Recycling rules for City of London
Based on City of London published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in City of London.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for City of London
Polystyrene: Not accepted in City of London's recycling bin
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Collapse; polystyrene in general waste.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Please rinse.
Food waste: City of London has a separate food waste collection
Takes cooked leftovers, fruit, vegetables and peelings, meat and bones and more.
Shredded paper: Goes in your recycling bin
Clothes: Not accepted in City of London's recycling bin
Your bins in City of London, by colour
Container colours as published by City of London. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
White bag
General waste
Availability: Street collections
Brown bin
Food waste
Availability: Most private blocks with a bin store
Liners emptied in from kitchen caddy
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
What can go into the recycling bag?:
- Office paper
- Coloured paper
- Newspaper and magazines
- Envelopes · Plastic windows are ok
- Catalogues and phone directories
- Cardboard boxes · Collapse; polystyrene in general waste
- Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
- Egg boxes
- Juice and milk cartons · Please rinse
- Drink and milk bottles (please rinse)
- Shampoo and detergent bottles · Please rinse
- Cleaning product bottles
- Food trays
- Yoghurt pots
- Margarine containers
- Food and drinks cans · Aluminium and steel, please rinse
- Empty aerosol cans
- Metal bottle tops and jar lids
- Foil and food trays · Please rinse
- Metal biscuit or sweet tins
- Glass bottles and jars · Please rinse
- Aftershave and perfume bottles
- Greetings cards
- Gift wrap
- Shredded paper
- Cereal boxes
Not accepted
What CANNOT go in the clear recycling bag:
- Crisp packets and flexible plastic packaging
- Tissues and kitchen roll
- Food waste
- Polystyrene
- Cling film
- Plastic bags and wrappings e.g. bread bags, salad bags, wrapping from vegetables
- Textiles
- Nappies
- Black bags
- Ceramics
- Wine glasses and other glass
Common mistakes
- Rigid bulky plastic cannot be recycled→ goes in General Waste
Food Waste
Accepted
We provide food waste caddies and compostable liners to recycle all cooked and uncooked food waste, including:
- Cooked leftovers
- Fruit, vegetables and peelings
- Meat and bones
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Fish and fish bones
- Bread and pastries
- Tea and coffee grounds
- Beans, lentils and grains
Not accepted
- Packaging and compostable items
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Cut flowers and plants
- Twigs and small sticks · Max diameter 10cm
- House plants
- Leaves
- Grass cuttings
Not accepted
- Animal waste and bedding
- Food and kitchen waste
- Large branches
- Soil and stones
- Invasive weeds
- Treated wood
- Compost bags, plant pots and seed trays
When are bins collected in City of London?
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 City of London, only a collection that falls on the bank holiday itself moves, usually to the next day; the rest of the week is unchanged. BinBosh adjusts your dates automatically, and your neighbours can vote on the actual day if it differs.
No streets in City of London 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 City of London?
In City of London, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin.
What bin does cardboard go in City of London?
In City of London, cardboard boxes go in your recycling bin. Collapse; polystyrene in general waste.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in City of London?
In City of London, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin. Please rinse.
What bin does food waste go in City of London?
In City of London, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes cooked leftovers, fruit, vegetables and peelings, meat and bones and more.
What goes in the recycling bin in City of London?
City of London's recycling bin accepts office paper, coloured paper, newspaper and magazines, envelopes, catalogues and phone directories, cardboard boxes, and more. Plastic windows are ok.
What goes in the food waste bin in City of London?
City of London's food waste bin accepts cooked leftovers, fruit, vegetables and peelings, meat and bones, dairy products, eggs, fish and fish bones, and more.
What goes in the garden waste bin in City of London?
City of London's garden waste bin accepts cut flowers and plants, twigs and small sticks, house plants, leaves, grass cuttings, and more. Max diameter 10cm.
What can't be recycled in City of London?
Items not accepted in City of London: crisp packets and flexible plastic packaging, tissues and kitchen roll, food waste, polystyrene.
Helpful guides
Source: City of London council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
Work for City of London? See how BinBosh helps councils →
Never guess which bin
Get free reminders the night before your bins go out.