Recycling rules for North Somerset
Based on North Somerset published guidance · Last verified September 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in North Somerset.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for North Somerset
Polystyrene: Not accepted in North Somerset's recycling bin
Expanded or foam types; not in the red bag.
Cardboard: Goes in your recycling bin
Box; flattened.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Box; lids off, no broken glass.
Food waste: North Somerset has a separate food waste collection
Takes cooked and raw food, dairy products, vegetables and fruit and more.
Shredded paper: Goes in your recycling bin
Box; in a paper bag or envelope.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Red bag; wash and squash.
Your bins in North Somerset, by colour
Container colours as published by North Somerset. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Green or black box
Glass, paper, cardboard, cartons, soft plastic
Plastic bottles and cans go in the red bag; flats have other containers
Red bag
Plastic bottles, tubs, cans, foil
Red bag orders closed while damaged bags are replaced
Black bin
Rubbish
Some properties get grey rubbish sacks instead; collected every three weeks
Green bin (garden)
Garden waste
Paid opt-in; some properties get three white 70 litre bags instead
Green bin (food waste)
Food waste
Flat bin stores only; house container colour not stated
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars · Box; lids off, no broken glass
Plastics
- Plastic bags · Box; in a carrier-sized bag, top tied
- Soft plastic wrapping · Box; in a carrier-sized bag, top tied
- Cling film · Box; bagged with soft plastic
- Bubble wrap · Box; bagged with soft plastic
- Plastic bottles · Red bag; wash and squash
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays · Red bag; wash and squash
Paper & Card
- Cardboard · Box; flattened
- Paper · Box; brown, white and coloured paper
- Newspapers and magazines · Box; catalogues too
- Shredded paper · Box; in a paper bag or envelope
Other
- Cartons · Box; Tetra Paks too, wash and squash
- Small electrical appliances · Smaller than a toaster; bag separately
- Batteries · Bag separately, tied loosely
- Vapes · Bag separately, tied loosely
- Mobile phones · Bag separately, tied loosely
- Clothes · Reusable condition; bag separately
- Shoes · Tied in pairs; bag separately
- Spectacles · Bag separately, tied loosely
- Sunglasses · Bag separately, tied loosely
Metals
- Tins and cans · Red bag; wash and squash
- Foil · Red bag
- Aerosols · Red bag
Not accepted
- Disposable coffee cups · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Broken glass · Not accepted in the recycling boxesInstead: Black bin if a broken drinking glass
- Pyrex · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Drinking glasses · Not accepted in the recycling boxesInstead: Black bin if broken
- Glass vases · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Light bulbs · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Car batteries · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Pizza boxes · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Greasy takeaway packaging · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Unemptied food packaging · Items must be empty and rinsed
- Paper towels · Not accepted in the recycling boxes
- Polystyrene · Expanded or foam types; not in the red bag
- Knives · Not accepted in the red bag
- Frying pans and saucepans · Not accepted in the red bag
- Spray paint or lighter fluid · Containers not accepted in the red bag
Common mistakes
- Nappies→ goes in General Waste · Black bin
- Black plastic→ goes in General Waste · Black bin
- Blister packs→ goes in General Waste · Black bin, once empty
- Wrapping paper→ goes in General Waste · Black bin; plain brown wrapping paper goes in box
- Tissues→ goes in General Waste · Black bin
- Broken drinking glasses→ goes in General Waste · Black bin
- Hard plastic · Recycling centre, e.g. buckets and toys
- Gas canisters · Recycling centre; ask staff
- Flat glass · DIY waste: recycling centre (small fee) or a skip
Tips (16)
- • Empty and rinse recycling
- • Glass lids go in the red bag
- • Wash and squash cartons
- • Flatten cardboard
- • Tie soft plastic in a bag
- • Shredded paper in paper bag
- • Bag small electricals apart
- • Tie shoes in pairs
- • Wash and squash red bag items
- • No greasy takeaway packaging
- • Wrapping paper: black bin
- • Stack boxes with caddy on top
- • Out by 6.30am on the day
- • Use spare boxes for extras
- • No disposable coffee cups
- • Wrong items: box not emptied
Food Waste
Accepted
- Cooked and raw food · Bones included
- Dairy products
- Vegetables and fruit · Peelings included
- Eggshells
- Pet food
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Solidified cooking oil
Not accepted
- Liquid cooking oil · Only solidified cooking oil is acceptedInstead: Recycling centre, or container in black bin
- Plastic wrapping · Don't put plastic wrapping inside
Tips (12)
- • Collected every week
- • Lock your caddy
- • Line with a bag or newspaper
- • Compostable liners are fine
- • No plastic wrapping inside
- • Bones are accepted
- • Solidified cooking oil only
- • Liquid oil: recycling centre
- • Stack boxes with caddy on top
- • Pet food can go in
- • Tea bags and coffee grounds ok
- • Out by 6.30am on the day
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass cuttings and prunings
- Flowers, leaves and plants
- Weeds
- Garden fruit and vegetables · Grown in your garden
- Hedge and conifer clippings
- Twigs and tree branches · Maximum 10cm diameter
- Vegetarian pet bedding · At least 60% garden waste to 40% bedding
- Real Christmas trees · First collection in January; up to 2m, cut up
Not accepted
- Soil, turf, stone or rubble · Not accepted in the garden bin
- Treated wood · Not accepted in the garden bin
- Plant pots · Not accepted in the garden bin
- Cat and dog litter · Not accepted in the garden bin
- Wood and coal ash · Not accepted in the garden bin
Tips (12)
- • Fortnightly most of the year
- • Monthly in Dec, Jan, Feb
- • Bin lid must be closed
- • Permit must be attached
- • Bin handle faces the road
- • Out before 6.30am
- • Out from the night before
- • Branches max 10cm diameter
- • Excess weight: not emptied
- • Wrong items: bin not emptied
- • Trees up to 2m, cut up
- • Max two garden bins
When are bins collected in North Somerset?
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.
North Somerset 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 North Somerset 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 North Somerset?
In North Somerset, polystyrene can't go in your recycling bin. Expanded or foam types; not in the red bag.
What bin does cardboard go in North Somerset?
In North Somerset, cardboard goes in your recycling bin. Box; flattened.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in North Somerset?
In North Somerset, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin. Box; lids off, no broken glass.
What bin does food waste go in North Somerset?
In North Somerset, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes cooked and raw food, dairy products, vegetables and fruit and more.
What goes in the recycling bin in North Somerset?
North Somerset's recycling bin accepts glass bottles and jars, plastic bags, soft plastic wrapping, cling film, bubble wrap, cardboard, and more. Box; lids off, no broken glass.
What goes in the food waste bin in North Somerset?
North Somerset's food waste bin accepts cooked and raw food, dairy products, vegetables and fruit, eggshells, pet food, tea bags and coffee grounds, and more. Bones included.
What goes in the garden waste bin in North Somerset?
North Somerset's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings and prunings, flowers, leaves and plants, weeds, garden fruit and vegetables, hedge and conifer clippings, twigs and tree branches, and more. Grown in your garden.
What can't be recycled in North Somerset?
Items not accepted in North Somerset: disposable coffee cups, broken glass, pyrex, drinking glasses. Disposable coffee cups — not accepted in the recycling boxes.
Helpful guides
Source: North Somerset council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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