Three-weekly black bin collections
From 11 May 2026 black bin collections changed from fortnightly to once every 3 weeks. Check your collection dates.
We also have the South Gloucestershire Council app you can use to check your waste collection dates on your mobile or tablet. It can send notifications and reminders to help you keep track.
Changing to three-weekly black bin collections was needed to reduce carbon emissions, reduce costs and encourage people to recycle more.
It only affects black bin collections. Recycling and food waste collections are still weekly, and garden waste collections are fortnightly.
Arrangements for flats continue to be considered on a case by case basis.
Recycling
Recycle as much as you can. This will help you adjust to three-weekly black bin collections.
There is no limit to the amount of recycling you can put out. You can order extra recycling boxes and a food waste bin if needed.
Most of what currently ends up in people’s black bins could have been recycled:
Most people in South Gloucestershire can now recycle soft plastics from home.
We have also reintroduced the white recycling bags for plastic containers, cans, cartons, empty aerosols and aluminium foil. This will make it easier for you to recycle more.
You can check if an item can be recycled and set collection day reminders using the South Gloucestershire Council app.
Additional support
We continue to offer additional services to help households who need more support. This includes:
- assisted collections
- large household item collections
- clinical waste collections including sharps
- extra black bins (in certain circumstances)
From 11 May 2026 we introduced a free, fortnightly collection service for nappies and hygiene waste. This means you will not have to wait 3 weeks for this type of waste to be collected.
Families with children in disposable nappies (under age 5) can apply for disposable nappy collections.
Residents who need to dispose of incontinence products, including ostomy bags, can apply for hygiene waste collections.
Avoiding smells and pests
Putting food waste in your black bin may cause smells and attract pests. Disposing of your food waste through the weekly recycling collection will stop this happening.
Concerns about fly tipping
Some people have raised concerns that changing to three-weekly collections may lead to an increase in fly tipping. This has not been seen in other council areas where it has already been introduced.
In addition, fly tipping is a crime. Most people are actively against it and therefore unlikely to dispose of their waste illegally.
If you pay someone else to dispose of any of your waste, check they have the appropriate licence and are taking it to a licensed site or you could be fined up to £5,000 if they do not dispose of it properly.