London Borough Bin Collection Days: Your Complete 2025 Guide to Waste & Recycling Schedules

Keeping track of your bin collection days is crucial for maintaining a tidy home and contributing to effective waste management in London. This comprehensive guide provides detailed information on bin collection schedules for all 33 London boroughs throughout 2025, helping you manage your general waste, recycling, food waste, and garden waste collections with ease.

Navigating London's Diverse Waste Collection System

Waste collection in London isn't a one-size-fits-all system. Each borough has its unique approach, leading to variations in:

• Collection Frequencies: Services can be weekly, fortnightly, or on alternating weeks depending on the waste type and borough.
• Bin Types and Colors: The appearance and specific use of bins (e.g., for general waste, mixed recycling, paper, plastics) can differ significantly. Always check your local council's guidance.
• Accepted Waste Streams: What you can put in your general waste, recycling, food, or garden waste bin varies. Contamination can lead to missed collections or entire loads being sent to landfill.
• Specific Collection Days: These are often determined by your postcode or even specific street within a borough.

This complexity can often be a source of confusion, particularly for new residents or when councils update their services. Our 2025 guide aims to clarify these details and provide a central resource for Londoners.

Detailed Collection Schedules by Borough for 2025

Below, you'll find a breakdown of expected collection schedules for each London borough. It's important to remember that these are general guidelines. Always confirm your specific collection days by using the postcode lookup tool on your local council's official website, as schedules can vary street by street and may be subject to change.

North London

Barnet (Covering EN4–EN5, N2, N3, N12, NW2–NW7, NW9, NW11)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (standard black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (standard blue bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Service is being reintroduced borough-wide with full implementation expected by 2026. Check council updates for your area.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Typically £70 per year, operating from April to November. Check for 2025 pricing and exact dates.

Camden (Covering NW1–NW3, NW5, NW6, NW8, WC1, WC2)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black wheelie bin or appropriate bags for properties without bin storage).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green or white-lidded bin, or council-provided recycling bags).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy, primarily for street-level properties).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £75 per year, usually running from March to November. Confirm 2025 details.

Enfield (Covering EN1–EN3, N9, N11, N13–N14, N18, N21)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (grey or black bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly (blue-lidded bin, collected on alternate weeks to general rubbish).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £65 per year, typically April to March. Verify 2025 subscription terms.

Haringey (Covering N2, N4, N6, N8, N10, N15, N17, N22)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green-lidded wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (small brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Weekly subscription service. Around £75 per year. Check for 2025 renewal and new subscription information.

Islington (Covering N1, N5, N7, N19, EC1, WC1)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black wheelie bin or council-approved sacks).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green recycling box or communal recycling bin; clear sacks may be used in some designated areas).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy for kerbside houses; communal options may vary).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £75 per year for a set number of bags (e.g., 3 bags). Confirm 2025 arrangements.

East London

Barking & Dagenham (Covering IG11, RM8–RM10)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (grey wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly (orange-lidded wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Currently no separate council-wide service; typically placed in general waste. Check for any 2025 pilot schemes or changes.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service, usually operational from March to November. Check 2025 fees and schedule.

Hackney (Covering E5, E8–E9, N1, N4, N16)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (green wheelie bin for most street properties; arrangements may vary for flats).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (grey bin with an orange lid or council-provided green sacks for recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy for street-level houses).
• Garden Waste: Often included with food waste collection; no separate subscription is typically needed. Confirm this for 2025.

Havering (Covering RM1–RM14)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black sacks or black wheelie bin, depending on property type).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (orange sacks for recycling).
• Food Waste: A separate service is planned, with a target start date around 2026. Monitor council announcements for 2025 updates.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £55 per year. Check 2025 collection period and cost.

Newham (Covering E6, E7, E13–E16)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (green-lidded wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (orange-lidded wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: No separate borough-wide service currently in place, though this is subject to change. Check for 2025 updates.
• Garden Waste: By request, with seasonal free collections anticipated to be introduced or expanded from mid-2025. Registration may be required.

Redbridge (Covering E11, IG1–IG6)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black wheelie bin or council-approved sacks).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (blue box for paper/card or a green bin for mixed recyclables, check your specific provision).
• Food Waste: No separate service currently active borough-wide. Monitor for 2025 changes.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly, free service, typically running from April to November. Registration is usually required.

Tower Hamlets (Covering E1–E3, E14, E1W)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (predominantly uses communal Eurobins for flats and estates; some kerbside collections may differ).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (purple communal bins or clear sacks for residential properties).
• Food Waste: Limited service, often available via communal food waste bins on some estates. Check local availability for 2025.
• Garden Waste: No standard borough-wide collection service. Residents are typically advised to use the Reuse and Recycling Centre. Check for any 2025 community composting schemes.

Waltham Forest (Covering E4, E10–E11, E17)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly, free service. Confirm collection schedules and any registration needs for 2025.

South London

Bexley (Covering DA5, DA7, DA8, DA14, DA15, SE2, SE28)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (green wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly, with materials separated: a white-lidded bin for plastics/cans/foil and a blue-lidded bin for paper/card, collected on alternating weeks.
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £55 per year, typically operating from March to November. Confirm 2025 details.

