Recycling rules for Braintree
Based on Braintree published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Braintree.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Braintree
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Braintree's recycling bin
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Blue-lidded bin.
Food waste: Braintree has a separate food waste collection
Takes meat and fish, raw and cooked, including bones, fruit and vegetables, including peelings, dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese and more.
Shredded paper: Goes in your recycling bin
Red-lidded bin, ideally in an envelope or cereal box.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Blue-lidded bin.
Aerosols: Not accepted in Braintree's recycling bin
Your bins in Braintree, by colour
Container colours as published by Braintree. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Red bin
Paper and card recycling
Red lid
Grey bin
Non-recyclable waste
Green bin
Garden waste
Availability: subscription
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
What can go in your blue-lidded bin:
- Glass bottles and jars · Blue-lidded bin
- Tins and cans · Blue-lidded bin
- Plastic bottles · Blue-lidded bin
- Tubs · Blue-lidded bin
- Yoghurt pots · Blue-lidded bin
- Film (such as plastic wrapping) · Blue-lidded bin
- Plastic bags · Blue-lidded bin
- Food and drink cartons
- Sacks (empty) · Blue-lidded bin
- Clean aluminium foil
What can go in your red-lidded bin:
- Shredded paper · Red-lidded bin, ideally in an envelope or cereal box
Not accepted
What can't go in your blue-lidded bin:
- Crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, food pouches and coffee bags
- Packaging with food still inside or unwashed containers
- Aerosols that aren't completely empty or chemical containers
- Pyrex, window glass, mirrors or lightbulbs
- Paper, hard plastics, polystyrene, ceramics, blister packs and coffee cups
Food Waste
Accepted
What can go in your outdoor food caddy:
- Meat and fish, raw and cooked, including bones
- Fruit and vegetables, including peelings
- Dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese
- Eggs and eggshells
- Bread, cakes and pastries
- Rice, pasta and beans
- Uneaten food from plates and dishes
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Pet food
Not accepted
What can't go in your outdoor food caddy:
- Glass
- Packaging of any sort
- Liquids
- Oil or liquid fat
- Pet bedding or faeces
We don't have checked garden waste guidance for Braintree yet.
See Braintree's own guidanceWhen are bins collected in Braintree?
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.
Check with the council over bank holidays. See the council’s page →
In Braintree’s own words: “We collect grey bins every 3 weeks.”
No streets in Braintree on BinBosh yet — be the first to add yours, and your neighbours can adopt it instead of setting up their own.
Frequently asked questions
What bin does polystyrene go in Braintree?
In Braintree, paper, hard plastics, polystyrene, ceramics, blister packs and coffee cups can't go in your recycling bin.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in Braintree?
In Braintree, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin. Blue-lidded bin.
What bin does food waste go in Braintree?
In Braintree, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes meat and fish, raw and cooked, including bones, fruit and vegetables, including peelings, dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese and more.
What bin does shredded paper go in Braintree?
In Braintree, shredded paper goes in your recycling bin. Red-lidded bin, ideally in an envelope or cereal box.
What bin do tins and cans go in Braintree?
In Braintree, tins and cans go in your recycling bin. Blue-lidded bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in Braintree?
Braintree's recycling bin accepts glass bottles and jars, tins and cans, plastic bottles, tubs, yoghurt pots, film (such as plastic wrapping), and more. Blue-lidded bin.
What goes in the food waste bin in Braintree?
Braintree's food waste bin accepts meat and fish, raw and cooked, including bones, fruit and vegetables, including peelings, dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese, eggs and eggshells, bread, cakes and pastries, rice, pasta and beans, and more.
What can't be recycled in Braintree?
Items not accepted in Braintree: crisp packets, chocolate wrappers, food pouches and coffee bags, packaging with food still inside or unwashed containers, aerosols that aren't completely empty or chemical containers, pyrex, window glass, mirrors or lightbulbs.
Helpful guides
Source: Braintree council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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