Find your Cornwall bin day, container and missed-collection route
Cornwall Council bin collection dates are property-specific. Use the official My Area postcode calendar for your exact rubbish, recycling, food waste and subscribed garden waste dates.
This guide focuses on action: how to check the calendar, sort the coloured containers, avoid missed-bin mistakes, handle bank holidays and Christmas, and use the correct official form or phone route.
Quick answer: use My Area for your exact Cornwall collection date
Cornwall does not have one safe county-wide bin-date table for every home. The correct date depends on postcode, address, collection point, service type and whether you subscribe to garden waste.
I need my bin collection date
- Open Cornwall Council’s My Area page.
- Enter your full postcode.
- Select the exact address, not a nearby property.
- Choose “View my area”.
- Save or download your food, recycling, rubbish and subscribed garden-waste calendar.
My collection was missed
- Wait until the working day has finished; rounds can run until 6pm.
- Check it was the correct day and, for fortnightly services, the correct week.
- Check everything was out by 7am at the usual point.
- Check recycling was sorted into the correct containers.
- If already reported, use the update route with the 12-digit reference number starting 10100.
I am confused by the coloured bags
- Orange bag: card and cardboard.
- Red bag: plastic, cartons and metal packaging.
- Blue bag: paper.
- Black box: glass and clean, dry textiles.
- Green outdoor caddy: food waste only.
I need holiday, Christmas or complaint help
- Check My Area close to the holiday period.
- Use the Christmas page only after confirming it is the current festive update.
- Use missed collection for one missed service.
- Use the complaints route for repeated, handling or contractor-quality issues.
How to check Cornwall Council bin collection dates correctly
The My Area page is the official route because it checks your postcode and address. It can show collection days and let you view or download the calendar for that specific property.
Open the official My Area page
Use Cornwall Council’s My Area page instead of a social post, old screenshot, old PDF, neighbour’s rota or town-wide guess.
Enter your postcode
Type the full postcode and choose Find. If the address list is long, wait until the correct property appears.
Select the exact address
Do not choose a near match. Flats, rural homes, new-build estates and homes with agreed collection points can differ from neighbours.
Choose “View my area”
Check each due service separately: food waste, recycling, rubbish, garden waste if subscribed, and clinical waste if registered.
Download or screenshot the live calendar
Save the exact calendar, then recheck before Christmas, New Year, bank holidays or if your address has recently changed containers.
Cornwall collection schedule: weekly food, fortnightly recycling and rubbish
Once you have the correct address calendar, the service pattern is straightforward. Food waste is weekly. Rubbish and recycling are fortnightly on opposite weeks. Garden waste is fortnightly if you subscribe.
| Service | Frequency | Set-out action |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste | Every week. | Use the green outdoor caddy, close the lid and latch the handle forward. |
| Recycling | Every two weeks. | Sort into orange, red and blue bags plus the black box before collection morning. |
| Rubbish | Every two weeks, opposite recycling. | Use only the supplied 180L wheelie bin or protective sack with the lid closed. |
| Garden waste | Every two weeks if subscribed. | Use only a Cornwall Council garden waste bin or reusable bag with an active subscription. |
| Clinical waste | Weekly if registered. | Use the separate clinical waste service for infectious clinical waste or sharps. |
- Put all due containers out by 7am on the correct collection day.
- Use your usual collection point; for most homes, this is the property boundary.
- Take containers back in after collection so they do not get lost, damaged or block paths.
- Bag all rubbish before placing it in the supplied wheelie bin or protective sack.
- Do not leave extra rubbish on top of or beside your bin or sack.
- Do not panic if rubbish and food waste are collected at different times; different crews may collect them.
Cornwall recycling containers: orange, red, blue, black and green
Cornwall separates materials at home to keep recycling cleaner. This is especially important because mixing paper/card with food-contaminated plastic or metal can make paper and card harder to recycle.
| Container | Use for | Do not put in |
|---|---|---|
| Orange bag | Cardboard, card, coloured paper, non-shiny wrapping paper, greetings cards and brown envelopes. | Cartons, coffee cups, polystyrene, plastic film lids and bubble wrap. |
| Red bag | Plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, plastic bags and wrapping, food tins, drinks cans, aerosols, foil, cartons and squeezable tubes. | Black plastic, plastic toys, polystyrene, electricals and batteries. |
| Blue bag | Newspapers, magazines, brochures, junk mail, white envelopes, utility bills and shredded paper in a tied carrier bag. | Cartons, kitchen roll, paper towels, wallpaper, brown paper, laminated paper and wrapping paper. |
| Black box | Glass bottles and jars, make-up pots, perfume bottles, clean dry clothes, paired shoes, towels, sheets, pillowcases, belts and bags. | Broken glass, Pyrex, cookware, drinking glasses, sheet glass, duvets, pillows and damp or dirty textiles. |
| Green outdoor food caddy | Plate scrapings, dairy, eggs, bread, cakes, pastries, meat, bones, rice, pasta, beans, tea bags, coffee grounds and uneaten pet food. | Packaging, compostable takeaway cups, large amounts of liquid, oil, fat, garden waste, pet waste and cat litter. |
Which Cornwall container should this item go in?
