Presenting your bins correctly on collection day

When to put your bins out

  • your recycling and waste should be ready for collection by 6:00 am on your collection day, you can check your collection days online.
  • make sure your recycling and waste is sorted into the correct containers
  • our crews may not be able to collect some or all of it if you haven’t correctly sorted and presented your waste and recycling 

If you live in a house

  • bins should be presented on the named street of an address, and will not be collected from the side or rear of a property
  • bins, boxes, and caddies should be placed at the front of your property, ideally close to the pavement but not on it.  Where this is not possible bins, boxes, and caddies can be presented on the pavement on day of collection but must be removed as soon as possible after collection to avoid obstruction
  • make sure they can be seen easily from the road
  • any bins, boxes, and caddies not presented will not be collected

Presenting caddies for collection

  • the handle of your food waste caddy should be left in the 'locked' position  
  • do not use plastic bags in your food caddy (you can use biodegradable liners or wrap your food waste in old newspapers)

Presenting wheelie bins for collection

  • make sure that the lid of your wheelie bin is closed
  • leave the wheelie bin with the handle facing out towards the road
  • each household should only have one general waste wheelie bin per collection
  • all general waste should be stored in your brown wheelie bin - we do not collect additional waste presented

If you live in a house with no frontage 

  • recycling, waste bags, and food waste caddies should be placed at the front of your property 
  • if there’s space please keep them off the pavement 
  • if you have to place your bags and caddy on the pavement, do not cause an obstruction for pedestrians (including wheelchair users and pushchairs).

If you live in a flat above a shop

  • you will have been contacted about where you should place your recycling and waste bags on collection day 
  • some flats above shops are asked to place their recycling and waste bags next to the nearest street litter bin 
  • others are able to use bins in service roads at the rear of their property
  • if you're not sure about your collection location, please speak to your landlord or call us on 020 8770 5000

If you live in a flat

  • you should have a communal bin area 
  • if you’re not sure where your communal bin area is, please speak to the managing agent responsible for your block 
  • our crews will normally collect the recycling and waste without you realising, but if you’d like to know what day we visit your block, you can check your collection days
  • if you have a secure bin area, we may not be able to access it if keys or codes change.  Please contact your Managing Agent and ask that they contact the council on 020 8770 5000 to provide us with up-to-date information