Northumberland County Council - Bin collection information

Bin collection information

Here you will find information on when your bins will be collected and what should go in them.

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Report a missed trade waste collection

Apply for assisted bin collection

Request a small rubbish bin

The latest information regarding bin collections and how the service is affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19).

This information was last updated on 12 April 2021.

Check your bin collection date here

Bin Collections

Our bin collection teams are still out and about, working to collect your normal household rubbish and recycling bins. We're also running our commercial waste service to businesses.

Please click here to see our alerts page, where we will update you on any issues we have with collecting your bins.

You can help by thoroughly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after touching your bins.

If someone in your household had symptoms for COVID-19, please make sure their waste is also double-bagged, the handles of each bag are tied, and is stored for 72 hours in a place not accessed by people/pets before putting in it your bin.

We will respond to advice from the government and Public Health England, and will keep residents informed of changes to our waste services.

If you suspect that someone has the Coronavirus, here is the government advice on what to do with their waste, and how to clean any areas where they have been:

Click here for the government's latest advice regarding waste and Coronavirus.

The latest information regarding garden waste collection in Northumberland during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

This information was last updated 25 March 2021

Garden waste 2021 collections are now taking place.

Check your collection dates using the timetable here.

Important update on garden waste 2021 services

We apologise for delays in providing new customers with garden waste bins. We have now secured a supply and will be able to resume supplying bins from Tuesday 6 April.

Customers still awaiting delivery of a bin may have their 2021 fee refunded and cancel the service or wait to receive a bin for the remainder of their collections. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer partial refunds.

We would like to apologise to all customers that have been unable to make full use of the garden waste collection service this year. If you do choose to ask for a refund, we hope you will consider re-joining the service in the future.

Please call 0345 600 6400 if you wish to cancel your 2021 garden waste subscription.

More garden waste information

For more information on your garden waste service, please click here. You can find out information such as:

What can and can't go in your garden waste bin
How to report a missed garden waste collection

Here you will be able to find when your bins will be collected using our waste collection calendar, as well as how to report a missed or damaged bin.

Bin collection dates

To check your bin collection dates, please click here to see our waste collection calendar. Simply type in your postcode, choose your property, and your own bin collection calendar will appear.

PLEASE NOTE: During bad weather, bin collections may be affected. At these times, visit the council alerts page for more information.

Bin collection times

If your bin is not out for collection at 7am on your bin collection day, and it is therefore not emptied, we can only return to collect it on the next scheduled collection day a fortnight later.

Report a missed bin

PLEASE NOTE: Your recycling bin may not have been emptied due to contamination.

If we are at fault for your bin being missed, we will make every effort to collect it as soon as possible, after one of the missed bin collection forms below are filled. The 'report a missed residential waste bin collection' form can be used to report missed collection of household waste, recycling and garden waste:

Report a missed residential bin collection

Report a missed trade waste collection

We cannot issue refunds for any missed bin collections.

Apply for assisted bin collection

You may qualify for assisted bin collection if you are elderly or infirm, or are suffering from a short or long-term illness. Please apply for assisted bin collection using the form below:

Apply for assisted bin collection

New, lost, stolen, or damaged bins

If you have moved into a new home without bins, you will need to buy general waste and recycling bins.

You are expected to pay for a replacement bin, unless the bin has been damaged by the council’s vehicles or staff, or if we have agreed that your bin should be left permanently on the roadside.

Charges:

£32 for a small (140-litre) recycling or general waste wheeled bin

£37 for a standard (240-litre) recycling or general waste wheeled bin

£66 for a large (340-litre) recycling or general waste wheeled bin

£108 for a large (660-litre) recycling or general waste wheeled bin

£383 for an extra-large (1,100-litre) recycling or general waste wheeled bin

PLEASE NOTE: It is possible to buy a second-hand bin, but this is subject to a ‘first come, first served’ basis. You can also buy a bin from another supplier, provided it meets the council’s standards.

Please call us on 0345 600 6400 for any enquiries, or to order a new bin.

We aim to deliver your new/replacement bin within five working days of payment being received.

Change your bin

If you would like to request a smaller bin, please click here to fill out our online form.

If you would like to request a larger bin, please call us on 0345 600 6400.

Waste Collection Calendars

Please see the lists below for more information on what to put in your household, recycling, and garden bins.

