Recycling & Waste

Wheelie bins in Worcester

An alternate week wheelie bin system using two different bins was introduced to households in Worcester from October 2005

For multi-occupancy dwellings we provide either extra single bins or communal bins. The number and size of bins provided will depend on the size of the property, the number of occupants and access to the property.

To further encourage recycling, we will usually not provide more black bins for domestic refuse than green recycling bins but would provide more recycling bins if requested. Landlords should not source their own bins.

Collections

Tenants must place out their wheelie bins on the edge of their property (normally at the front) on their collection day, by 7:00am. Where properties have a communal bin store the Council will collect bins from that store. In properties where bin stores are not provided, there must be space made available on the property for all wheelie bins to be stored by the tenants. Bins must not be stored on the public highway.

Landlords should allow sufficient space for the number of bins required to hold refuse & recycling separately for 2 weeks for the number of tenants at the property. If this space is not available, your property may be placed on a sack collection.

Landlord's responsibilities

As a Landlord, you are responsible for the properties you own, and in particular for your tenants' refuse & recycling provision. This means you must make sure that:

The property has the correct number of bins for the number of people living there.
Check what bins your property is eligible for

If extra capacity is needed, you can contact us to about changing your bin size.
Request a change of bin size

Your tenants understand how to use the bins correctly. Our website has plenty of information on recycling and literature which can be printed out and given to your tenants.
Recycling Information & Literature

Any problems, such as missed collections, damaged or missing bins are reported to us in good time so that we can resolve any issue as quickly as possible. Please note that, from 1 April 2026, there is a £39 charge for replacement black bins (discounted to £29 for recipients of Council Tax Suport)
Report an issue with your bins

Your tenants follow refuse & recycling collection procedures – putting the correct bin out on time on the correct day, using the bins correctly, not leaving side waste out etc. Our website has full details on our Refuse & Recycling service, including collection calendars.
Refuse & Recycling Collections

New tenants

Whenever you take on new tenants, we recommend you contact them as soon as possible after they arrive and inform them of the following:

Collection day
Collection frequency (weekly, fortnightly etc.)
Where bins should be moved to and when, ready for collection day
Where and when bins should be returned to after collection to ensure bins are not causing an obstruction for their neighbours.
Number and colour of bins at your property, and what should be put out when.

Find your next collection day

Please remember that collection schedules may be subject to change during public holidays. These changes should be relayed to your tenants in time for them to put their bins out.

Holiday collection arrangements

If you are unsure about any of these details, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 01905 722233 or online.

Contact Worcester City Council

Remember, particularly if you have a house full of students, many of your tenants may not know how the Refuse & Recycling Service works in a new city. Giving them all the information they need early on will help cut down the number of problems you have to report to us, and will ensure that your tenants do not inadvertently cause problems for their neighbours.

Our service to you

Worcester City Council is responsible for the collection of all municipal waste. Waste disposal is carried out in partnership with Worcestershire County Council. The Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Herefordshire & Worcestershire sets out the objectives of the two counties.

An alternate week wheelie bin scheme is operated in Worcester.

How the wheelie bin scheme works

Our policy for most properties is that two wheelie bins are provided and that they are emptied on alternate weeks. The general waste bin (180ltr black) is collected one week, the recyclable waste bin (240ltr green) the next week and so on. This means that each type of waste needs to be safely stored in the appropriate bin for two weeks.

Please note that, from 1 April 2026, there will be a £39 charge if a black bin needs to be replaced. This will be reduced to £29 for recipients of Council Tax Support.

Some households may not be able to have either or both wheelie bins. Those situations are assessed by the Council and the household may need to use sacks but on alternate weeks.

We collect domestic waste and recyclables on four days per week; Tuesday to Friday. The collection service operates between 7.00 and 16.45. Different arrangements apply at Easter and Christmas/New Year which are announced on this website.

Householders are asked to place refuse (sacks or wheelie bins depending on which scheme you are on) at the front edge of the property on the day of collection by 7.00am. Please note that your refuse should ALWAYS be placed out by 7.00am on your day of collection.

The refuse should be on your property and not positioned on the public highway where it could cause an obstruction. However, where there is no front edge to the property, you are allowed to place refuse, in a safe position, on the footpath on the day of collection. Bins stored at the rear of properties should be brought round to the front. Please note that you should always return your bin to your property following collection and bins must not be stored on the public highway on non-scheduled collection days.

If you use a communal bin store (shared by three or more properties), we will collect from that bin store. Where you have your own bin store (one or two properties), you will still be required to place your refuse out on the front edge of your property. For flats without communal bin stores (inc. upper floors), residents should take their refuse to the ground floor and place it at the front edge of the property. Refuse should not be left loose in bin stores but placed in the appropriate bin ready for collection.

If you are late or forget to place out your refuse, or if you are away from home on the day of collection, then please store it until the next collection. Refuse should not be left out in advance of the collection day as this could cause a health hazard. Occasionally, collection times can vary due to traffic, roadworks or breakdowns so the teams may take a different route. Therefore, householders should ensure their refuse or recycling is placed out by 7.00 on the day of collection. We cannot return to collect your refuse if you have placed it out after the vehicle has been.

Food waste in the black bins should be wrapped or contained within a bag. This will help keep the bin clean and reduce the potential for smells.

Recyclable materials should be placed loose into the green bin. As these materials should be clean, they will not create smells or a mess within the green bin.

