Recycling rules for East Ayrshire
Based on East Ayrshire published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in East Ayrshire.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for East Ayrshire
Polystyrene: Not accepted in East Ayrshire's recycling bin
Food waste: East Ayrshire has a separate food waste collection
Takes cooked and uncooked food, dairy and eggshells, fish, meat and bones and more.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Red-top bin.
Aerosols: Goes in your recycling bin
Red-top bin.
Drink cartons: Goes in your recycling bin
Red-top bin.
Batteries: Not accepted in East Ayrshire's recycling bin
Your bins in East Ayrshire, by colour
Container colours as published by East Ayrshire. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Blue bin (blue-top)
Paper and cardboard
Purple bin (purple-top)
Glass
Green bin (general waste)
General waste that cannot be recycled
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
What can go in your red-top bin, add plastics and cartons that you have rinsed and squashed such as::
- Food and drink bottles · Red-top bin
- Toiletry bottles · Red-top bin
- Tablet and medicine bottles · Red-top bin
- Cleaning products · Red-top bin
- Pots, tubs and trays · Red-top bin
- Lids and tops · Red-top bin
- Soup cartons · Red-top bin
- Juice cartons · Red-top bin
- Other cartons · Red-top bin
What can go in your red-top bin, add metals that you have emptied and rinsed such as::
- Food and drink cans · Red-top bin
- Empty aerosols · Red-top bin
- Foil trays · Red-top bin
- Aluminium foil · Red-top bin
- Chocolate and biscuit tins · Red-top bin
- Metal lids · Red-top bin
Not accepted
What can't go in your red-top bin:
- Plastic bags, liners
- Bubble wrap
- Polystyrene
- Netting
- Plastic cups and straws
- Oil and paint cans
- Small and large electricals
- Batteries and wire
- Cutlery
- Gas bottles
- Metal pots, pans and trays
Food Waste
Accepted
Add food waste such as::
- Cooked and uncooked food
- Dairy and eggshells
- Fish, meat and bones
- Fruit, vegetables and peelings
- Bread and cakes
- Rice, pasta and pizza
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Pet foods
- Unpackaged out-of-date food
Not accepted
What can't go in your food caddies:
- Liquids
- Food packaging with food residue
- Containers
- Loose food · Always use a food liner
Garden Waste
Accepted
Add garden waste such as::
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves and bark
- Flowers or cut flowers
- Houseplants
- Hedge trimmings and prunings
- Weeds
- Twigs and small branches · Cut into lengths to fit
- Potted plants and herbs · Without the pot
- Windfall fruit
- Sawdust
- Hay
Not accepted
What can't go in your brown bin:
- Plastic bags
- Food wasteInstead: Place in your food caddy
- Pet waste
- Soil and turfInstead: Take to the Recycling Centre
- StonesInstead: Take to the Recycling Centre
When are bins collected in East Ayrshire?
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 →
No streets in East Ayrshire 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 East Ayrshire?
In East Ayrshire, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin.
What bin does food waste go in East Ayrshire?
In East Ayrshire, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes cooked and uncooked food, dairy and eggshells, fish, meat and bones and more.
What bin do tins and cans go in East Ayrshire?
In East Ayrshire, food and drink cans go in your recycling bin. Red-top bin.
What bin do aerosols go in East Ayrshire?
In East Ayrshire, empty aerosols go in your recycling bin. Red-top bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in East Ayrshire?
East Ayrshire's recycling bin accepts food and drink bottles, toiletry bottles, tablet and medicine bottles, cleaning products, pots, tubs and trays, lids and tops, and more. Red-top bin.
What goes in the food waste bin in East Ayrshire?
East Ayrshire's food waste bin accepts cooked and uncooked food, dairy and eggshells, fish, meat and bones, fruit, vegetables and peelings, bread and cakes, rice, pasta and pizza, and more.
What goes in the garden waste bin in East Ayrshire?
East Ayrshire's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings, leaves and bark, flowers or cut flowers, houseplants, hedge trimmings and prunings, weeds, and more.
What can't be recycled in East Ayrshire?
Items not accepted in East Ayrshire: plastic bags, liners, bubble wrap, polystyrene, netting. Loose food — always use a food liner.
Helpful guides
Source: East Ayrshire council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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