Black, blue or green – which waste goes into which coloured bins? What are the various types of waste bins in the UK? What will happen if we put a waste item in the wrong basket?
To answer you directly, black bins are for refuse waste; green bins are for garden waste; and blue bins are for dry recyclables like paper or cardboard. The United Kingdom has several other colours for waste bins, and every commercial business (and household) should comply. Furthermore, failing to dispose of waste or even putting it in the wrong rubbish bin can lead to contamination.
So, what are the different coloured bins for the UK?
In this comprehensive read, let us look at the various types of rubbish bins in the UK and how they are disposed of. We will also learn about the different commercial and household waste rules and regulations, and how to deal with tricky waste items.
Whether a business owner or homeowner reading this, by the end of this read, we hope you will be less confused about waste management and more active towards protecting the Earth, the only place we call home.
All Types of Coloured Waste Bins in the UK – Detailed Guide
If you have ever been curious about the many coloured waste bins outside commercial buildings, and even in households, you’re not alone. The UK waste collection system uses coloured bins to help residents and businesses separate waste safely and correctly. It promotes positive disposal standards, recycling and treatment – essential for a reduced carbon footprint.
However, there’s a catch to this process – bin colours vary by council. This means your green bin may be for garden waste, while another district/borough uses brown. Blue bins might be for paper or cardboard, another council may take all recyclables.
Knowing your local rules is essential to staying compliant. Furthermore, licensed waste management companies typically follow the standard structure based on the UK’s environmental regulations, including –
• Environmental Protection Act 1990
• Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011
• Duty of Care Regulations for Businesses
These laws require waste producers, such as households and businesses, to dispose of waste responsibly, reduce contamination, and send no rubbish to landfills. Coloured bins make this waste collection easier, ensuring waste is sorted before it even reaches the collection truck.
Correct sorting of waste also –
• Reduces recycling contamination
• Cuts disposal and energy costs
• Helps councils recycle more
• Help private waste management companies dispose of waste better
• Prevents harmful waste from entering landfills
• Protects human health and the environment
Types of Waste Bins in the UK You Must Know –
Even though colours differ between local councils, the types of waste collected are almost always the same, and licensed waste management companies always comply.
Here’s a simple overview of the main waste categories and the bin colours generally used in the UK –
General Waste (Non-Recyclable Waste)
It is typically collected in Black and Grey rubbish bins and includes anything that cannot be recycled or composted.
Dry Mixed Recycling (DMR)
Blue, Green and Yellow are the most common colours and may include mixed recycling or only paper/cardboard.
Food Waste
While the most common colour is either Green or Brown, some places also have Silver caddies for weekly food scrap collection. It also includes food scraps from homes.
Garden Waste
For garden waste like branches, leaves, grass, and other organic compounds, some boroughs have Brown and others have Green. It is best to check the council’s website before dumping it randomly.
Glass Recycling
Glass bottles and jars (not Pyrex or ceramic) go into Brown, Green, or Purple recycling boxes for safe disposal and treatment.
Plastic, Cans & Mixed Containers
Red rubbish bins are the most popular and widely used boxes for plastic waste. It includes bottles. However, they also sometimes go into Brown bins, as do food and drink cans. Purple and grey bins are also used.
Black rubbish bins collect recyclable containers and their lids. Most collection companies would ask you to remove content and keep it dry.
Cardboard/Paper Recycling
Blue waste bins are the most common and are dedicated to paper, cardboard, and similar dry recyclables.
Commercial Waste Bins
The majority of waste bins outside commercial spaces are clearly labelled to help waste company drivers identify the company’s bins that must be emptied. It helps maintain efficiency and compliance and ensures proper disposal by collection companies.
Colours vary widely but are always divided according to whether the items are recyclable or not –
- Black – General waste
- Blue – Recycling
- Green/Brown – Food waste
- Purple/Red – Glass, Plastics, Mixed Containers
- Yellow – Clinical waste
- Orange – WEEE waste
If you have carefully read so far, you might notice that certain items go in multiple coloured bins, and vice versa. It heightens the confusion further. After all, understanding these categories makes it easier to identify what goes in each bin.
Let’s break it down in detail even more.
What Goes in Each Coloured Bin in the UK?