Bromley (Covering BR1–BR8, SE20, TN14, TN16)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (typically a "grey" wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly on alternating weeks: a green box for cans/glass/plastic and a black box for paper/card.
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown kitchen caddy, contents to be placed in general waste or garden waste bin depending on local guidance - check for 2025 specifics as food waste strategies evolve).
• Garden Waste: Weekly subscription service. Approximately £60 per year. Verify 2025 prices and collection terms.

Croydon (Covering CR0–CR2, CR5, CR7, SE25)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (grey wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly, alternating: paper/card in a blue-lidded bin one week, and mixed containers (plastics, glass, cans) in a green-lidded bin the following week.
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (small brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £83 per year. Check 2025 fees.

Greenwich (Covering SE2, SE3, SE7–SE10, SE18, SE28)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black top bin; note changes from February 2025 regarding bin usage or collection patterns).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (blue top bin for mixed recycling).
• Food & Garden Waste: Collected weekly (green top bin, combined service for both food and garden waste).
• Garden Waste: Included with food waste as a free combined weekly service.

Lambeth (Covering SE1, SE5, SE11, SE24, SW2, SW4, SW8–SW9, SW16, SW17)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin; this schedule was widely introduced in April 2024 and continues into 2025).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (silver food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Weekly subscription service. Approximately £85 per year. Confirm 2025 pricing.

Lewisham (Covering SE4, SE6, SE8, SE12–SE14, SE23, SE26)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (silver food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Weekly subscription service. Around £85 per year. Verify 2025 subscription details.

Southwark (Covering SE1, SE5, SE8, SE11, SE15–SE17)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (green bin or larger Eurobin for estates; some areas may be part of fortnightly collection trials – check your specific address for 2025).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (blue bin or Eurobin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy for kerbside houses; communal solutions may differ).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £50 per year. Check 2025 details.

Sutton (Covering SM1–SM3, SM5–SM6)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly, alternating: paper/card in a white bag or bin one week, and plastics/metals/glass in a green bin the next week.
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (small food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £65 per year. Confirm 2025 fees and schedule.

West London

Brent (Covering HA0, HA3, NW2, NW6, NW9, NW10)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (grey wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly (blue top bin, collected on the alternate week to general rubbish).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (small brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £69 per year, usually March to November. Check 2025 terms.

Ealing (Covering UB1–UB6, W3, W5, W7, W13)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (blue wheelie bin for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy, often collected alongside recycling).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £80 per year. Verify 2025 costs.

Hammersmith & Fulham (Covering SW6, W6, W12, W14)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black bags or bins; some town centre locations may have twice-weekly collections).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green bin or clear sacks for recycling).
• Food Waste: A new borough-wide service is expected to be rolling out during 2025. Check the council website for specific start dates and details for your area.
• Garden Waste: Subscription service, potentially new or revised for 2025. Expected around £90 per year. Confirm details and launch.

Harrow (Covering HA1–HA3)

• General Waste: Collected fortnightly (green or grey wheelie bin, depending on your specific bin).
• Recycling: Collected fortnightly (blue wheelie bin, collected on alternate weeks to general rubbish).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (small brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £75 per year, typically from March to November. Check 2025 arrangements.

Hillingdon (Covering HA4–HA6, UB3–UB11)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black bags or black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (clear sacks for recycling).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (green outdoor food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Free weekly service (usually allowing up to 6 sacks), operating weekly from March to November, and then fortnightly from December to February. Confirm 2025 schedule.

Hounslow (Covering TW3–TW8, TW13–14)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black wheelie bin).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (green wheelie bin for mixed recyclables).
• Food Waste: Collected weekly (brown food waste caddy).
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £75 per year. Verify 2025 pricing.

Kensington & Chelsea (Royal Borough) (Covering SW1, SW3, SW5, SW7, W8, W10, W11)

• General Waste: Typically twice weekly (black bags, e.g., Monday & Thursday or Tuesday & Friday for most streets; frequency can vary).
• Recycling: Typically twice weekly (clear orange bags, usually collected on the same days as general rubbish).
• Food Waste: Weekly service, with ongoing expansion across the borough. Check availability for your specific address in 2025.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Around £75.90 per year for a set number of bags (e.g., 3 bags). Confirm 2025 details.

Richmond upon Thames (Covering TW9–TW12, TW1–TW2, SW13–SW15)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black wheelie bin or council-approved sacks).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (black box for mixed recycling).
• Food Waste: Service expanding borough-wide, with full coverage expected by 2026. Check your area's status for 2025.
• Garden Waste: Fortnightly subscription service. Approximately £69 per year, running from April to March. Verify 2025 terms.

