Bins and recycling in City of Edinburgh

Your bins in City of Edinburgh

• Grey non-recyclable waste bin

  Collected fortnightly Household rubbish that can't be recycled. Put it at the kerbside by 6am on collection day; bags left beside the bin aren't collected.

• Green mixed recycling bin

  Collected fortnightly (same week as the glass box) Paper, junk mail, envelopes and cardboard, food and drink cartons, clean plastic bottles (tops on), pots, tubs and trays, clean cans, tins, foil and empty aerosols, all put in loose. No plastic bags, wrappers, crisp bags, cling film, paper towels, plastic plant pots, toys, glass, batteries or electricals.

• Recycling box for glass and small electricals

  Collected fortnightly (same day as the green bin) Glass bottles and jars in the box. Small electricals (smaller than a microwave) in a carrier bag on top of or next to the box, household batteries in a clear bag on top, and clothes, towels, clean sheets and paired shoes in a plastic bag in the box. No light bulbs, glass dishes, broken glass, ceramics, Pyrex, duvets or pillows.

• Grey food waste bin and kitchen caddy

  Collected weekly All cooked and uncooked food, including meat, bones, dairy, bread, peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds. Bag it in a compostable liner, any small plastic bag or newspaper. No liquids, cooking oil or packaging. Bins and caddies are free.

• Brown garden waste bin (paid permit)

  Collected fortnightly Flowers, plants, weeds, grass, leaves, hedge clippings, twigs and small branches. Needs a £45 yearly permit sticker. No soil, turf, plant pots, food or animal waste and bedding.

Tenement or flat with shared (communal) bins: Most tenements use shared on-street bins or bin hubs: black lid for rubbish, green lid for mixed recycling, purple lid for glass and grey lid for food, and on some streets a blue-lid paper bin. There's no glass box, garden bin or electricals and textiles collection, so take those to shops, charity shops or a recycling centre.

Source: City of Edinburgh Council's website.

Bin days in City of Edinburgh

Check your collection day with City of Edinburgh Council's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.

Garden waste and bulky items

Garden waste collection: £45 a year. £45 per permit for one year (3 November 2026 to 31 October 2027); free for households eligible for an exemption, who must still register; registration reopens on 1 December 2026; Direct Debit permits renew automatically; registering needs a mygov.scot account. (source)

Book a special uplift online: £5 per item, up to five items, free if your household gets Council Tax Reduction. Put items on the pavement outside your home by 7am on the day. No garden waste, rubble, tyres, car batteries, gas cylinders, paint, oil or asbestos. Book or check prices with City of Edinburgh Council.

Recycling centres for City of Edinburgh

Household waste recycling centres take what your bins can't. Some need a booking: check before you go.

• Craigmillar Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh EH16 4TB

  Opening hours: Open 7 days for booked 30-minute slots only; closed 25-26 December and 1-2 January.

  Booking: Book online first (walk-ins on foot or bike with small amounts are fine). Trailers need the booking email and Edinburgh photo ID. Edinburgh residents only. Not allowed: liveried vans, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, flat-bed or Luton vans, horse boxes, trailers over 6ft by 4ft, hire vans hired over five days, or any van with more than 12 visits in 12 months.

  No vans allowed; pedestrian access currently suspended. Paint must be dried out first (sand, sawdust or cat litter); no liquid paint, fuels, explosives, asbestos or mercury. Takes mattresses, carpet, tyres and polystyrene; no items for reuse.

  Source: edinburgh.gov.uk

• Seafield Household Waste Recycling Centre

  76 Seafield Road, Edinburgh EH6 7LW

  Opening hours: Open 7 days for booked 30-minute slots only; closed 25-26 December and 1-2 January.

  Booking: Book online first (walk-ins on foot or bike with small amounts are fine). Vans and trailers: 11am, 12.30pm or 2.30pm slots only, with the booking email and photo ID showing an Edinburgh address. Edinburgh residents only. Not allowed: liveried vans, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, flat-bed or Luton vans, horse boxes, trailers over 6ft by 4ft, hire vans hired over five days, or any van with more than 12 visits in 12 months.

