Recycling rules for Lambeth
Based on Lambeth published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Lambeth.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Lambeth
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Lambeth's recycling bin
Not accepted in recycling. Rubbish bin.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Glass bottles and jars: Not accepted in Lambeth's recycling bin
Not accepted in recycling.
Food waste: Lambeth has a separate food waste collection
Takes meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and more.
Your bins in Lambeth, by colour
Container colours as published by Lambeth. Some homes get a different container — see the notes.
Green bin
Paper, card, glass, plastic, cans and cartons
Some homes use recycling sacks (colour not stated); shared blocks of flats use shared bins
Black bin
Rubbish
Timed areas must use sacks if collected from the street; shared blocks of flats use shared bins
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Paper & Card
- Newspapers and magazines
- Card and cardboard
- Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
- Egg boxes
- Junk mail
- Catalogues
Plastics
- Plastic bottles — Rinse; leave the lids on
- Plastic pots, tubs and food trays — Rinse; not plastic film
Glass
- Glass jars and bottles — Rinse; put metal lids in separately
Metals
- Food and drink cans and tins — Rinse
- Metal foil sheet and foil trays — E.g. takeaway containers; must be clean
Other
- Food and drink cartons — Liquid food and drink cartons (Tetra-pak); rinse
Not accepted
- Black bin bags — Not accepted in recycling
- Broken glass — Not accepted in recycling
- Pyrex — Not accepted in recycling
- Window glass — Not accepted in recycling
- Light bulbs — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Lambeth reuse and recycling centre (Vale Street)
- Polystyrene — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Rubbish bin
- Plastic film — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Rubbish bin (plastic bags and film)
- Food-soiled boxes — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Rubbish bin (food-soiled cardboard)
- Nappies — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Rubbish bin, in a securely tied nappy bag
- Foil or paper yoghurt pot lids — Not accepted in recycling
- Shredded paper — Not accepted in recycling
- Chemical containers — Not accepted in recycling
- DIY and building waste — Not collected in recycling or rubbish
- Hazardous waste — Not collected in recycling or rubbishInstead: See the council's hazardous waste advice
- Food — Not accepted in recyclingInstead: Food waste bin, if available at your address
Common mistakes
- Aerosol spray cans→ goes in General Waste — Not recycling: the rubbish bin takes aerosols
- Batteries — Undamaged: tied carrier bag on top of the green bin
- Car batteries — Not in the battery bag; Vale Street centre takes them
- Small electrical items — Toaster-size max; tied bag on top of the green bin
- Textiles — Not in rubbish either; Vale Street takes clothes, shoes
- Garden waste→ goes in Garden Waste — Paid garden waste service; not in rubbish either
Tips (19)
- • Rinse food and drink packaging
- • Leave lids on plastic bottles
- • Put metal lids in separately
- • Clean foil and foil trays ok
- • Cartons are accepted
- • Egg boxes and junk mail ok
- • No black bin bags
- • Aerosols go in the rubbish bin
- • No plastic film
- • No polystyrene
- • No shredded paper
- • No foil or paper yoghurt lids
- • No food-soiled boxes
- • No broken glass or Pyrex
- • No window glass or light bulbs
- • No nappies or textiles
- • Batteries: bag on top of bin
- • Small electricals: bag on top
- • No car/lithium-ion batteries
Food Waste
Accepted
- Meat and fish — Including bones
- Fruit and vegetables
- Dairy products — Including cheese, eggs and eggshells
- Bread, cakes and pastries
- Rice, pasta, grains and cereals
- Tea bags, tea leaves and coffee grounds
- Used kitchen paper towels
Common mistakes
- Food waste in the black rubbish bin→ goes in Food Waste — It might start to smell before it's collected
- Food in the recycling→ goes in Food Waste — Food is on the council's not-for-recycling list
Tips (13)
- • Food waste collected weekly
- • Check your home is eligible
- • Bones are accepted
- • Cheese, eggs and shells ok
- • Bread, cakes, pastries ok
- • Rice, pasta and grains ok
- • Tea bags and coffee grounds ok
- • Used paper towels accepted
- • Fruit and veg accepted
- • No food in the rubbish bin
- • No food in the recycling
- • Home-compost plant-based food
- • Compost bins from £13.50
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves and twigs
- Weeds, shrubs, plants and flowers
- Hedge trimmings
- Fruit fallen from trees and bushes
- Branches — Up to 10cm diameter
- Pet bedding — Plant-eating animals only, e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs
Not accepted
- Branches over 10cm diameter — Only branches up to 10cm diameter
- Bedding from other animals — Only from plant-eating animals
Common mistakes
- Garden waste in rubbish or recycling→ goes in Garden Waste — Neither takes it; use the paid garden waste service
Tips (14)
- • Garden waste is a paid service
- • Use your garden waste sacks
- • Grass cuttings accepted
- • Leaves and twigs accepted
- • Hedge trimmings accepted
- • Weeds and shrubs accepted
- • Plants and flowers accepted
- • Fallen fruit accepted
- • Branches up to 10cm diameter
- • Rabbit/guinea pig bedding ok
- • Bedding: plant-eaters only
- • Not in rubbish or recycling
- • Vale Street takes garden waste
- • No logs at Vale Street
When are bins collected in Lambeth?
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.
Lambeth 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 Lambeth 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 Lambeth?
In Lambeth, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in recycling. Rubbish bin.
What bin does card and cardboard go in Lambeth?
In Lambeth, card and cardboard goes in your recycling bin.
What bin does pyrex go in Lambeth?
In Lambeth, pyrex can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in recycling.
What bin does food go in Lambeth?
In Lambeth, food can't go in your recycling bin. Not accepted in recycling. Food waste bin, if available at your address.
What goes in the recycling bin in Lambeth?
Lambeth's recycling bin accepts newspapers and magazines, card and cardboard, toilet and kitchen roll tubes, egg boxes, junk mail, catalogues, and more. Rinse; leave the lids on.
What goes in the food waste bin in Lambeth?
Lambeth's food waste bin accepts meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, bread, cakes and pastries, rice, pasta, grains and cereals, tea bags, tea leaves and coffee grounds, and more. Including bones.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Lambeth?
Lambeth's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings, leaves and twigs, weeds, shrubs, plants and flowers, hedge trimmings, fruit fallen from trees and bushes, branches, and more. Up to 10cm diameter.
What bin do aerosol spray cans go in Lambeth?
In Lambeth, aerosol spray cans go in your general waste bin. Not recycling: the rubbish bin takes aerosols.
Helpful Guides
Source: Lambeth council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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