Recycling rules for Greenwich
Based on Greenwich published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Greenwich.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Greenwich
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Greenwich's recycling bin
Not accepted in the blue top bin. Black top bin.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Food waste: Greenwich has a separate food waste collection
Takes fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and bones, plate scrapings and more.
Your bins in Greenwich, by colour
Container colours as published by Greenwich. Some homes get a different container — see the notes.
Green bin
Food and garden waste
Green top (lid); properties without one use a paper and corn starch sack
What goes in the food waste bin→What goes in the garden waste bin→
Blue bin
Dry recyclable items
Blue top (lid); no bin access: corn starch or paper bags; flats may have communal bins
Black bin
General waste
Black top (lid); properties without one buy their own black bin bags
Black bag
General waste
Resident-bought, for properties with no black top bin; up to 3 bags collected
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars
Paper & Card
- Paper and cardboard
Plastics
- Plastic bottles — Not black plastic
- Plastic tubs and trays — Not black plastic
Metals
- Tins and cans
- Aerosol cans — Must be empty
- Kitchen foil
- Foil meal containers
Other
- Cartons and Tetrapaks — Often used for juice cartons
Not accepted
- Black plastic — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Polystyrene — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Bubble wrap — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- PPE such as face masks and gloves — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Nappies, wipes or tissues — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Wrappers and packets — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Pouches and tubes — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Plastic wrap and film — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Carrier bags — Not accepted in the blue top binInstead: Black top bin
- Recycling in plastic bags or black sacks — All recycling must be put into the bin loose
Common mistakes
- Broken glass→ goes in General Waste — Wrap it to prevent injury; black top bin
- Batteries — Not in the black top bin; Reuse and Recycling Centre
- Electrical items — Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre
- Paint and chemicals — Book a hazardous waste collection (City of London)
- Bleach, weed killer and cleaning products — Book a hazardous waste collection
- Syringes and needles — Book a clinical waste collection
- Mattresses and furniture — Book a bulky waste collection
Tips (18)
- • Blue top bin: dry recycling
- • Recycling must be clean
- • Put recycling in the bin loose
- • No plastic bags or black sacks
- • No black plastic
- • No polystyrene or bubble wrap
- • No face masks or gloves (PPE)
- • No nappies, wipes or tissues
- • No wrappers or packets
- • No pouches or tubes
- • No film or carrier bags
- • Aerosol cans must be empty
- • Foil meal containers accepted
- • Cartons and Tetrapaks accepted
- • Rejected items: black top bin
- • Terracycle may take some items
- • Wrong items: bin not emptied
- • 3rd contamination: bin removed
Food Waste
Accepted
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat, fish and bones
- Plate scrapings
- Rice, pasta and bread
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
Not accepted
- Plastic bin liners, bags or sacks — Not accepted in the green top binInstead: Paper or corn starch sacks, or put it in loose
- Biodegradable or degradable bags or sacks — Not accepted in the green top bin
- Compostable packaging — Not accepted in the green top bin
Tips (16)
- • Green top bin: food and garden
- • Free kitchen caddy provided
- • Line caddy with newspaper
- • Paper or compostable bag liner
- • Meat, fish and bones accepted
- • Plate scrapings accepted
- • Rice, pasta and bread accepted
- • Tea bags and coffee grounds ok
- • Put it in loose or in sacks
- • Paper or corn starch sacks ok
- • Corn starch: compostable logo
- • No plastic bags or bin liners
- • No biodegradable bags
- • No compostable packaging
- • Wrong items: bin not emptied
- • No bin? Paper/corn starch sack
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass, hedge and shrub cuttings
- Leaves and weeds
- Plants and flowers
- Straw, hay and sawdust
- Tree bark and small branches
- Waste from pets that only eat plants — E.g. rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters
Not accepted
- Plastic bin liners, bags or sacks — Not accepted in the green top binInstead: Paper or corn starch sacks, or put it in loose
- Biodegradable or degradable bags or sacks — Not accepted in the green top bin
- Compostable packaging — Not accepted in the green top bin
Common mistakes
- Dog poo and cat litter→ goes in General Waste — Double bag it; black top bin
- Coal and wood ash→ goes in General Waste — Let it cool first; black top bin
Tips (16)
- • Green top bin: food and garden
- • Grass cuttings accepted
- • Hedge and shrub cuttings ok
- • Leaves and weeds accepted
- • Plants and flowers accepted
- • Straw, hay and sawdust ok
- • Tree bark, small branches ok
- • Plant-eating pet waste ok
- • Put it in loose or in sacks
- • Paper or corn starch sacks ok
- • No plastic bags or bin liners
- • No biodegradable bags
- • No compostable packaging
- • Double bag dog poo: black bin
- • Wrong items: bin not emptied
- • No bin? Paper/corn starch sack
When are bins collected in Greenwich?
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 Greenwich, 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 Greenwich 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 Greenwich?
In Greenwich, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in the blue top bin. Black top bin.
What bin does paper and cardboard go in Greenwich?
In Greenwich, paper and cardboard goes in your recycling bin.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in Greenwich?
In Greenwich, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in Greenwich?
Greenwich's recycling bin accepts glass bottles and jars, paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, plastic tubs and trays, tins and cans, aerosol cans, and more. Not black plastic.
What goes in the food waste bin in Greenwich?
Greenwich's food waste bin accepts fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and bones, plate scrapings, rice, pasta and bread, tea bags and coffee grounds, and more.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Greenwich?
Greenwich's garden waste bin accepts grass, hedge and shrub cuttings, leaves and weeds, plants and flowers, straw, hay and sawdust, tree bark and small branches, waste from pets that only eat plants, and more. E.g. rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.
What bin does broken glass go in Greenwich?
In Greenwich, broken glass goes in your general waste bin. Wrap it to prevent injury; black top bin.
What bin does black plastic go in Greenwich?
In Greenwich, black plastic can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in the blue top bin. Black top bin.
Helpful Guides
Source: Greenwich council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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