Use this quick helper for common mistakes. For hazardous, unusual or business waste, use Cornwall’s official recycling and waste pages before putting anything out.
Cornwall bin collection missed: check before reporting
Cornwall’s contractor checks vehicle tracking and vehicle CCTV. A missed-collection report is strongest when the correct container was out by 7am, at the right point, on the correct week, and properly presented.
| Check first | Why it matters | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Was it out by 7am? | Crews start rounds from 7am. | If late, wait for the next collection or use another official route if suitable. |
| Was it the correct week? | Rubbish, recycling and garden waste are fortnightly. | Use My Area before submitting the form. |
| Was everything correctly sorted? | Incorrect recycling or wrong containers can stop collection. | Fix sorting before the next scheduled collection. |
| Was the round still running? | Collection rounds operate until 6pm. | Wait until the end of the working day before reporting. |
| Already reported? | Duplicate reports can slow checks. | Use the update route with your 12-digit reference number starting 10100. |
Bank holidays, Christmas and New Year bin collections
Holiday collection pages can change each year. For Christmas 2026, check the latest Cornwall page and your My Area calendar close to December rather than relying on an older festive table.
Christmas and New Year
Cornwall says food waste, recycling, rubbish and garden waste collection days can be different over Christmas and New Year. Check the updated schedule and My Area calendar when the festive update is published.
Garden and bulky bank holidays
Garden waste and bulky waste pages say collections run Monday to Friday including Bank Holidays, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Extra festive food waste
Cornwall’s Christmas guidance says extra food waste can go in a bag or liner with the food waste caddy on your food waste collection day.
Batteries warning
Do not put batteries in rubbish bins. Cornwall warns they have started fires in collection vehicles. Take them to a HWRC or supermarket battery recycling point.
| Search query | Useful answer | Correct action |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall bin collection bank holiday | Do not guess across all services. Use My Area for household collections and the specific service page for garden/bulky rules. | Check My Area and the relevant official service page. |
| Cornwall bin collection Christmas | Festive schedules change. The current official page should be checked close to December. | Check the Christmas page and your downloaded calendar. |
| Christmas trees | Cornwall collects Christmas trees only from garden waste subscribers, and larger trees must be cut to be safely lifted. | Use garden waste day, a charity collection where available, or a HWRC. |
Cornwall garden waste: subscription, containers and 2026/27 prices
Garden waste is a paid fortnightly service for domestic households. Businesses and self-catering or holiday-let properties are not eligible for the household garden waste collection service.
| Garden option | 2026/27 price or rule | Micro-step |
|---|---|---|
| 240 litre brown bin | £33 one-off container cost; £76 annual subscription per container. | Best for regular grass, leaves, weeds and pruning waste. |
| 140 litre brown bin | £26 one-off container cost; £58 annual subscription per container. | Useful where storage space is limited. |
| 70 litre reusable bag | £14 one-off container cost; £30 annual subscription per container. | Only Cornwall Council garden waste containers are collected. |
| Subscription year | Runs 1 April to 31 March. | Renew before 31 March to avoid collections stopping from 1 April. |
| New customer start | Collections start from the 1st of the following month after sign-up. | Do not put the container out before the service start month. |
- Accepted: grass cuttings, leaves, organic sweepings, prunings, cut flowers, weeds and windfall.
- Branches should be up to 30cm long and around 2.5cm diameter.
- Do not add food waste, vegetable peelings, turf, soil, compost, rubble, plant pots or animal bedding.
- Do not overfill or compact the bin; misuse can damage the container and affect warranty.
- If you move house with a subscription, update Cornwall Council and remember to take your bin or bag with you.
