Why this site exists

What this site does

Let's be honest: UK bin collections are a mess. Not the collections themselves (the crews do a brilliant job), but the sheer confusion around which bin goes out when. Every council does things differently. Some collect recycling weekly. Others do it fortnightly. Some have blue bins for recycling, others use green. A few have gone for purple. Nobody seems to agree.

Then there are the bank holidays. As soon as Christmas rolls around, the entire schedule gets shuffled and you are left squinting at a PDF calendar on the council website trying to work out whether it is general waste or recycling this week. Spoiler: it is always the one you did not put out.

Which Bin Is It? exists to answer one question quickly: which bin goes out next? Enter your postcode and the site shows the collections that are due and which bin each one belongs to. There is no app to download and no account to create. Alongside the lookup there are guides explaining what goes in each bin, because the schedule is only half the problem.

What you'll find here

Which Bin Is It? is more than just a collection day checker. The site brings together a range of resources to help you make sense of the whole recycling and waste system:

• Bin collection lookup: Enter your postcode on the home page to see your upcoming collections and which bins to put out.
• Recycling guide: Our complete guide covers everything from what goes in each bin type to garden waste subscriptions, composting at home, and reducing household waste.
• FAQs: Got a question about missed collections, broken bins, or where batteries go? Our FAQ page has you covered.
• Blog: Our blog digs deeper into topics like what actually happens to your recycling after it is collected, practical tips for reducing waste, and material-by-material recycling guides.

We keep things straightforward and jargon-free. No lectures about saving the planet, just practical information that helps you get your bins sorted.

How it works

When you enter your postcode, we work out which council covers it. If it is a council we have built a lookup for, we read the dates off that council’s own bin day pages and show you which bins are due and what goes in each. Right now that is Derby City Council. Anywhere else, we name your council and link you to its bin day page, because a date we had guessed would be worse than no date at all.

We do not store your postcode or any personal information. Saved postcodes are kept in your browser's local storage and never leave your device. You can read more about this in our privacy policy Terms.