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West Lothian bin collection days

West Lothian's grey bin is for what cannot be recycled, collected every 2 weeks. It goes out by 7am, Monday to Saturday, lid closed, with locks and straps taken off. Paper and cartons are the blue bin, plastics and cans the green bin, and food and garden waste the brown bin. Glass is not collected at the door.

Last checked against 2 sources (www.westlothian.gov.uk).

What goes in each bin

Grey bin for materials which cannot be recycled · General waste

Bin · Every two weeks

Yes please

  • Coat hangers, broken plastic toys, nappies, sanitary products, razors and toothpaste tubes
  • Disposable gloves, bubble wrap, polystyrene, sweet wrappers and crisp packets
  • Greasy pizza boxes, pet waste and vacuum cleaner bags
  • Cooled cooking oil in a sealed bag or plastic container

Not in this one

  • Glass bottles and jars, which go to a glass recycling point
  • Plastics, tins, cans, foil and aerosols, which go in the green bin
  • Paper, card and cartons, which go in the blue bin
  • Food and garden waste, which go in the brown bin
  • Anything beside the bin, and batteries and electricals, which go to a community recycling centre

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

Green bin for plastics, cans and foil · Mixed recycling

Bin

Yes please

  • Plastic tubs, trays, pots, lids, bottles and empty plastic bags
  • Steel and aluminium tins and cans, aluminium foil and trays, and empty aerosols

Not in this one

  • The grey bin page sends paper, card and cartons to the blue bin, and food and garden waste to the brown bin
  • Glass is not collected at the door

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

Blue bin for paper, card and cartons · Paper and card

Bin

Yes please

  • Paper and envelopes, including shredded paper and envelopes with windows
  • Card, cardboard and cardboard cartons

Not in this one

  • Plastics and cans, which the grey page places in the green bin

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

Brown bin food waste · Food waste

Bin

Yes please

  • Food waste, including meat and bones

Not in this one

  • The grey page does not list foods to leave out of the brown bin

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

Brown bin garden waste · Garden waste

Bin

Yes please

  • Grass and hedge cuttings, weeds, flowers, plants, small branches, twigs and leaves
  • Real Christmas trees

Not in this one

  • The grey page does not say the brown bin is charged

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

Check your bin day

Use West Lothian’s own page for your bin day

The council's bin collection date finder needs a browser, which BinWeek's lookup service does not run, so the page links to the council's own finder.

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

Set your own bin day

These dates are the ones you enter. BinWeek does not get them from West Lothian. Check them on the council’s site (opens in a new tab) (www.westlothian.gov.uk).

Grey bin for materials which cannot be recycled · General waste

The council’s pages say this is collected every two weeks. Your round may differ, so use the pattern you were given.

Green bin for plastics, cans and foil · Mixed recycling
Blue bin for paper, card and cartons · Paper and card
Brown bin food waste · Food waste
Brown bin garden waste · Garden waste

Add to calendar

A private calendar link for the pattern you entered, with an alert at 6pm the evening before. The link contains those days. BinWeek does not keep a copy, and anyone with the link can see them.

Email me the night before

You can still add these days to your calendar.

How often each bin is collected

Collection frequency by bin for West Lothian
BinCollected
Grey bin for materials which cannot be recycled · General wasteEvery two weeks

Garden waste

Garden waste arrangements vary across the area. The grey bin page says garden waste, including real Christmas trees, goes in the brown bin. It does not say whether that collection is charged.

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

If your bin was missed

If the bin was not emptied as expected, report it online from the reporting bin and waste issues page. That page also covers replacement bins, and it says a charge for replacements was introduced after the 2026/27 budget meeting. It does not set a deadline.

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

Your nearest tip

Good to know in West Lothian

  • The council's own monitoring says 40.9% of what is in the grey bin could have gone in the kerbside recycling services, and that cutting general waste should raise household recycling by nearly 10%.
  • Nothing beside the bin is taken. There are five community recycling centres for excess waste, batteries and electricals. A compacted or frozen bin that only half-empties is the household's to loosen for the next day. No extra collection is offered.
  • An extra red-top grey bin is not automatic because of a baby. Medical extra capacity goes through the district nurse. Other requests use 01506 280000 or customer.service@westlothian.gov.uk.
  • The grey page mentions tests of smaller 140L bins with families of different sizes. A too-heavy bin can snap at the lip and will be left.
  • Cooled cooking oil can go in the grey bin in a sealed bag or container. The page also points to Zero Waste Scotland for recycling oil, and says oil is not for the blue or brown bin or the recycling centres.
  • Glass uses glass points, not the doorstep. The council describes new housings around those points to cut noise. Textile banks are at the community recycling centres and charity shops.
  • The reporting page says replacement bins are now charged, after the 2026/27 budget, but it does not print the charge on that page.

Bin questions in West Lothian

How often is the West Lothian grey bin emptied?

Every 2 weeks. Put it on the kerbside with the lid closed by 7am, Monday to Saturday, and take off locks, straps or weights.

Does West Lothian collect glass at the kerbside?

No. Bottles and jars go to a glass recycling point. The grey page says the council does not provide a doorstep glass service.

How do I report a missed West Lothian bin?

Online, from the reporting bin and waste issues page, if it was not emptied as expected. That page does not give a time limit.

Guides that may help

Nearby councils