Bulky waste, extra rubbish and items Cornwall cannot collect
Do not leave sofas, mattresses, appliances or bulky items beside normal bins. Cornwall’s bulky collection is chargeable, and some materials need a HWRC or specialist route instead.
| Bulky route | Current rule | Before you book |
|---|---|---|
| Standard items | First 4 standard items are £44 per order; up to 4 more are £16 each. | Use the price checker because category affects cost. |
| Small special items | £35 per item. | Can be collected alone or added to another order. |
| Large special items | £53 per item. | Very large or heavy items may be special or not collectible. |
| Booking limit | Up to 8 items per order; one order per week. | Split larger clear-outs across weeks. |
| Fridges/freezers | The official page currently says fridge and freezer collection is temporarily unavailable because of a national recycling issue. | Check live status before paying or moving the appliance outside. |
Missing containers, new-build homes and replacement bins
Use the correct request route. Some forms are for recycling containers, some are for new-build properties, and some are for replacing a damaged or missing rubbish bin or sack.
| Need | Official route | Micro-step |
|---|---|---|
| Extra/replacement recycling containers | Order orange bag, red bag, blue bag, black box or green outdoor food caddy. | Cornwall does not provide extra/replacement silver indoor food caddies. |
| Ordered containers not arrived | Wait until 8 calendar days have passed before requesting an update. | Use the 12-digit reference number starting 10100. |
| New-build or newly registered property | Request food waste, recycling and rubbish containers for a new-build/newly registered property. | Choose the new-build option if your home recently became Council Tax registered. |
| Bin or sack does not suit property | Ask for a review of the property assessment. | Wait at least 2 working days after delivery before asking to exchange it. |
| Damaged or missing rubbish bin/sack | Request a replacement. | The damaged one is collected when the new one is delivered. |
Assisted, clinical, hazardous and holiday-let waste rules
Some waste or households need a special route. This section helps avoid using household collections for items that are unsafe, infectious, commercial or not eligible.
Assisted collections
If you cannot move waste to your property boundary, assisted collections can allow an outside location closer to your property.
Clinical waste
Infectious clinical waste and sharps must not go in household rubbish. Cornwall collects clinical waste bags and sharps bins separately for registered households.
Hazardous waste
Batteries, electricals, chemicals, asbestos, gas bottles, paint and solvents should not be hidden in normal rubbish or recycling. Use the official hazardous, HWRC or specialist route.
Holiday lets and businesses
Self-catering and holiday-let accommodation, hotels and shops are not eligible for domestic household collections. Use licensed commercial waste arrangements.
Complaints, repeated problems and Cornwall Council bin collection phone number
Use the missed-collection form for a single missed collection. Use the complaint route when the issue is about handling, repeated service quality, policy or a contractor problem.
| Problem | Use this route | Prepare this |
|---|---|---|
| Single missed collection | Missed collection form. | Address, service type, due date, set-out time and container location. |
| Already reported miss | Request an update, not another report. | 12-digit reference number starting 10100. |
| Repeated missed collections | Report with contact details so the contractor can check the collection point. | Photos of the usual set-out point and exact dates missed. |
| Formal complaint | Feedback and complaints about Cornwall Council or contractor service. | What happened, dates, evidence, references and the outcome you want. |
| Need phone help | Rubbish, recycling and waste team. | Call 0300 1234 141 with postcode, address and any reference number. |
Official Cornwall Council links for final action
Use this guide to understand the steps. Use the official pages below for live dates, forms, fees, holiday updates, complaints and final confirmation.
Use for postcode-based collection days and downloadable address calendars.
Use after checking 7am presentation, correct week and end-of-day collection window.
Use for rubbish frequency, bin/sack rules, extra rubbish and restricted items.
Use for orange, red, blue, black-box and food-caddy sorting.
Use for caddy use, liners, accepted food waste and missed food waste guidance.
Use for 2026/27 prices, renewal, start date and accepted garden waste.
Use for bulky item prices, booking limits, excluded items and temporary fridge/freezer status.
Use when the issue is not solved by the normal missed, order or service forms.
Cornwall Council bin collection FAQs
How do I check my Cornwall Council bin collection date?
What time should Cornwall bins be put out?
How often are Cornwall Council bins collected?
What is the Cornwall Council bin collection phone number?
When can I report a missed bin collection in Cornwall?
What happens after I report a missed collection?
What goes in Cornwall’s orange recycling bag?
What goes in Cornwall’s red recycling bag?
Does Cornwall Council collect bins on bank holidays?
Do Cornwall bin collections change at Christmas?
Information checked and update note
Information was checked on 7 August 2026 against official Cornwall Council pages and current search results. Collection calendars, missed-collection forms, garden waste prices, bulky waste prices, holiday schedules, complaint routes and container rules can change, so use the official links above before acting.