For more information about what you can put into your bins, please click on the blue drop-down boxes for the relevant bin below:

Recycling

Yes please	No thanks
Clean paper and card (except shredded paper and paper towels)	Shredded paper (put in general waste bin), tissues or paper towels
Plain birthday/Christmas cards	Birthday/Christmas cards containing glitter or other 'bling'
Paper gift wrap	Plastic/foil gift wrap
Junk mail, newspapers, magazines, catalogues and directories	Tin foil or foil trays
Cardboard (please flatten)	Plastics which aren’t bottles e.g. bags, carrier bags, cling film, plant pots, yoghurt pots, food trays, margarine cartons, bubble wrap
Clean food tins and drink cans (please rinse)	Tetrapacks (juice and milk cartons)*
Empty aerosol cans	Glass*
Plastic bottles, including drinks, shampoo and detergent bottles (please ensure they are washed and squashed but you can now leave the tops on)	Food waste
ANY plastic bottles with or without lids can be put in the recycling bin.	Clothing, shoes and textiles
	Disposable nappies
	Very heavy or electrical items, e.g. television

*PLEASE NOTE: You can take your glass and wax cartons/Tetra Paks to your local household waste recovery centre (HWRC).

Household rubbish

Yes please	No thanks
Food waste	Very heavy or electrical items, e.g. television
Nappies	Garden waste (please enquire about the garden waste collection service)
Vacuum cleaner contents
Plastic film and polystyrene
Pet waste
Shredded paper (if you don’t home compost)

Garden waste

Yes please	No thanks
Leaves	Kitchen waste (such as fruit and vegetable peelings)
Grass	Soil or rubble
Weeds	General household rubbish
Small branches less than 10cm in diameter	Plant pots or fence panels
Hedges	Garden equipment, fittings or garden furniture
Tree cuttings less than 10cm in diameter

Please see below for our answers to commonly asked questions regarding bin collection.

What should I do when bin collections are disrupted?

If collections are disrupted due to severe weather, we will provide updates on the council alerts page, Facebook, and Twitter. You will find links for these below:

We always aim to rearrange missed collections caused by service disruption as soon as possible.

What happens if my garden waste bin is missed?

If we have missed your garden bin, every effort will be made to return to collect it, providing it was missed through our fault. However, if it has been missed due to bad weather or other circumstances beyond our control, this may not always be possible.

Unfortunately, we cannot pay refunds or part refunds for missed garden waste bins.

You can click on the boxes below to find more answers to some of your FAQs:

Why does my bin need to be put out at 7am?

Even if your collection day has not changed, the time that we come to empty your bins may change - if you don’t put your bin out by 7am on the day of collection, it might not be emptied and we won’t be able to return for it.

During the rest of the year, we still occasionally need to change the order in which we collect bins to take into account things like roadworks, weather conditions and other issues out of our control, so please always ensure you put your bin out by 7am on collection day.

What if I have an assisted collection?

The type of assistance you currently receive will be the same, but the day and time we visit you may change from time to time. We aim to notify households in advance if the collection day is changing, but please click here for our bin collection calendar to double check.

If you lock a gate, then please make sure that it is open from 7am on your collection day.

Where can I find out more information?

Please click here for more information about our bin collection services.

Please click here to check your bin collection days.

Please click here to visit our alerts page.

You can also speak to customer services on 0345 600 6400.

What happens if I contaminate my recycling bin?

If your recycling bin has been contaminated you will find a tag on the bin or a letter through your door reminding you of the recycling guidelines. Please read the advice given, remove the offending items and put it out again on your next scheduled recycling collection day in two weeks time.

Some points to consider:

certain materials will cause problems at the sorting plant – materials such as food waste, nappies or glass will contaminate the bin beyond sorting and so the bin will not be emptied
continually and deliberately contaminating your bin – the council will either remove your bin or refuse to empty it. In order to have your bin returned you will need to agree not to cause further contamination and pay the standard charge for the re-provision of the recycling bin if applicable.

Please click here to see what you can and can’t put in your recycling bin.

What happens if I don’t have space for a bin? (requesting sacks)

If you feel you don’t have space for a wheeled bin, then you may be able to use bin sacks.

The council must determine this before you can start using bin sacks for collection.

For more information on bins sacks, and to request free recycling sacks, please call 0345 600 6400, or visit one of our Customer Service Centres.

Please click here to find out more about your local Customer Service Centre.

What should I do on collection day?

Follow this simple checklist to ensure your bins are collected correctly:

Put your bin out before 7am on collection day, either at the kerbside or previously agreed collection point.
Don’t overfill your bin; the lid must be able to close.
Don’t leave excess waste alongside your bin as it will not be collected.
Any excess waste should be taken to your local household waste recovery centre (HWRC).
Don’t put any clinical/healthcare waste in your bin; ask your doctor/nurse/pharmacist to recommend how you should dispose of this waste.
Take your bin back onto your property within 24 hours of it being emptied.