice.
If your blue bin is full the council will take extra recycling next to it. Put it in clear or white plastic bags, flatten large boxes and keep glass and sharp-edged cans in the bin rather than in bags. The council does not provide bags for this.
As of 3 October 2026 the council's collection days page carried a notice about Friday 2 October, saying that some green or grey bins could not be collected from Round A streets in Grays, with crews due back on Monday 5 October. Blue and brown bins and all food waste were collected that day.
A small number of properties, where bins cannot be stored or carried up and down stairs, get a bag-only service with its own schedule. Many flats have a communal service with different containers and a separate collection schedule.
Each household gets a 5 litre grey caddy for the kitchen and up to 2 small green 23 litre food bins. The council gives out one roll of compostable bags while stocks last, and you can use a bread bag or newspaper if you run out. Turn the handle upright so the lid locks.
The tip at Linford is free for Thurrock residents, who must bring proof of address such as a recent council tax or utility bill. You can turn up without booking, and you can only enter by travelling north on Buckingham Hill Road from Linford.
Bin questions in Thurrock
How often are bins collected in Thurrock?
The green or grey bin and the blue bin are each collected every two weeks on alternate weeks, and the brown garden bin follows the blue bin's weeks. Food bins are collected every week on your usual day.
What are Round A and Round B in Thurrock?
They are the two collection rounds. In any week the council collects blue and brown bins from one round and green or grey bins from the other, then swaps them the following week. The council's page lists the pattern week by week.
How much is garden waste collection in Thurrock?
From £80 for one brown bin in 2026/27, with each additional bin £50, paid upfront by card. The subscription runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and there is no winter pause this year.
Do I need to book a slot at Thurrock's tip?
No. You can turn up during opening hours at the Linford centre, but you must bring proof of address to show you live in Thurrock, and trade waste is challenged.
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