Recycling rules for Winchester
Based on Winchester published guidance · Last verified October 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Winchester.
Search what goes in your bins →Quick answers for Winchester
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. Winchester's published guidance we hold doesn't list it.
Glass bottles and jars: Not accepted in Winchester's recycling bin
Food waste: Winchester has a separate food waste collection
Takes all uneaten food and plate scrapings, raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones, tea bags and coffee grounds and more.
Shredded paper: Not accepted in Winchester's recycling bin
Tins and cans: Goes in your recycling bin
Aerosols: Not accepted in Winchester's recycling bin
Your bins in Winchester, by colour
Container colours as published by Winchester. Some homes get a different container. See the notes.
Black bin
General waste
Brown bin
Garden waste
Availability: paid subscription
A few approved locations use bags
What goes in each bin
Recycling
Accepted
Recycling, yes please:
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Junk mail
- Computer paper
- Envelopes, including windowed envelopes
- Catalogues and directories
- Paper bags
- Greetings cards
- Cereal packets
- Food boxes
- Kitchen and toilet roll holders
- Corrugated card
- Detergent bottles
- Food tins including pet food tins
- Drinks cans
- Sweet and biscuit tins
- Trade and telephone directories
Not accepted
Recycling, no thanks:
- Shredded paper
- Gift wrap
- Plastic coated (laminated) paper
- Paper towels, tissues and napkins
- Wall paper
- Pizza boxes · Food debris
- Bottles that are not empty
- Spray and pump dispensers
- Food and drinks cartons
- Plastic carrier bags or sacks
- Plastic pots, tubs, trays
- Paint tins
- Partially full or dirty tins
- Other metals or metal packaging
- Full or partially full aerosols
- Glass
- CDs/DVDs/Videos
- Takeaway coffee cups
- Sweet wrappers
- Shoes
- Clothing and textiles
Food Waste
Accepted
All your raw and cooked food waste leftovers can be put into your food waste bin, including:
- All uneaten food and plate scrapings
- Raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Out of date or mouldy food
- Shellfish and seafood shells
- Dairy products such as cheese
- Bread, cakes, pastries
- Eggs and eggshells
- Rice, pasta and beans
- Pet food
Not accepted
These items must not be put into your food waste bin:
- Packaging of any kind · Except your caddy liner
- Glass
- Liquids such as milk, liquid fat or gravy
- Oils such as used cooking oil
Garden Waste
Accepted
The following items can be recycled as garden waste and can therefore be put into your brown bin:
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge cuttings
- Weeds
- Leaves (small amounts)
- Prunings
Not accepted
The following items must not be put in your brown bin as they are not compatible with garden waste and we will not be able to empty your bin:
- Soil/concrete/rubble
- Vegetable peelings and food scraps
- Coal ash
- Animal waste
- Commercial waste
- General household waste
We don't have checked glass guidance for Winchester yet.
See Winchester's own guidanceWhen are bins collected in Winchester?
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.
In Winchester, a bank holiday pushes that week's collections back by a day: after a Monday holiday, Monday's bins go out on Tuesday, Tuesday's on Wednesday, and so on. BinBosh adjusts your dates automatically, and your neighbours can vote on the actual day if it differs.
In Winchester’s own words: “Food waste collections are weekly, on the same day as your general waste and recycling collections.”
No streets in Winchester 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 Winchester?
In Winchester, glass can't go in your recycling bin.
What bin does food waste go in Winchester?
In Winchester, food waste goes in your food waste bin. It takes all uneaten food and plate scrapings, raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones, tea bags and coffee grounds and more.
What bin does shredded paper go in Winchester?
In Winchester, shredded paper can't go in your recycling bin.
What bin do tins and cans go in Winchester?
In Winchester, food tins including pet food tins go in your recycling bin.
What goes in the recycling bin in Winchester?
Winchester's recycling bin accepts newspapers, magazines, junk mail, computer paper, envelopes, including windowed envelopes, catalogues and directories, and more.
What goes in the food waste bin in Winchester?
Winchester's food waste bin accepts all uneaten food and plate scrapings, raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones, tea bags and coffee grounds, out of date or mouldy food, shellfish and seafood shells, dairy products such as cheese, and more.
What goes in the garden waste bin in Winchester?
Winchester's garden waste bin accepts grass cuttings, hedge cuttings, weeds, leaves (small amounts), prunings, and more.
What can't be recycled in Winchester?
Items not accepted in Winchester: shredded paper, gift wrap, plastic coated (laminated) paper, paper towels, tissues and napkins. Pizza boxes — food debris.
Helpful guides
Source: Winchester council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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