Recycling rules for Central Bedfordshire
Based on Central Bedfordshire published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Central Bedfordshire.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Central Bedfordshire
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Central Bedfordshire's recycling bin
Not accepted in recycling bin.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Torn into A4 size; dry, no food remains.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Rinsed; leave lids and tops on.
Food waste: Not accepted in Central Bedfordshire's recycling bin
Not accepted in recycling bin. Food waste bin, if you have one.
Shredded paper: Goes in your recycling bin
Old cereal box, envelope, or wrapped in newspaper.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Rinsed, no food remains.
Your bins in Central Bedfordshire, by colour
Container colours as published by Central Bedfordshire. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Green bin
Dry recycling
Green lid; for residents in the north (the south has an orange lid)
Orange bin
Dry recycling
Orange lid; for residents in the south (the north has a green lid)
Black bin
Household waste
Houses that cannot accommodate bins can order refuse sacks
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars · Rinsed; leave lids and tops on
Other
- Cartons · Food and drink cartons, rinsed and squashed
Plastics
- Drinks bottles · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Detergent bottles · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Margarine tubs · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Yoghurt pots · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Plastic milk bottles · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Food and meat trays · No black plastics
- Fruit and vegetable punnets · Rinsed, no food remains, leave lids on
- Shampoo and skincare bottles · Rinsed, leave lids on
- Plant pots · No black plastics
Paper & Card
- Newspapers and magazines · Dry
- Leaflets and brochures · Dry
- Catalogues and directories · Dry; including yellow pages
- Envelopes · Dry; leave window in
- Scrap paper · Dry
- Wrapping and tissue paper · Dry
- Shredded paper · Old cereal box, envelope, or wrapped in newspaper
- Computer printout paper · Dry
- Paperback books · Dry
- Cereal and tissue boxes · Dry, no food remains
- Ready meal sleeves · Dry, no food remains
- Egg boxes · Dry, no food remains
- Greeting cards · Not if covered in glitter
- Cardboard · Torn into A4 size; dry, no food remains
Metals
- Food and drink cans · Rinsed, no food remains
- Biscuit, cake and sweet tins · Rinsed, no food remains
- Kitchen foil · Rinsed, no food remains
- Foil takeaway containers · Rinsed, no food remains
- Aerosols · Empty; leave lids on
Not accepted
- Black plastic food trays · No black plastics
- Paper covered in glitter · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Wallpaper · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Greeting cards with glitter · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Drinking glasses · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Pyrex, heat-resistant glass · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Window or pane glass · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Mirrors · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Ceramics or crockery · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Light bulbs and thermometers · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Spectacles · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Nail varnish bottles · Made differently from glass bottles and jarsInstead: Take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre
- Bagged waste · Please keep all recycling loose
- Sanitary waste · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Food waste · Not accepted in recycling binInstead: Food waste bin, if you have one
- Greasy pizza boxes · Covered in grease: not accepted
- Biscuit and sweet wrappers · Not accepted in recycling binInstead: Recycle at most supermarkets
- Crisp packets · Not accepted in recycling binInstead: Take to a supermarket
- Pet food pouches · Not accepted in recycling binInstead: Take clean pouches to a supermarket
- Toothpaste and puree tubes · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Scrap metal, nuts and bolts · Non-household metal packaging
- Blister packs · Not accepted in recycling binInstead: Recycle via many pharmacy chains; ask in store
- Compostable bags · Compostable or biodegradable bags or packagingInstead: Black bin
- Polystyrene · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Bubblewrap · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Garden waste · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Rubble, hardcore and wood · Not accepted in recycling bin
- Hard plastics · Like CD cases and black plant pots
- Small electrical items · Please don't place in your bin, as these won't be recycledInstead: Bag separately, place next to your recycling or refuse bin
- Household batteries · Please don't place in your bin, as these won't be recycledInstead: Bag separately, place next to your recycling or refuse bin
- Textiles and shoes · Please don't place in your bin, as these won't be recycledInstead: Bag separately, place next to your recycling or refuse bin
Common mistakes
- Nappies→ goes in General Waste · Disposable nappies go in the black bin
Tips (14)
- • Keep recycling loose
- • No black sacks or plastic bags
- • Clean, dry and squashed
- • Leave lids on plastic bottles
- • Leave glass lids and tops on
- • No black plastic food trays
- • Tear cardboard to A4 size
- • Empty aerosols, lids on
- • Bag batteries, place by bin
- • No large cardboard by the bin
- • Shredded paper in a cereal box
- • Leave envelope windows in
- • No glitter cards or paper
- • Check your bin calendar
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Plants and weeds
- Flowers
- Prunings
- Hedge clippings
- Leaves and bark
- Vase plants
- Pond plants
Not accepted
- Vegetable peelings · Not accepted in garden bin
- Food waste · Not accepted in garden bin
- Compostable bags · Compostable or biodegradable bags and packaging
- Plant pots · Not accepted in garden bin
- Polystyrene trays · Not accepted in garden bin
- Turf · Not accepted in garden bin
- Soil · Not accepted in garden bin
- Rubble, tiles and decking · Not accepted in garden bin
- Animal bedding · Not accepted in garden bin
- Pet waste · Not accepted in garden bin
- General household waste · Not accepted in garden bin
- Empty compost and soil bags · Not accepted in garden bin
- Garden furniture · Not accepted in garden bin
- Japanese knotweed · It is a controlled waste
Tips (11)
- • Bin out by 7am
- • Put permit sticker on bin
- • Cut branches to fit bin
- • Nothing beside the bin
- • Keep the lid fully closed
- • No peelings or food waste
- • No soil, turf or rubble
- • No plant pots
- • No compostable bags
- • Store bin within boundary
- • Remove contamination first
When are bins collected in Central Bedfordshire?
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.
Central Bedfordshire doesn't move bin collections for bank holidays, so your usual day stands. Christmas and New Year weeks can still differ, so check the council's site for those. Your neighbours can vote on the actual day on BinBosh if it changes.
No streets in Central Bedfordshire 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 Central Bedfordshire?
In Central Bedfordshire, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in recycling bin.
What bin does cardboard go in Central Bedfordshire?
In Central Bedfordshire, cardboard goes in your recycling bin. Torn into A4 size; dry, no food remains.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in Central Bedfordshire?
In Central Bedfordshire, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin. Rinsed; leave lids and tops on.
What bin does food waste go in Central Bedfordshire?
In Central Bedfordshire, food waste can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in recycling bin. Food waste bin, if you have one.
What bin does shredded paper go in Central Bedfordshire?
In Central Bedfordshire, shredded paper goes in your recycling bin. Old cereal box, envelope, or wrapped in newspaper.
What goes in the recycling bin in Central Bedfordshire?
Central Bedfordshire's recycling bin accepts glass bottles and jars, cartons, drinks bottles, detergent bottles, margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, and more. Rinsed; leave lids and tops on.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Central Bedfordshire?
Central Bedfordshire's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings, plants and weeds, flowers, prunings, hedge clippings, leaves and bark, and more.
What can't be recycled in Central Bedfordshire?
Items not accepted in Central Bedfordshire: black plastic food trays, paper covered in glitter, wallpaper, greeting cards with glitter. Black plastic food trays — no black plastics.
Helpful guides
Source: Central Bedfordshire council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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