Recycling rules for Trafford
Based on Trafford published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Trafford.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Trafford
Polystyrene: Usually general waste (UK-wide position)UK-wide, not council-specific
Across the UK, polystyrene is rarely collected at the kerbside and usually belongs in general waste. Trafford's published guidance we hold doesn't list it.
Glass bottles and jars: Goes in your recycling bin
Black bin; no lids.
Food waste: Trafford has a separate food waste collection
Takes raw, cooked, and gone-off meat and fish (including bones), raw, cooked, and gone-off fruit and vegetables, leftovers from your plate and more.
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Black bin.
Your bins in Trafford, by colour
Container colours as published by Trafford. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Blue bin
Paper and card
Grey bin
Waste you cannot recycle
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
What you can put in your black bin:
- Foil and foil trays · Black bin
- Food and drink cans · Black bin
- Bottle-shaped plastics · Black bin; no lids
- Glass bottles and jars · Black bin; no lids
- Plastic pots · Black bin
- Plastic tubs · Black bin
- Plastic trays, including black plastic trays · Black bin
Not accepted
Black bin, what we won't empty:
- Plastic packaging or other soft plastics
- Hard plastics
- Electrical items
- Gas bottles
Common mistakes
- Electrical equipment · Take to your nearest recycling centre
Food Waste
Accepted
Food waste:
- Raw, cooked, and gone-off meat and fish (including bones)
- Raw, cooked, and gone-off fruit and vegetables
- Leftovers from your plate
- Rice, pasta, beans
- Bread, cake, and pastries
- Cheese and eggs (including eggshells)
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
Not accepted
What goes in your green bin, what we won't empty:
- Plastic food packaging
- Glass
- Dog and cat poo
Common mistakes
- Cat litter and dog poo→ goes in General Waste · Put in your grey bin
We don't have checked garden waste guidance for Trafford yet.
See Trafford's own guidanceWhen are bins collected in Trafford?
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 Trafford 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 do glass bottles and jars go in Trafford?
In Trafford, glass bottles and jars go in your recycling bin. Black bin; no lids.
What bin does food waste go in Trafford?
In Trafford, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes raw, cooked, and gone-off meat and fish (including bones), raw, cooked, and gone-off fruit and vegetables, leftovers from your plate and more.
What bin do tins and cans go in Trafford?
In Trafford, food and drink cans go in your recycling bin. Black bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in Trafford?
Trafford's recycling bin accepts foil and foil trays, food and drink cans, bottle-shaped plastics, glass bottles and jars, plastic pots, plastic tubs, and more. Black bin.
What goes in the food waste bin in Trafford?
Trafford's food waste bin accepts raw, cooked, and gone-off meat and fish (including bones), raw, cooked, and gone-off fruit and vegetables, leftovers from your plate, rice, pasta, beans, bread, cake, and pastries, cheese and eggs (including eggshells), and more.
What can't be recycled in Trafford?
Items not accepted in Trafford: plastic packaging or other soft plastics, hard plastics, electrical items, gas bottles.
What bin does electrical equipment go in Trafford?
In Trafford, electrical equipment needs specialist recycling, not your kerbside bins. Take to your nearest recycling centre.
What bin do plastic packaging or other soft plastics go in Trafford?
In Trafford, plastic packaging or other soft plastics can't go in your recycling bin.
Helpful guides
Source: Trafford council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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