We have listed all the most widely accepted UK bins and turned them into a colour guide, helping you understand and dispose of them correctly.
As noted, councils may vary slightly, but this provides a reliable, compliant reference that certified waste management companies almost always follow.
Black or Grey Bins – General Waste
So, what goes in the black bins in the UK? These are typically used across boroughs for non-recyclable waste. Both private collection companies and councils use them.
Here’s what goes in –
• Plastic film, wrappers, crisp packets
• Nappies & sanitary products
• Polystyrene
• Broken toys
• Tissues, wipes, cotton pads
• Non-recyclable packaging
• Ceramics, broken crockery
• Pet waste
• Food waste
What NOT to put –
• Electricals
• Batteries
• Glass
• Chemicals
Contamination of waste materials can increase landfill volumes – we must be mindful.
Blue Bins – Dry Recycling/Paper & Cardboard
Some boroughs use blue collection bins only for paper and cardboard. On the other hand, some use all kinds of DMR.
What goes in –
• Newspapers & magazines
• Cardboard and packaging
• Envelopes
• Paper
• Cereal boxes
If used for all recyclables, also –
• Plastic bottles
• Tins & cans
• Cartons
• Glass bottles/jars
(They must all be rinsed out and cleaned off food remnants)
What NOT to put –
• Food waste
• Black bags
• Shredded paper
• Greasy pizza boxes
• Any packaging that has been in contact with food
Green Bins – Recycling, Food Waste Or Garden
Green bins have a wide variety of uses. Some councils use it for Mixed Dry Recycling, and others only take commercial, household, food waste and garden waste. For instance, while the majority accept food waste in green bins, the outer London boroughs in the Northeast accept only dry recycling waste, including popular locations like Leyton, Hackney, and Waltham Forest.
Therefore, it is vital to learn what your council approves of.
If your GREEN bin is for recycling, you can put –
• Plastic bottles and tubs
• Cans
• Aerosols
• Cardboard
• Paper
While yet not in action, it will soon be compulsory for households to use GREEN bins for food waste, like –
• Veg & fruit scraps
• Cooked & raw food
• Meat & fish bones
• Tea bags, coffee grounds
• Expired food (no packaging)
Food waste bins will NOT accept –
• Packaging
• Compostable plastics, unless council-approved
Brown Bins – Garden Waste OR Food Waste
Many UK councils use brown for garden waste, some for food waste, and some for a mix. Even if you are getting the service from a certified waste management company, always consult and ask for details.
As mentioned about the council variations, Enfield and Eastleigh have brown bins for food waste. On the other hand, Oxford takes in garden waste in brown bins.
If your BROWN bin is for garden waste, you can put in –
• Grass cuttings
• Leaves
• Hedge trimmings
• Twigs
• Flowers & plants
What NOT to put –
• Soil or stones
• Treated wood
• Food waste
• Plant pots
If your BROWN bin is for food waste, the same rules apply as for the green food waste bin.
Purple Bins
Purple rubbish bins are typically common in Scotland and parts of England. While certain councils prefer purple for paper and cardboard household waste only, glass is also common. Also, in the Liverpool City Council, purple bins are widely used for refuse waste collection.
Here is everything that goes in –
• Paper (with no glue or paint)
• Cardboard boxes
• Egg boxes
• Envelopes without plastic
• Household packaging
• Glass bottles
• Glass jars
And, here’s what NOT to put in –
• Pyrex
• Window glass
• Ceramics
• Light bulbs
Glass collected separately ensures high-quality recycling and repurposing. It also protects people who are working with the collection agency from harm.
Red Bins – Plastic, Cans & Mixed Containers
As already discussed, red bins are highly popular across several English councils and are most used for non-recyclable items. Some boroughs may use red bins for clinical waste.
However, in the Greater London area, like Hounslow, red bins are for mixed recyclables like plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, and metal cans/tins, which other councils would not allow. Therefore, always check your respective council’s website.
This is everything that goes in a Red rubbish bin –
• Plastic bottles and tubs
• Tins and cans
• Foil
• Cartons (Tetra Pak)
What NOT to put in –
• Garden waste
• Food scraps
• Hazardous items
• Electrical waste
Yellow Bins
Some boroughs have yellow collection bins for recyclable textile elements. However, you would not find these in residential spaces. Yellow bins are usually used in recycling centres.
