West Northamptonshire was created from three councils, and its bin rules still show the join. Black bins are collected every two weeks in Northampton and South Northamptonshire but every three weeks in the Daventry area, where that has been the pattern since 2018. The council has decided to move the rest of the area to three-weekly black bin collections from spring 2027, under a scheme it calls 1,2,3 +.
Last checked against 6 sources (www.westnorthants.gov.uk).
What goes in each bin
Black wheelie bin (every 2 weeks in Northampton and South Northamptonshire, every 3 weeks in the Daventry area) · General waste
Bin · Every two weeks
Yes please
Non-recyclable rubbish
Nappies
Plastic bags, cling film, wrappers, crisp packets and sweet packets
Broken toys and polystyrene
Duvets and pillows
Not in this one
Hot ashes and liquids
Large items, which need a bulky waste collection
Heavy materials such as car parts, stones and rubble
Hazardous materials such as paints, oils and chemicals
Small electrical items and batteries
Extra bags or boxes beside the bin: only one bin per household is collected
Collection frequency by bin for West Northamptonshire
Bin
Collected
Black wheelie bin (every 2 weeks in Northampton and South Northamptonshire, every 3 weeks in the Daventry area) · General waste
Every two weeks
Blue-lidded recycling bin or clear sack · Mixed recycling
Every two weeks
Food waste caddy and lockable outdoor bin · Food waste
Every week
Garden waste bin (subscription) · Garden waste
Every two weeks
Food waste and the national recycling rules
West Northamptonshire collects food waste every week. Food waste is collected every week. The council says all flats in West Northamptonshire now have access to food waste recycling and should have received a kitchen caddy and a roll of liners, with communal food bins near the other bins.
Garden waste is a paid-for service. The 2026/27 garden waste subscription is £69 per bin, whenever in the year you join, and the council says the charge cannot be paid in instalments, is not reduced for people on benefits and is not refunded on cancellation. An extra bin is a further £69. The subscription runs from the start of April 2026 to the end of March 2027. Collections are fortnightly with a break of one collection at Christmas. You can pay by card or by Direct Debit.
Check that no service changes have been announced, that the bin was out by 6:30am at the kerbside on the right day, that it held the right items and that the lid was closed. If a crew left a sticker, read it first. Then report the miss online by selecting your area (Daventry, Northampton or South Northamptonshire). The council says there are different lorries for each type of waste, so allow time for each. Do not report a missed bin until after 4:30pm, and report within 2 working days of your collection day or it will not be collected.
The 1,2,3 + scheme means food waste every week, recycling every two weeks and general waste every three weeks, plus the optional garden waste service. The council says Cabinet agreed it on 5 May 2026, and it takes effect from spring 2027 for homes with their own wheeled bins.
Homes with sacks are not part of the change. The council says sacks for general waste and recycling continue to be collected weekly in Northampton, and flats with communal bin stores continue as normal.
Until the change, black bins in Northampton and South Northamptonshire are emptied every two weeks on the opposite week to the blue-lidded recycling bin. Only one black bin per household is collected, and extra bags or boxes beside it are left.
Recycling is sorted by plastic type. The council accepts bottles, pots, tubs and trays made from plastics numbered 1, 2 and 5, and does not accept numbers 3, 4, 6 and 7. Soft plastics, carrier bags and crisp packets go in the black bin.
Bins and sacks must be at the kerbside by 6:30am. The council says bins are emptied at any time between 6:30am and 5pm, and that only the day of the week is fixed, so do not expect the crew at the same time each week.
Garden waste is an opt-in subscription that runs on a financial year, from April to March. You pay the full annual price whenever you join, and in Northampton, households on sacks can book up to 25 garden waste collections a year, up to 10 sacks at a time.
The council asks you not to use council bins to store other items and says neither it nor its contractors are responsible for items mistakenly placed in a bin and later collected.
Bin questions in West Northamptonshire
How often are black bins collected in West Northamptonshire?
Every 2 weeks in Northampton and South Northamptonshire, on the opposite week to recycling, and every 3 weeks in the Daventry area. From spring 2027 homes with their own wheeled bins move to every 3 weeks.
How much is garden waste collection in West Northamptonshire?
The 2026/27 subscription is £69 per bin for the year from April 2026 to the end of March 2027. The price is the same if you join later, and there are no concessions or part refunds.
What time do I put my bin out in West Northamptonshire?
By 6:30am on your collection day, at the kerbside where it can be clearly seen. The council says bins are emptied any time between 6:30am and 5pm.
What is the 1,2,3 + bin service in West Northamptonshire?
It is the council's name for weekly food waste, recycling every 2 weeks and general waste every 3 weeks. Cabinet agreed on 5 May 2026 to extend three-weekly black bin collections from spring 2027 to homes with their own wheeled bins in Northampton and South Northamptonshire.
Can I recycle plastic bags in West Northamptonshire?
No. The council lists plastic bags, wrapping and film as not accepted in the recycling bin, and carrier bags, bread bags and crisp packets as plastics to leave out. They go in the black bin.
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