Cardiff Waste Collection: Bin Days, Missed Bins, Bulky & Recycling
Check your Cardiff bin collection day, understand the red and blue recycling sacks, glass and food caddies, report a missed collection, calculate bulky-waste costs, order free containers and prepare for Lamby Way or Bessemer Close recycling centres.
How do I check Cardiff bin collection dates?
Enter your house number and postcode in Cardiff Council’s collection checker. It shows the next recycling, food, glass, garden and general-waste dates for your property.
You can also set up official email reminders or use the Cardiff Gov app for alerts.
Set up your Cardiff bin collection routine
Complete this process once for your property. It prevents wrong-day collections, pink stickers, rejected recycling and missed-bin reports that the council cannot accept.
Check the exact house number and postcode
Save the next recycling, food, glass, garden and general-waste dates shown for your address.
Check official Cardiff collection datesConfirm your recycling system
Most properties now separate paper and card, plastics and cans, glass and food. Some properties may still use another arrangement.
View the current container guidePrepare containers the evening before
Put them out after 4:30pm the day before or before 6am on collection day.
Keep each recycling material separate
Use the blue sack for paper and card, red sack for plastics and cans, and blue caddy for glass.
Check unusual items in the A–ZRemove containers after collection
Cardiff asks residents to remove emptied bins and bags from the pavement by 9am the following day.
How often are Cardiff recycling, food, glass and black bins collected?
| Waste stream | Normal frequency | Container | Main rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | Weekly | Reusable blue sack | Keep paper and card dry and separate from containers. |
| Plastic, cans and cartons | Weekly | Reusable red sack | Empty containers; no plastic film or crisp packets. |
| Food waste | Weekly | Brown or kitchen caddy with green liners | Food only; do not use ordinary carrier bags. |
| Glass bottles and jars | Every two weeks | Blue glass caddy | No drinking glasses, Pyrex, mirrors or ceramics. |
| General waste | Every two weeks | Black bin or up to three black sacks where applicable | Use only for material that cannot be recycled. |
| Garden waste | Every two weeks | Green bin or reusable garden sacks | Organic garden material only; no soil, rubble or plant pots. |
| Hygiene waste | Weekly after registration | Purple hygiene sacks | For nappies, incontinence pads and associated changing waste. |
Normal collection window: Cardiff collects between 6am and 3:30pm, Tuesday to Friday. Temporary heat, weather or operational changes can introduce an earlier start or rescheduled date.
What goes in Cardiff’s blue sack, red sack and caddies?
Blue sack: paper and cardboard
Newspapers, magazines, envelopes, letters, cereal boxes, toothpaste boxes, egg cartons, cardboard packaging and toilet-roll tubes.
Red sack: plastic, cans and cartons
Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, food tins, drinks cans, aerosols, clean foil and food or drink cartons such as Tetra Pak.
Blue glass caddy
Use for empty glass bottles and jars. Keep drinking glasses, Pyrex, mirrors, windows and ceramics out.
Food-waste caddy
Cooked and raw food, leftovers, peelings, meat, fish, bones, dairy, eggshells, bread, rice, pasta, tea bags and coffee grounds.
Garden container
Leaves, grass cuttings, flowers, plants, hedge cuttings, small twigs and non-meat-eating animal bedding.
Black bin or sacks
Use for non-recyclable items such as plastic film, crisp packets, polystyrene, nappies if not registered for hygiene collections and securely bagged pet waste.
Common contamination: plastic bags in food caddies, paper inside red sacks, glass in recycling sacks, plant pots in garden bins and batteries or vapes inside general waste.
Save your next Cardiff collection reminder
Check the official address result first, then save the confirmed date in this browser. The reminder is stored locally and is not sent to Cardiff Council.
My next collection
Collection-night checklist
No reminder saved. Confirm the date using Cardiff Council’s checker first.
Which Cardiff bin, bag or disposal service should I use?
Select an item
Result: Select an item above.
Fast sorting rule
- Paper and card: blue sack.
- Plastic, cans and cartons: red sack.
- Glass bottles and jars: blue caddy.
- Food: food caddy.
- Large, electrical, DIY or hazardous items: separate service.
Report, wait or correct the problem?