You can put in –
• Clothing
• Bedding Linen
The yellow bins are also regulated by strict clinical waste laws in the Waltham Forest borough and are used to collect infectious dressings, swabs, and other waste.
Orange Bins – WEEE Waste (Commercial)
These bins handle hazardous materials and, in some locations, even commercial clinical waste. For instance, the Newham council has green bins with orange lids and orange sacks for recyclable household waste.
You may include –
• Electrical equipment
• Batteries
• Fluorescent lamps
• IT equipment
• Old cables
You must NOT include –
• Food or organic waste
• Plastic bags
• Hygiene products
Businesses must follow WEEE waste removal regulations to dispose of commercial waste properly, meet higher standards, and reduce their carbon footprint.
Clear Sacks
Heavy-duty clear refuse sacks are widely used in commercial, residential spaces and public spaces. The see-through sacks allow waste collectors to identify and understand if the waste is contaminated.
You can put in most recyclable waste items –
• Cans and tins
• Cardboard boxes
• Clean and dry paper
• Wrapping paper
• Plastic bottles
You must NOT add –
• Paper or cardboard contaminated by water or grease
• Food waste
• Garden waste
• Glass jars and bottles
• Metals
Also, ensure to tie a tight knot at the top of the clear sacks before putting them out for the waste carriers. It is vital to put the correct waste items in the clear sacks to avoid cancellation.
How to Dispose of Tricky Items Correctly in the UK?
Which bin do clothes go in, in the UK? Is it orange or yellow? Which bin does polystyrene go in the UK? Is it Grey or Black?
Some items do not come with clear instructions and designated bins. You may even find inconvenient references all over the internet.
It is challenging to navigate through bin colours while running a commercial space. Therefore, the smartest option is hiring a licensed carrier company and handling waste items safely and legally –
1. Clothes & Textiles should not be put in any household bin. They cause massive contamination.
You can always dispose of them in –
• Charity shops
• Textile banks
• Recycling centres
2. Wood that has been treated or exceeds a certain size is not accepted in garden waste bins. Never put them in general waste bins either, as large pieces or treated wood is sometimes considered hazardous.
You must dispose of them via –
• Local recycling centre
• Commercial wood recycling
• Bulky waste collection
3. Polystyrene is not recyclable in most of the UK. They are disposed of as general waste in the Black or Grey bins.
4. Batteries are hazardous waste; they can burst, causing severe fire hazards, and can even leak acid and heavy metals. For proper hazardous waste disposal, you can take batteries to –
• Supermarket battery bins
• Recycling centres
• WEEE collectors
5. Electronics (WEEE) – Toasters, phones, laptops, kettles – these items cannot be placed in household bins. They must be disposed of under WEEE regulations at –
• Recycling centres
• Retail take-back schemes
• Commercial WEEE services
6. Paint & Chemicals can never be placed in household bins. The correct disposal points are –
• Hazardous waste centres
• Council drop-off points
• Licensed waste carriers
7. Light Bulbs vary, and require varied disposal methods –
• LEDs go in WEEE bins
• Fluorescent materials are Hazardous waste
• Halogen may go to the General waste
8. Cooking Oil cannot be poured down drains. The ideal disposal options for cooking oil are –
• Using a container and adding it with other refuse
• Council oil recycling
• Commercial oil collection
• Closed containers at recycling centres
9. Soil & Rubble do not go with other garden or general waste. You can take them to –
• Recycling centres
• Commercial skip hire
10. Clothing, Shoes, & Bags are always recycled separately via clothing banks.
Waste Disposal Done Right with Enviro Waste Management
Understanding the coloured bin system in the UK can feel confusing at first, especially with differences between councils. Still, once you learn the basic rules, it becomes much easier to sort your waste responsibly.
Whether you’re a business trying to meet your Duty of Care obligations or a resident trying to keep your home waste-free, knowing which bin is which is a simple but powerful step towards a cleaner planet.
At Enviro Waste Management, you can always check with our experts when dealing with tricky waste items. We are licensed waste carriers in London and aim to contribute to a cleaner, greener, more sustainable Earth.
