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Recycling rules for Birmingham

Based on Birmingham published guidance · Last verified September 2026

Here's what currently goes in each bin in Birmingham.

Search what goes in your bins →

Quick answers for Birmingham

Your bins in Birmingham, by colour

Container colours as published by Birmingham. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.

Blue bin

Recycling; paper and card in the pod

Blue lid with a removable pod; homes with two bins or two boxes split their recycling instead

What goes in the recycling bin →

Green bin

Paper and card

Green lid; only homes with a second recycling wheelie bin

What goes in the recycling bin →

Green box

Plastic, metal and glass

Homes not suitable for wheelie bins have two boxes

What goes in the recycling bin →

Blue box

Cardboard and paper

Homes not suitable for wheelie bins have two boxes

What goes in the recycling bin →

Grey bin

Household waste

Grey lid; some homes have sack collections

What goes in each bin

Recycling

Accepted

Glass

  • Glass bottles and jars · Remove lids, put lids in separately

Metals

  • Food and drink cans · Rinse
  • Aerosol cans
  • Clean foil and foil trays · Must be clean
  • Metal lids

Plastics

  • Plastic bottles · Remove lids, put lids in separately
  • Pots, tubs and trays · No black trays
  • Plastic lids

Paper & Card

  • Milk, juice and Tetra Pak cartons · In the main part of the bin
  • Cardboard · Flatten — goes in removable pod
  • Paper · Goes in removable pod

Not accepted

  • Padded envelopes · Mixed materials
  • Soiled paper or card · Contaminates clean recyclables
  • Pizza boxes with food or grease on · Food grease contaminates paper
  • Food waste · Contaminates clean recyclables
  • Paint or non-food tins · Hazardous wasteInstead: Take to recycling centre
  • Drinking glasses · Different glass type to bottles
  • Pyrex and ceramics · Different melting point to glass
  • Black food trays · Cannot be detected by sorting
  • Hard plastics · Not recyclable kerbside
  • Light bulbs and mirrors · Contains hazardous materialsInstead: Take to recycling centre
  • Plastic film or wrappers · Not recyclable kerbside
  • Polystyrene · Not recyclable kerbside
  • Batteries · Contains hazardous materialsInstead: Take to battery recycling point
  • Corks · Not recyclable kerbside
  • Metal coat hangers · Jams sorting machinery

Common mistakes

  • Pizza boxes with grease→ goes in General Waste · Food grease contaminates paper
  • Batteries · Take to a battery recycling point
  • Pyrex and ceramics→ goes in General Waste · Different melting point to glass
  • Drinking glasses→ goes in General Waste · Different glass type to bottles
Tips (12)
  • • Remove lids from bottles
  • • No black food trays
  • • Flatten all cardboard
  • • Card goes in the pod
  • • Fold or break up large boxes
  • • Cartons go in the main part
  • • No greasy pizza boxes
  • • Clean foil is recyclable
  • • Lids go in separately
  • • No polystyrene packaging
  • • No plastic film or wrap
  • • Rinse cans before recycling
Recycling symbols explained

Food waste in Birmingham

In Birmingham’s own words (checked September 2026): “We are beginning a waste pilot in North Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield.” “For residents in those areas from June 2026, we are starting to introduce a food waste collection.”

5 of the 162 councils whose food waste guidance we have checked describe a trial or pilot only.

The government’s rule for England: “by 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for most homes, unless a transitional arrangement applies” Read it on gov.uk

Which councils collect food waste weekly

Next door

Plastic film goes in the recycling in North Warwickshire but not in Birmingham.

On bank holidays, that week’s collections move a day later in Birmingham; in Sandwell, collections stay on the usual day.

Plastic film goes in the recycling in Solihull but not in Birmingham.

Neighbouring councils we have checked: North Warwickshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall.

When are bins collected in Birmingham?

This page covers what goes in each bin. Collection days are set by the council and vary by street. See how to find your bin collection day, or browse streets by postcode to see schedules your neighbours have added.

In Birmingham, a bank holiday pushes that week's collections back by a day: after a Monday holiday, Monday's bins go out on Tuesday, Tuesday's on Wednesday, and so on. BinBosh adjusts your dates automatically, and your neighbours can vote on the actual day if it differs.

No streets in Birmingham on BinBosh yet: be the first to add yours, and your neighbours can adopt it instead of setting up their own.

How we checked this page

We checked this guidance against Birmingham’s website in September 2026.

Source: Birmingham council website. Check your council’s site for the latest updates.

Frequently asked questions

Where does glass go in Birmingham?

Glass goes in the recycling bin in Birmingham (“Glass bottles and jars”).

Does Birmingham collect food waste, and how often?

In Birmingham’s own words (checked September 2026): “We are beginning a waste pilot in North Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield.” “For residents in those areas from June 2026, we are starting to introduce a food waste collection.”

Do bin collections change on bank holidays in Birmingham?

In Birmingham, a bank holiday pushes that week's collections back by a day: after a Monday holiday, Monday's bins go out on Tuesday, Tuesday's on Wednesday, and so on. BinBosh adjusts your dates automatically, and your neighbours can vote on the actual day if it differs.

What goes in the recycling bin in Birmingham?

Birmingham’s recycling bin takes “Glass bottles and jars”, “Food and drink cans” and “Aerosol cans”, among other things.

See the full recycling list

Work for Birmingham? See how BinBosh helps councils →

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