Wait until the normal collection window has ended. Check your address, container contents and any collection disruption before submitting a report.
| Check first | What it means | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Was it the correct date? | Bank holidays, heat or disruption can alter the collection. | Check the live address calendar and collection updates. |
| Was it out before 6am? | Late containers may not qualify as missed. | Use the next confirmed collection date. |
| Has 3:30pm passed? | Crews normally collect until 3:30pm. | Wait until the normal collection window ends. |
| Is there a pink sticker? | Incorrect items were found. | Remove contamination and re-present on the next date. |
| Is the area rescheduled? | The council may already be planning a return. | Leave the waste out and follow the disruption update. |
| Within 48 hours? | Missed reports must be made promptly. | Report the collection for your own property. |
Missed-bin diagnosis
Result: Select the closest situation.
Prepare before reporting
- House number and postcode
- Scheduled collection date
- Container or waste type
- Confirmation it was out before 6am
- Whether a sticker was attached
- Whether a disruption is already listed
What to do when recycling is rejected
Take it back in
Do not leave rejected bags or containers on the pavement after the collection date.
Read the sticker
The sticker normally identifies contamination, incorrect presentation or the wrong collection day.
Remove incorrect items
Use the recycling A–Z to move each contaminating item into the correct service.
Use the next scheduled collection
A contaminated collection is not normally treated as a genuine missed collection.
Cardiff pink sticker guidance
This council video explains why recycling can be rejected and what to correct before the next collection.
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Where can I get more blue sacks, red sacks and caddy liners?
| Container | How to get it | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Blue recycling sacks | Collect from a postcode-matched local stockist. | Used for paper and cardboard. |
| Red recycling sacks | Collect from a local stockist. | Used for plastics, cans, foil and cartons. |
| Food caddy liners | Collect free from a local stockist. | Use official green liners in household food caddies. |
| Kitchen food caddy | Available from local stockists. | Transfer tied liners into the kerbside caddy. |
| Kerbside food caddy | Order for home delivery using the postcode service. | Keep the lid secured against animals. |
| Glass caddy | Order for home delivery. | For bottles and jars only. |
| General-waste bin | Contact Connect to Cardiff for a new or replacement unit. | The current council page lists a £25 charge. |
Fortnightly year-round service and accepted materials
Cardiff’s garden-waste service normally runs every two weeks for 50 weeks of the year, providing 25 collections with a two-week pause over Christmas.
| Accepted | Not accepted | Presentation rule |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves, grass cuttings, flowers, plant cuttings, small twigs and branches. | Soil, compost, rubble, decorative stones or building material. | Place material loose in the green bin or reusable garden sacks. |
| Hay, straw and wood shavings from non-meat-eating pets. | Plant pots, watering cans, ornaments or garden furniture. | Do not use ordinary plastic or green recycling bags. |
| Real Christmas trees cut into suitable pieces. | Treated or untreated timber and general household waste. | The lid must close and extra side waste is not collected. |
Delayed garden collections: area-wide delays may be rescheduled rather than treated as an ordinary missed collection. Check the updated date before submitting a report.
Calculate the booking fee and item charge
The household bulky service accepts a maximum of six items. A non-refundable £5 booking fee is added to the collection band.
Bulky collection calculator
Estimate: Select the number of items.
Items commonly accepted
- Large electrical appliances and white goods
- Sofas, armchairs and divan bed bases
- Memory-foam or spring mattresses
- Wood, MDF or laminate furniture
- Carpets, hard plastics and metal items
- UPVC windows and frames
| Number of items | Collection charge | Booking fee | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 items | £15 | £5 | £20 |
| 3–4 items | £30 | £5 | £35 |
| 5–6 items | £45 | £5 | £50 |
Not accepted by the standard bulky service: glass doors, small electrical appliances, pianos, asbestos, garden waste, soil, rubble and bicycles.
Recycling rules for apartments, HMOs and managed blocks
Red communal bin
Use for cans, tins, cartons, plastic bottles, tubs and trays.
Blue communal bin
Use for paper and cardboard. Do not place recycling inside carrier bags.
Yellow-lid glass bin
Use for glass bottles and jars only.
Brown food-waste bin
Place tied food-caddy liners into the shared food bin. Do not use ordinary plastic bags.
| Flat service | Normal frequency | Who handles problems? |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling | Weekly | Building manager for missing, damaged or insufficient communal bins. |
| Food waste | Weekly | Manager can request a communal food-waste service if absent. |
| General waste | Every two weeks | Extra side waste or bins blocked by bulky items are not collected. |
| Garden waste | Every two weeks where provided | Landlord or management company handles replacement bins. |
Extra Cardiff waste support for eligible households
Weekly hygiene collection
Register for free purple sacks if the household uses nappies, adult incontinence pads or bed liners.