View the recyclables that can be placed in the green wheelie bin

Householders who decide not to use the Council's refuse collection services can take their refuse/recycling to a household waste site.

If you are a landlord, a housing association, managing agent or developer for properties in Worcester and you are not on our wheelie bin scheme please contact us so that we can discuss your circumstances with you.

Properties on a sack collection

There are several properties that are not able to have wheelie bins and will remain on a sack collection. Black and Green sacks are supplied to these households in rolls of 52 for black and 40 for green collections.

Sacks are delivered to your property upon request, should you require replenishment of sacks please use the below form.

I NEED TO ORDER MORE SACKS

On the alternate weekly collections, properties can place out a maximum of FOUR black sacks per collection, weekly collection properties should place a maximum of 2 sacks.

Any number of green recycling sacks can be placed out for collection across both collection cycles.

I need help moving my wheelie bin or sacks

Householders can apply for assisted collection if they require help to move their wheelie bins or sacks due to an infirmity. An assisted collection is NOT available for opting out of wheelie bins in favour of sacks.

Request help placing out bins or sacks

Bulky household waste collections

Large domestic items must not be placed in the bins. These items can be collected by the Council via a chargeable service booked online, alternatively they can be taken by the householder to one of the household recycling sites. Large items include furniture, white goods, mattresses, bags of garden waste or DIY rubble, rolls of carpet or any item that is not suitable to be compacted in the refuse lorry.

Request a bulky waste collection service

We are recycling approximately 37% of Worcester City's household waste which is a whopping 21% increase from when we first introduced kerbside recycling services in 2003!

Please help us keep up the good work! And don't forget to use recycling sites and centres for textiles, furniture, electronics, foil, batteries – and many more items. Good quality items are always appreciated at your local charity shop too.

What can I recycle?

The table on this page lists the materials that can be recycled in your green bin.

	You can recycle	Please remember...
Household metal packaging	food tins pet food tins drink cans aerosol cans sweet / biscuit tins metal jar lids foil trays & tin foil	FOOD AND DRINKS CANS ONLY No other types of metals e.g. saucepans, cutlery, tools etc Please don't flatten cans Please make sure all items are clean Push sharp lids into cans Separate plastic lids off aerosols and put them in your recycling bin loose NO FOIL POUCHES OR COFFEE PODS – these need to go in your black/grey bin. NO CRISP PACKETS OR SWEET WRAPPERS NO GAS BOTTLES Tip - Labels can be left on Tip - No need to squash
Mixed glass bottles and jars	glass bottles glass jars	GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS ONLY NO DRINKING GLASSES, PYREX, WINDOW GLASS ETC NO NAIL VARNISH BOTTLES Rinse bottles and jars If your kerbside recyclables are collected in sacks, you can still put glass bottles and jars in the recycling sacks. Place them in carefully so they don’t break. Any broken glass can be wrapped in newspaper and placed in the recycling sacks NO PUMP TOPS Tip - Labels can be left on Tip - All colours accepted Tip – Lids can be left on
Plastic bottles and containers	All plastic bottles e.g. drinks bottles milk / juice bottles detergent / fabric conditioner bottles cleaning / bleach bottles toiletry bottles Plastic containers e.g. Takeaway containers yogurt pots margarine / ice cream tubs fruit / vegetable punnets plastic meat / fish trays cream / custard pots cake / pastry trays soup / sauce pots egg boxes plastic tubes toothpaste tubes Plant pots	Rinse bottles and containers Plastic tubes should have its cap on and all the product squeezed out Bottle caps can be recycled either on or off the bottle NO BLACK PLASTIC OR POLYSTYRENE NO PLASTIC BAGS OR FILM NO CRISP WRAPPERS OR SWEET WRAPPERS NO PUMP TOPS Tip - Labels can be left on Tip - No need to squash Dark coloured plant pots can not be recycled at kerbside but can be returned to most nurseries and garden centres.
Paper	newspapers / magazines phone directories catalogues / brochures junk mail / leaflets letters greetings cards envelopes	Keep paper flat Remove plastic wrappers NO GLITTERY CARDS OR WRAPPING PAPER NO METALLIC/ FILM COATED WRAPPING PAPER NO DIRTY/ STAINED PAPER/KITCHEN ROLL/PAPER SERVIETTES NO STICKY PAPER e.g labels Tip - You can compost your shredded paper at home
Cartons	All cartons e.g. milk / juice / smoothie cartons fabric conditioner cartons soup / chopped tomatoes cartons custard cartons	Please remember Please flatten cartons Remove lids-these can be put into your recycling bin separately TIP – plastic spouts can be left on
Cardboard	Cardboard boxes e.g. cereal boxes, ready meal boxes, thick/corrugated egg boxes kitchen / toilet roll tubes	Flatten cardboard boxes and tubes NO CONTAMINATED PACKAGING e.g. food waste in takeaway pizza boxes Remove inner packaging – film, bags and polystyrene need to go into your black/grey bin

pdf View a printable document of what can / cannot be recycled in your green bin (1.42 MB)

I use recycling sacks to recycle, what can I put in them?

You can recycle the same items listed above, including glass bottles and jars. Please wrap broken glass in newspaper and put it in your recycling sack. pdf A document showing the items that can be recycled in the green sacks is available here. (1.24 MB)