How to leave your rubbish and recycling out

You are responsible for leaving your rubbish and recycling out correctly. Failure to follow these instructions may result in enforcement action such as issuing of a fixed penalty notice, or prosecution.

When to leave rubbish and recycling out

Make sure your rubbish and recycling is available for collection by 6.30am on your collection day.

We may start collections earlier during hot weather. Collections will be from 6am if it's going to be 27 degrees or above. This is to help prevent crews being exposed to peak temperatures later in the day

Containing rubbish

All rubbish in dustbins must be contained in sacks which must be tied and unsplit. 

We recommend you use dustbins with clip-on lids for general rubbish to keep it secure from scavenging animals. Unfortunately, we cannot collect rubbish from wheelie bins as they are designed for use with mechanical bin lifts. When manual handling is required, this can present a risk to operators.

We do not supply dustbins or rubbish sacks, only recycling sacks. 

Containing recycling

You should receive a delivery of two rolls of 30 recycling sacks twice a year. Recycling should be placed in these sacks, which should be tied and unsplit.

Recycling can be put out for collection in any clear sack. They do not necessarily need to be ones issued by us. 

Large cardboard should be torn up and placed in clear sacks or be flattened and placed beside any clear recycling sacks.

Getting more sacks

If you run out you can order more recycling sacks. 

They can also be collected from the Customer Centre at the Town Hall in Wandsworth High Street, Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, and from our libraries (except Roehampton).

Food waste

Food waste should be presented in your large brown caddy, on your usual collection day.

Your food waste caddy will not be emptied if it contains any items we cannot recycle.

Lining your caddy

Lining your caddy can help keep it clean and odour-free.

Compostable starch liners are recommended, but you can also use old newspaper, paper bags or kitchen roll, or just rinse your caddy after emptying.

Compostable liners are made of corn or potato starch and will biodegrade completely in as few as 30 days in a controlled commercial process.

Small electricals

Small electricals are collected weekly.

Make sure your items are available for collection along with your rubbish, recycling and food waste. They can be placed by the front entrance of your property along with any clear recycling sacks and rubbish. 

You can use a plastic bag to put your small electricals in, if you have one, especially if you need to contain any leads. 

Where to put your rubbish and recycling

The type of accommodation you live in determines where you should leave your rubbish or recycling for collection. 

If you have a front garden or driveway

Put any sacks/dustbins for collection in your front garden or driveway and close to the entrance from the street. We do not collect from back gardens, back/side alleys or landings. 

Placing dustbins or waste sacks on the public pavement can result in a fine of up to £2,500. If you are unable to present it to the front of your property, contact waste services.

If your door opens directly onto the street

Place sacks on the pavement by the entrance to your home, after 6.30pm on the day before your collection is due. Make sure your waste sacks do not cause a pavement obstruction. 

If litter escapes from your sacks awaiting collection, clear it up promptly. 

If your waste sacks are not collected by 4pm on collection day, take them back inside or report a missed collection.

Missed collections

Putting waste out correctly reduces the risk of missed bin collections.

Only report a missed collection after 4pm on the day of the collection or where the rest of the street has been collected.