Recycling rules for Liverpool
Based on Liverpool published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Here's what currently goes in each bin in Liverpool.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Liverpool
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Liverpool's recycling bin
Not recyclable kerbside.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Flatten.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Leave lids on.
Food waste: Not accepted in Liverpool's garden waste bin
Vegetable peelings can make good compost.
Shredded paper: Goes in your general waste bin
Too small for sorting machinery.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Do not crush.
Your bins in Liverpool, by colour
Container colours as published by Liverpool. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Blue bin
Recycling
Blue is the recycling colour in 30 of the 66 councils with a checked recycling colour.
Or a blue recycling bag
Green bin
Garden waste
Green is the garden waste colour in 45 of the 114 councils with a checked garden waste colour.
Purple bin
Household waste
Purple is the general rubbish colour in 2 of the 78 councils with a checked general rubbish colour.
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars · Leave lids on
Metals
- Food tins and drinks cans · Do not crush
Paper & Card
- Paper and newspapers
- Magazines and catalogues
- Junk mail and phone directories
- Envelopes · Including plastic windows
- Non-metallic wrapping paper · No plastic or metallic wrapping
- Cardboard food boxes and egg cartons · Flatten
- Cereal and cardboard packages · Remove plastic padding
- Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
Plastics
- Plastic drinks bottles · Keep lids on, do not flatten
- Plastic shampoo and cleaning bottles
Not accepted
- Black bag waste · General waste only
- Plastic bags, cling film or padding · Not recyclable kerbside
- Shredded paper · Too small for sorting machinery
- Polystyrene · Not recyclable kerbside
- Juice cartons (Tetra Pak) · Not accepted in Liverpool
- Food or liquids · Contaminates clean recyclables
- Yoghurt pots and plastic tubs · Not accepted in Liverpool
- Food trays and foil containers · Not accepted in Liverpool
- Textiles, clothes and shoes · Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to charity shop or recycling bank
- Paint tins · Hazardous wasteInstead: Donate to community repaint scheme
- Electrical items · Contains hazardous partsInstead: Take to recycling centre
- Metal objects · Not recyclable kerbside
- Syringes · Hazardous waste
- Wood · Not recyclable kerbside
Common mistakes
- Yoghurt pots→ goes in General Waste · Not accepted in Liverpool recycling
- Juice cartons→ goes in General Waste · Tetra Pak not accepted in Liverpool
- Foil and foil containers→ goes in General Waste · Not accepted in Liverpool recycling
- Shredded paper→ goes in General Waste · Too small for sorting machinery
- Paint tins · Donate to community repaint scheme
Tips (12)
- • Leave lids on glass jars
- • Items loose — no bags
- • Flatten all cardboard
- • No yoghurt pots or tubs
- • No juice cartons
- • No food or liquids
- • No plastic bags or film
- • Cans — do not crush
- • No foil or foil trays
- • Keep lids on bottles
- • No shredded paper
- • No polystyrene
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge clippings
- Dead plants
- Weeds
- Bark
- Leaves
- Small twigs
- Branches · No larger than 7.5cm (3 inches) in diameter
Not accepted
- Stone, concrete or builder's waste
- Timber
- Glass, plastic or metal
- Paper or cardboard
- Plant pots
- Soil or turf
- Household rubbish
- Food waste · Vegetable peelings can make good compost
Tips (9)
- • Collections must be paid for
- • Branches under 7.5cm across
- • No soil, turf or plant pots
- • No food waste in the green bin
- • No stone or builder's waste
- • Out before 6.30am on bin day
- • Lid closed, handles to the road
- • No side waste is collected
- • Yellow sticker = wrong items
How Liverpool compares
- Liverpool’s lists say plastic pots, tubs and trays do not go in its recycling (“Yoghurt pots and plastic tubs”). Of the 113 councils whose lists say either way, 108 take them.
- Liverpool’s lists say foil does not go in its recycling (“Food trays and foil containers”). Of the 150 councils whose lists say either way, 143 take it.
- Liverpool’s lists say food and drink cartons do not go in its recycling (“Juice cartons (Tetra Pak)”). Of the 146 councils whose lists say either way, 136 take them.
- Liverpool’s lists say shredded paper does not go in its recycling (“Shredded paper”). Of the 79 councils whose lists say either way, 56 take it.
Food waste in Liverpool
In Liverpool’s own words (checked September 2026): “Free weekly food waste collections are now being phased in across Liverpool.”
22 of the 162 councils whose food waste guidance we have checked say it is starting or being rolled out.
The government’s rule for England: “by 31 March 2026, local authorities will be required to collect the core recyclable waste streams from all households in England. This includes introducing weekly food waste collections for most homes, unless a transitional arrangement applies” Read it on gov.uk
Which councils collect food waste weeklyNext door
Plastic pots, tubs and trays go in the recycling in Halton but not in Liverpool. Foil goes in the recycling in Halton but not in Liverpool.
In Knowsley the recycling bin is grey (blue here) and the garden waste bin blue (green here). Plastic pots, tubs and trays go in the recycling in Knowsley but not in Liverpool. Foil goes in the recycling in Knowsley but not in Liverpool.
When are bins collected in Liverpool?
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.
Liverpool 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 Liverpool on BinBosh yet: be the first to add yours, and your neighbours can adopt it instead of setting up their own.
How we checked this page
We checked this guidance against Liverpool’s website in September 2026.
Source: Liverpool council website. Check your council’s site for the latest updates.
Frequently asked questions
What colour are the bins in Liverpool?
In Liverpool the recycling bin is blue, the garden waste bin is green and the general rubbish bin is purple. Blue is the recycling colour in 30 of the 66 councils with a checked recycling colour.
Where does glass go in Liverpool?
Glass goes in the blue recycling bin in Liverpool (“Glass bottles and jars”).
Does Liverpool collect food waste, and how often?
In Liverpool’s own words (checked September 2026): “Free weekly food waste collections are now being phased in across Liverpool.”
Do bin collections change on bank holidays in Liverpool?
Liverpool 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.
What goes in the recycling bin in Liverpool?
Liverpool’s recycling bin takes “Glass bottles and jars”, “Food tins and drinks cans” and “Paper and newspapers”, among other things.
See the full recycling listWork for Liverpool? See how BinBosh helps councils →
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