Recycling rules for Renfrewshire
Based on Renfrewshire published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Here's what currently goes in each bin in Renfrewshire.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Renfrewshire
Polystyrene: Not accepted in Renfrewshire's paper & card bin
Cardboard: Goes in your paper & card bin
Flatten it so it's easier to collect.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Food waste: Renfrewshire has a separate food waste collection
Takes cooked and uncooked food, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds and more.
Shredded paper: Not accepted in Renfrewshire's paper & card bin
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Emptied and rinsed.
Your bins in Renfrewshire, by colour
Container colours as published by Renfrewshire. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Grey bin
General waste
Brown bin
Garden waste and food waste
Availability: garden waste permit
Garden waste needs a permit
What goes in the garden waste bin →What goes in the food waste bin →
Black sack
General waste
Availability: Some households use sacks instead of bins
Blue sack
Paper and cardboard
Availability: Some households use sacks instead of bins
Green sack
Plastics, cans, and cartons
Availability: Some households use sacks instead of bins
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
These items can go in your green bin:
- Plastic bottles · Green bin
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays · Green bin
- Plastic fruit and vegetable trays · Green bin
- Plastic takeaway containers · Emptied and rinsed
- Cleaning product bottles · Green bin
- Shampoo and shower gel bottles · Green bin
- Drinks cans · Emptied and rinsed
- Food tins, including pet food tins · Emptied and rinsed
- Aluminium foil · Green bin
- Biscuit and sweet tins · Green bin
- Aerosols · Green bin
- Glass bottles and jars
- Plastic milk cartons · Green bin
These items can go in your green sack:
- Cartons, such as milk cartons · Green sack
- Fruit and vegetable punnets · Green sack
Not accepted
Do not put these items in your green bin:
- Food residue
- Carrier bags
- Sweet and crisp wrappers
- Plastic wrapping and bubble wrap
- Hard plastics
- Food and drink pouches
- Light bulbs
- Pyrex or crockery
- Mirrors
- Batteries
- Vapes
Do not put these items in your green sack:
- Glass in green sack
Food Waste
Accepted
These items can go in your food waste caddy:
- Cooked and uncooked food
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Eggshells
- Out-of-date food · Packaging removed
- Solid dairy products
- Meat, fish and small bones
- Pet food
Not accepted
Do not put these items in your food waste caddy:
- Plastic bags
- Packaging
- Liquids
- Plastics, cans and glass
- Paper, card and cardboard
Garden Waste
Accepted
These items can go in your brown bin:
- Grass cuttings
- Flowers and plants
- Weeds
- Leaves
- Branches and twigs · Small enough to fit with the lid closed
Not accepted
Do not put these items in your brown bin:
- Rubble and soil
- Pet waste and bedding
- Plant pots
- Wood and fencing
- Timber or logs
- Garden furniture
Paper & Card
Accepted
These items can go in your blue bin:
- Cardboard · Flatten it so it's easier to collect
- Cereal boxes · Blue bin
- Toilet and kitchen roll tubes · Blue bin
- Paper · As long as it's clean and dry
- Magazines · Blue bin
- Newspapers · Blue bin
- Office paper · Blue bin
- Telephone directories · Blue bin
- Paperback books · Blue bin
- Catalogues · Blue bin
- Junk mail and takeaway menus · Blue bin
These items can go in your blue sack:
- Corrugated cardboard · Blue sack
- Cardboard packaging · Blue sack
Not accepted
Do not put these items in your blue bin:
- Hardback books
- Plastic wrapping and bubble wrap
- Polystyrene
- Packaging with food residue
- Used tissues and kitchen roll
- Foil gift wrapping paper
- Aluminium foil
- Shredded paper
- Takeaway pizza boxes · They are too dirty
- Photos
- Tetra Pak packaging
When are bins collected in Renfrewshire?
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 Renfrewshire 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 Renfrewshire?
In Renfrewshire, polystyrene can't go in your paper & card bin.
What bin does cardboard go in Renfrewshire?
In Renfrewshire, cardboard goes in your paper & card bin. Flatten it so it's easier to collect.
What bin do glass bottles and jars go in Renfrewshire?
In Renfrewshire, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in Renfrewshire?
Renfrewshire's recycling bin accepts plastic bottles, plastic pots, tubs and trays, plastic fruit and vegetable trays, plastic takeaway containers, cleaning product bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, and more. Green bin.
What goes in the food waste bin in Renfrewshire?
Renfrewshire's food waste bin accepts cooked and uncooked food, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds, eggshells, out-of-date food, solid dairy products, and more. Packaging removed.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Renfrewshire?
Renfrewshire's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings, flowers and plants, weeds, leaves, branches and twigs, and more. Small enough to fit with the lid closed.
What goes in the paper & card bin in Renfrewshire?
Renfrewshire's paper & card bin accepts cardboard, cereal boxes, toilet and kitchen roll tubes, paper, magazines, newspapers, and more. Flatten it so it's easier to collect.
What can't be recycled in Renfrewshire?
Items not accepted in Renfrewshire: food residue, carrier bags, sweet and crisp wrappers, plastic wrapping and bubble wrap. Takeaway pizza boxes — they are too dirty.
Helpful guides
Source: Renfrewshire council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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