Recycling for flats and communally occupied properties

We collect recycling from communal facilities (bin stores) for residents living in flats and communally occupied properties. We do not collect recycling boxes.

There are communal bins for:

• paper and cardboard
• glass bottles and jars
• cans, tins, aerosols and plastics (not including soft plastics)

You need to make sure you are putting your waste in the correct communal recycling bin. Each bin is clearly labelled with the materials that should go in it.

Plastics and tin

The way we collect plastic recycling from flats and multiple-resident occupancy properties has changed. Plastics can now be recycled alongside tins in the supplied communal bins.

Both plastic and tin should be placed freely (not gathered in another bag) within the supplied communal bin and presented alongside the other recycling bins on collection day.

Your place of residence may still use the old system (plastics gathered in white or transparent bags), if this is the case you can complete a waste warden assessment. 

Please note: Soft plastics, for example carrier bags and film-style food packaging, cannot yet be recycled in these bins.

You can look up your collection day using our online calendar to check plastics collections. Or, you can take plastics to the household waste recycling centre (HWRC).

Textiles

We collect textiles for recycling from flats and multi-occupancy properties, but we do not supply communal bins for them. You should put textiles in carrier bags, and place them next to your communal bins on the day of your collection. You can look up your collection day using our online calendar to check textiles collections. Or, you can take textiles to the household waste recycling centre (HWRC).

Old furniture and appliances can be collected for a charge using the bulky waste service or taken to the HWRC. They must not be left in or around your communal bin store.

For more information about what you can and cannot recycle through our collections, you can use our recycling A-Z.

Collections

We empty communal bin stores every fortnight. Please make sure your recycling is in the correct bin by 6.30am on the day of your collection. You can check your collection day using our online calendar.

We cannot collect waste left on the floor in communal recycling facilities and will only collect waste when the area is safe to enter. All bin lids must be closed in order for a collection to take place. We may not empty overfilled bins.

Flats without recycling facilities

There are still a small number of flats that have refuse collections only and have no recycling facilities.

If your household does not receive a recycling collection, you can choose to take your recyclable materials to the household waste recycling centre (HWRC). You can also speak to your landlord or management company about what other recycling provisions could be made.