Wandsworth (Covering SW4, SW8, SW11, SW12, SW15, SW17–SW18)

• General Waste: Collected weekly (black sacks or black wheelie bin, with most houses having Monday or Tuesday collections – verify your specific day).
• Recycling: Collected weekly (orange sacks, usually collected on the same day as general rubbish).
• Food Waste: A planned service with rollout anticipated by the end of 2025. Keep an eye on council communications.
• Garden Waste: Currently often collected with general rubbish. A dedicated subscription service is planned for introduction around 2026. Check for any interim 2025 arrangements.

Central London

City of London (Covering EC1–EC4, the "Square Mile")

• General Waste: Daily collections (Monday–Saturday) are common for most residential streets due to the area's density and commercial nature.
• Recycling: Daily collections, often commingled with general waste collection services, using blue bags for recyclables.
• Food Waste: No separate dedicated residential service widely available yet. Check for 2025 pilot programs.
• Commercial Waste: Daily, 24/7 time-banded collections are standard for businesses.

Westminster (Covering NW8, SW1, W1, W2, WC2)

• General Waste: Daily in the Central Zone (high traffic commercial/tourist areas). Residential streets outside this zone typically have 2–3 collections per week.
• Recycling: Daily in the Central Zone. Weekly in most other residential areas.
• Food Waste: Weekly collection using kerbside caddies is available in most areas. Check your eligibility.
• Commercial Waste: Collections occur every day, often with 24/7 timed collection windows to manage city cleanliness.

Important: Holiday Collection Changes

Be aware that bin collection schedules across all London boroughs are subject to change around public holidays. Key periods include:

• Christmas and New Year: Collections are frequently rescheduled, often shifting by one or two days later than usual. Some boroughs may collect earlier in the week leading up to Christmas.
• Easter Bank Holidays: Good Friday and Easter Monday collections are usually rearranged.
• May and August Bank Holiday Mondays: Many councils will push the entire week's collections forward by one day (e.g., Monday's collection moves to Tuesday, Tuesday's to Wednesday, and so on, with Friday's collection often occurring on Saturday).

Always check your specific council's website for detailed announcements regarding holiday collection schedules. These are typically published a few weeks before each holiday period.

Top Tips for Managing Your London Bin Collections Effectively

1. Know Your Schedule & Set Reminders: Use a calendar, smartphone app, or set recurring alarms for your specific collection days, especially if you have alternating weekly schedules for different waste types.
2. Correct Bin Presentation: Place your bins at the edge of your property (where it meets the pavement) by the required time, usually 6 am or 7 am on collection day, or the night before if permitted by your council. Ensure lids are closed and bins are not overfilled.
3. Report Missed Collections Promptly: If your bin isn't collected as scheduled, report it to your council as soon as possible, typically within 24-48 hours, via their website or helpline.
4. Stay Updated on Holiday Changes: Actively check your council's website or local announcements for changes to collection days during bank holidays and the Christmas/New Year period.
5. Utilize Council Apps and Online Tools: Many London boroughs offer dedicated waste and recycling apps that can send collection reminders, service updates, and allow you to report issues directly.
6. Sort Waste Correctly: Ensure you are putting the right items in the right bins to avoid contamination. Check your council's A-Z recycling guide if unsure.

Specialized Waste Disposal Services in London

Beyond your regular kerbside collections, most London boroughs provide additional services for different types of waste, although these may involve a fee or specific booking procedures:

• Bulky Waste Collection: For large household items like furniture, mattresses, or white goods. This is usually a paid service and requires pre-booking.
• Christmas Tree Recycling: Special collections or drop-off points are often available for a limited time in January (frequently free of charge).
• WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Collection: For old electrical items. Some councils offer collections, or you can take them to designated recycling centres.
• Hazardous Waste Disposal: For items like batteries, paint, chemicals, and asbestos. Councils usually have specific guidance or collection services for these materials, sometimes through regional facilities.
• Clinical Waste Collection: For medical waste such as needles or soiled dressings, arranged through your council or healthcare provider.

How WASTE.london Can Assist with Your Waste Needs

If you have waste that falls outside the scope of regular council collections, or if you require more immediate or specialized waste removal, WASTE.london offers a range of professional waste management services:

• Flexible One-off Collections: Ideal for large clear-outs, bulky items councils may not take, or when you need waste removed quickly.
• Commercial Waste Management: Tailored, regular collection services for businesses of all sizes across London.
• Comprehensive House Clearance: Full property clearance services, including removal of furniture, personal effects, and general waste.
• Office Clearance: Efficient and responsible removal of office furniture, IT equipment, and other business waste.
• Environmentally Responsible Disposal: We prioritize recycling and reuse, ensuring that your waste is treated in the most sustainable way possible, adhering to all regulations.

Conclusion: Stay Informed for a Cleaner London

Staying well-informed about your local bin collection schedule is a key part of responsible waste management. It not only helps keep your own property clean and tidy but also supports the broader efforts to maintain cleanliness and sustainability across the vibrant city of London. While this guide offers a comprehensive overview for 2025, the golden rule is to always verify specific details for your address using your local council's online postcode checker or published materials, as individual street arrangements and service updates can occur.

For any waste disposal needs beyond standard council services, remember that WASTE.london is available to provide professional, reliable, and environmentally conscious waste management solutions tailored to your requirements.