Bins - what goes in them

Food waste liners used in your kitchen caddy must be compostable and should have a 7 litre capacity to fit your internal kitchen caddy. From 1 April 2024, we no longer provide replacement compostable food waste liners. Compostable liners can be purchased from most main supermarkets and discount stores, or you can buy them online from many retailers. 

• please ensure your bin lid is closed or we may not be able to empty your bin
• we don't lift any additional waste put out with your bin - this includes extra bags. If you can't keep it until your next collection, you can take your excess waste to any of our waste and recycling centres.
• we will only accept the items listed below in your burgundy recycling bin.

All cooked and uncooked food can be recycled using your kitchen caddy including:

• non-liquid dairy products
• meat and bones
• eggs and eggshells
• fruit and vegetables, including peelings
• bread and cakes
• fish including bones and shells
• rice and pasta
• tea bags and coffee grounds
• natural cork

Compostable garden waste includes:

• grass and hedge clippings
• plants and weeds
• leaves
• untreated/uncoloured bark and small branches

Do not put the following items in your burgundy recycling bin:

• liquids or oils
• spent grain from home brewing
• soil, rubble, bricks or timber
• animal waste or pet bedding
• glass
• plastic packaging or bags
• We are currently unable to accept packaging made from sheep's wool. This is because it's yet to be determined whether the product composts fully under normal In Vessel composting conditions. We'll provide further information once available but in the meantime please do not dispose of this type of material in your burgundy bin.

Your kitchen caddy has a lockable lid so there shouldn't be any smell from it.

To avoid any potential issues such as maggots getting into your bin put food waste in your caddy quickly (don’t leave uneaten food on plates for long periods) so flies don’t land on it and lay eggs. Dispose of food waste into the caddy, making sure you keep the caddy lid closed when not in use. Also keep the outside bin lid closed, again so flies don’t get into the bin and lay eggs on food.

The contents of your burgundy bin will go to a local processor to be turned into compost.

Please note wet grass cuttings can stick to the bottom of your bin. Please loosen it off for the next collection. Where possible, place other garden waste such as twigs and branches at the bottom before putting in your grass cuttings - this will help with the emptying. If your bin doesn’t empty completely our crews aren’t allowed to put their hands into the bins and another crew will not return to empty it.

You can take large items of garden waste like tree trunks or hedge cuttings to your local Waste and recycling centre.

You've bin tagged

If we notice that your burgundy bin has items in it that shouldn't be there we will put a red tag on the bin handle. If you get a red tag we will not empty it. You should remove the items and either put them in your black bin or take them to a recycling centre. You should then put your burgundy bin out on its next collection day. 

We recommend you put your house number on your wheelie bins.