  Paint must be dried out first (sand, sawdust or cat litter); no liquid paint, fuels, explosives, asbestos or mercury. Takes mattresses, carpet, tyres and polystyrene; no items for reuse.

  Source: edinburgh.gov.uk

• Sighthill Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Bankhead Avenue, Edinburgh EH11 4EA

  Opening hours: Open 7 days for booked 30-minute slots only; closed 25-26 December and 1-2 January.

  Booking: Book online first (walk-ins on foot or bike with small amounts are fine). Vans and trailers: 11am, 12.30pm or 2.30pm slots only, with the booking email and photo ID showing an Edinburgh address. Edinburgh residents only. Not allowed: liveried vans, vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, flat-bed or Luton vans, horse boxes, trailers over 6ft by 4ft, hire vans hired over five days, or any van with more than 12 visits in 12 months.

  The only Edinburgh centre that takes resellable books. Paint must be dried out first (sand, sawdust or cat litter); no liquid paint, fuels, explosives, asbestos or mercury. Takes mattresses, carpet, tyres and polystyrene; no items for reuse.

  Source: edinburgh.gov.uk

Where common items go in City of Edinburgh

• Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Green mixed recycling bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Plastic carrier bagNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Crisp packetNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey non-recyclable waste bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey non-recyclable waste bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Recycling box for glass and small electricals. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Glass jarYes. Put it in your Recycling box for glass and small electricals. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Green mixed recycling bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Food scraps and leftoversYes. Put it in your Grey food waste bin and kitchen caddy. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Tea bagYes. Put it in your Grey food waste bin and kitchen caddy. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• ClothesYes. Put it in your Recycling box for glass and small electricals. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Battery (not sure which type)Yes. Put it in your Recycling box for glass and small electricals. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Small household applianceYes. Put it in your Recycling box for glass and small electricals. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Brown garden waste bin (paid permit). Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Green mixed recycling bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Food cartonYes. Put it in your Green mixed recycling bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Green mixed recycling bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council
• Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey non-recyclable waste bin. Source: City of Edinburgh Council

Something else? Search any item and choose City of Edinburgh as your council.

Common questions

What goes in the grey non-recyclable waste bin in City of Edinburgh?

Household rubbish that can't be recycled. Put it at the kerbside by 6am on collection day; bags left beside the bin aren't collected.

What goes in the green mixed recycling bin in City of Edinburgh?

Paper, junk mail, envelopes and cardboard, food and drink cartons, clean plastic bottles (tops on), pots, tubs and trays, clean cans, tins, foil and empty aerosols, all put in loose. No plastic bags, wrappers, crisp bags, cling film, paper towels, plastic plant pots, toys, glass, batteries or electricals.

What goes in the recycling box for glass and small electricals in City of Edinburgh?

Glass bottles and jars in the box. Small electricals (smaller than a microwave) in a carrier bag on top of or next to the box, household batteries in a clear bag on top, and clothes, towels, clean sheets and paired shoes in a plastic bag in the box. No light bulbs, glass dishes, broken glass, ceramics, Pyrex, duvets or pillows.

What goes in the grey food waste bin and kitchen caddy in City of Edinburgh?

All cooked and uncooked food, including meat, bones, dairy, bread, peelings, tea bags and coffee grounds. Bag it in a compostable liner, any small plastic bag or newspaper. No liquids, cooking oil or packaging. Bins and caddies are free.

What goes in the brown garden waste bin (paid permit) in City of Edinburgh?

Flowers, plants, weeds, grass, leaves, hedge clippings, twigs and small branches. Needs a £45 yearly permit sticker. No soil, turf, plant pots, food or animal waste and bedding.

When is my bin day in City of Edinburgh?

It depends on your street. Enter your address in City of Edinburgh Council's bin day lookup (edinburgh.gov.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.