Assisted collection
Available after assessment where disability prevents carrying containers and nobody else can help.
Seagull-proof sacks
Designed to hold two rubbish bags and reduce animal damage and street litter.
Needles and syringes
Cardiff Council does not collect sharps through the hygiene service. Arrange disposal through the local health board.
| Service detail | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hygiene-bag delivery | Normally delivered within 7–10 working days after application is processed. |
| Number of hygiene bags | You can present as many as needed, but split heavy waste between sacks. |
| Missed assisted collection | Report it within 48 hours. |
| Assisted-service review | Cardiff contacts registered households every two years to confirm continued need. |
Lamby Way and Bessemer Close opening times and rules
Both household recycling centres are free for Cardiff residents, but every visit requires a booking and proof of address.
Lamby Way Recycling Centre
Address: Lamby Way, Rumney, Cardiff, CF3 2HP
- Open 8:30am–5:30pm every day
- Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
- Booking and proof of address required
- No pedestrian or bicycle access
- 2-metre vehicle-height restriction
- No trailers
| Centre rule | Lamby Way | Bessemer Close |
|---|---|---|
| Opening hours | 8:30am–5:30pm daily | 8:30am–5:30pm daily |
| Trailer access | Not accepted | Cars with trailers up to 2m × 2m |
| Tyres | Accepted | Not listed as accepted |
| UPVC windows | Accepted | Not listed as accepted |
| Asbestos | Not the household asbestos route | Maximum two sacks by telephone booking |
| Vans | Small vans within size limits | Small vans within size limits |
Visit allowance
You can book up to 26 visits per year. Cars can visit up to three times in one day within that allowance.
Van or trailer restriction
A van or car with a trailer can normally be booked only once per month.
Small DIY projects only
Rubble, hardcore and soil are limited to six 20kg bags per visit. Empty the bags and take them home.
No unsorted black bags
Staff can ask you to open bags and separate recyclable items before using the non-recyclable skip.
Asbestos: Bessemer Close accepts a maximum of two council asbestos sacks. You must call 029 2087 2087; asbestos visits cannot be booked through the normal online form.
What happens to Cardiff’s recycling and rubbish?
Cardiff’s Waste Journey
This council video follows the route taken by household waste and explains why separating food, paper, glass, plastics and metal improves recycling quality.
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Cardiff waste collection links for final actions
Information checked: 26 June 2026. Live collection dates, temporary alerts, charges and centre availability can change. Use the linked council service for the final date, report, booking or payment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my Cardiff bin collection day?
Enter your house number and postcode in Cardiff Council’s collection checker. It shows the next recycling, food, glass, garden and general-waste dates for the property.
What time should Cardiff bins and bags be put out?
Put containers on the pavement after 4:30pm the day before or before 6am on collection day. Normal collections run between 6am and 3:30pm, Tuesday to Friday.
How often are Cardiff recycling and rubbish collected?
Paper and cardboard, plastics and cans, and food waste are normally collected weekly. Glass, general waste and garden waste are normally collected every two weeks.
What goes in Cardiff’s red and blue recycling sacks?
The blue sack is for paper and cardboard. The red sack is for plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, cans, tins, aerosols, clean foil and food or drink cartons.
When can I report a missed Cardiff collection?
Wait until the normal collection window has ended, check for disruptions or a pink sticker and report a genuine miss within 48 hours.
What does a pink sticker on Cardiff recycling mean?
It normally means the recycling contains incorrect items or was presented incorrectly. Take it back in, remove the contamination and present it on the next scheduled date.
How much does Cardiff bulky-waste collection cost?
The non-refundable booking fee is £5. The collection charge is £15 for one or two items, £30 for three or four items and £45 for five or six items.
Do I need to book Cardiff recycling centres?
Yes. Cardiff residents must book every visit to Lamby Way or Bessemer Close and bring proof of booking and proof of address.
What are Lamby Way and Bessemer Close opening times?
Both centres normally open from 8:30am to 5:30pm every day and close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Can flats and HMOs use Cardiff’s separated recycling service?
Many blocks use separate red, blue and glass communal bins, weekly food and recycling collections and fortnightly general waste. The exact arrangement depends on the building manager and council assessment.