Bins and recycling in Glasgow City

Your bins in Glasgow City

• Green general waste bin

  Collected every 3 weeks Non-recyclable household rubbish. Put your bin out by 7am on collection day where the crew can see it from the road.

• Blue paper and card bin

  Collected every 4 weeks Paper, card and cardboard, loose (not in bags): newspapers, magazines, envelopes, junk mail, shredded paper, paperback books, greetings cards, wrapping paper, clean pizza boxes, egg boxes, toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes and cardboard boxes. No food-soiled card, padded envelopes, tissues, wallpaper, coffee cups or hardback books.

• Grey mixed recycling bin

  Collected every 4 weeks Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, plastic and metal lids, tins and cans, empty aerosols, clean foil and foil trays, metal sweet and biscuit tins, food and drink cartons, and soft plastics and film such as carrier bags, wrapping and film lids. No glass, polystyrene, batteries, electricals, paint or oil cans, pots and pans or nappies.

• Purple glass bin

  Collected every 8 weeks Glass bottles and jars; lids can stay on. No light bulbs, drinking glasses, plates, cups or Pyrex.

• Brown food and garden waste bin

  Collected fortnightly Food waste (including meat, bones, fish, dairy, bread, rice, pasta, tea bags and coffee grounds) and garden waste. Garden waste is only emptied if the bin shows a £50 yearly garden waste permit; food waste alone needs no permit. No plastic bags (compostable caddy liners are fine), soil, stones, rubble or animal waste.

Flat or tenement with shared bins: Most tenements share bins in the back court or an on-street bin hub: green for rubbish, blue for paper and card, grey for plastics, cans, cartons and film, and a food waste bin. There's no glass or garden waste bin, so use a public recycling point for glass. If your close hasn't had its new grey bin yet, put plastic bottles, tins and cans in the blue bin with paper and card.

Source: Glasgow City Council's website.

Bin days in Glasgow City

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

Garden waste and bulky items

Garden waste collection: £50 a year. £50 per permit for Year 4 (1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027), one permit per brown bin used for garden waste, the same price whenever it is bought in the year (no pro-rata); no early or discounted price; applications for Year 4 are open; no permit is needed if the brown bin holds food waste only. (source)

Book and pay online: £5 per standard or electrical item, £5 per sofa or upholstered seat (collected separately), £25 per white good, £80 for special items such as sheds or pianos. Put items in your back court or garden the day before, not on the street. Not available for high-rise flats or blocks with a bulk chamber, which should contact their housing association or factor. Book or check prices with Glasgow City Council.

Recycling centres for Glasgow City

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

• Dawsholm Recycling Centre

  75 Dalsholm Road, Glasgow, G20 0TB

  Opening hours: Every day 08:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:45)

  Booking: Vans used by residents are accepted 08:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:45 only; report to the weighbridge. Cars over 1.8m are not permitted.

  Glasgow residents only; suspected traders may be refused entry and commercial waste isn't accepted. Takes engine oil. Upholstered seating container on site.

  Source: glasgow.gov.uk

• Easter Queenslie Recycling Centre

  90 Easter Queenslie Road, Glasgow, G33 4UL

  Opening hours: Every day 08:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:45)

  Booking: Closed to all vehicles over 1.8m except for those disposing of white goods and green waste.

  Closed from 20 April 2026 for rebuilding; the council's page (last modified 21 August 2026) still says it will reopen late summer or early autumn 2026, with no date, so check before you go. Don't leave waste at the gates. Takes engine oil. Glasgow residents only.

  Source: glasgow.gov.uk

• Polmadie Recycling Centre

  425 Polmadie Road, Glasgow, G42 0PJ

  Opening hours: Every day 08:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:45)

  Booking: No residents' vans, and no vehicles over 1.8m high or 3.5 tonnes.

  Glasgow residents only; suspected traders may be refused entry and commercial waste isn't accepted. The only centre taking polystyrene packaging. No engine oil.

  Source: glasgow.gov.uk

• Shieldhall Recycling Centre

  Renfrew Road, Glasgow, G51 4SL

  Opening hours: Every day 08:00 to 18:00 (last entry 17:45)

  Booking: Vans used by residents are accepted 08:00 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:45 only; report to the weighbridge. Cars over 1.8m are not permitted.

  Glasgow residents only; suspected traders may be refused entry and commercial waste isn't accepted. No engine oil. Upholstered seating container on site.

  Source: glasgow.gov.uk

Where common items go in Glasgow City

• Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Blue paper and card bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Plastic carrier bagYes. Put it in your Grey mixed recycling bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Crisp packetYes. Put it in your Grey mixed recycling bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Green general waste bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Green general waste bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Purple glass bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Glass jarYes. Put it in your Purple glass bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Grey mixed recycling bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Food scraps and leftoversYes. Put it in your Brown food and garden waste bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Tea bagYes. Put it in your Brown food and garden waste bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• ClothesNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Battery (not sure which type)Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Real Christmas treeCollected from home if you subscribe to your council's Brown food and garden waste bin service. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Blue paper and card bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Food cartonYes. Put it in your Grey mixed recycling bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Grey mixed recycling bin. Source: Glasgow City Council
• Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Green general waste bin. Source: Glasgow City Council

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

Common questions

What goes in the green general waste bin in Glasgow City?

Non-recyclable household rubbish. Put your bin out by 7am on collection day where the crew can see it from the road.

What goes in the blue paper and card bin in Glasgow City?

Paper, card and cardboard, loose (not in bags): newspapers, magazines, envelopes, junk mail, shredded paper, paperback books, greetings cards, wrapping paper, clean pizza boxes, egg boxes, toilet roll tubes, cereal boxes and cardboard boxes. No food-soiled card, padded envelopes, tissues, wallpaper, coffee cups or hardback books.

What goes in the grey mixed recycling bin in Glasgow City?

Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, plastic and metal lids, tins and cans, empty aerosols, clean foil and foil trays, metal sweet and biscuit tins, food and drink cartons, and soft plastics and film such as carrier bags, wrapping and film lids. No glass, polystyrene, batteries, electricals, paint or oil cans, pots and pans or nappies.

What goes in the purple glass bin in Glasgow City?

Glass bottles and jars; lids can stay on. No light bulbs, drinking glasses, plates, cups or Pyrex.

What goes in the brown food and garden waste bin in Glasgow City?

Food waste (including meat, bones, fish, dairy, bread, rice, pasta, tea bags and coffee grounds) and garden waste. Garden waste is only emptied if the bin shows a £50 yearly garden waste permit; food waste alone needs no permit. No plastic bags (compostable caddy liners are fine), soil, stones, rubble or animal waste.

When is my bin day in Glasgow City?

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