Bins and recycling in Greenwich

Your bins in Greenwich

• Blue top bin

  Collected weekly Dry recycling, loose and clean: glass bottles and jars, paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, tubs and trays (not black plastic), tins, cans and empty aerosols, kitchen foil and foil trays, cartons. No plastic bags. Homes without space for a bin use clear recycling bags.

• Green top bin

  Collected weekly Food waste (use the free kitchen caddy) and garden waste such as grass, hedge cuttings, leaves, weeds, plants and flowers. No plastic bin liners, degradable or biodegradable bags, or compostable packaging. Paper sacks or corn starch bags with the 'compostable' logo are fine, or put it in loose.

• Black top bin

  Collected every 2 weeks General waste that can't be recycled. Bag it first. Homes without a black top bin put up to 3 bags of their own out.

Flat with shared bins: Flats with shared bins use big shared bins in the bin store: one for mixed recycling (glass included), one for rubbish, and a shared food waste bin that is being rolled out to blocks in phases. There is no garden waste bin.

Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich's website.

Bin days in Greenwich

Check your collection day with Royal Borough of Greenwich's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.

Garden waste and bulky items

Paid collection, £13.82 per item (already covered in the service charge for council tenants). Bagged items cost £4.19 per bag, minimum 4 bags. Items must be out by 6am, at the front of the property. Book or check prices with Royal Borough of Greenwich.

Recycling centres for Greenwich

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

• Reuse and Recycling Centre, Nathan Way

  Nathan Way, Thamesmead, SE28 0AF

  Opening hours: Weekdays 8am to 6:30pm; Saturdays 8am to 5pm; Sundays and bank holidays 9am to 4:30pm. Arrive 15 minutes before closing.

  Greenwich residents only in a car or on foot: bring a UK driving licence or passport plus a council tax bill or recent utility bill. No vans, pick-ups or trailers. Limits per visit: asbestos 3, hard core and rubble 5, plasterboard 5, tyres 3 (1 visit a month each). Hazardous and business waste are not accepted. Map position is the postcode centre.

  Source: royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Where common items go in Greenwich

• Pizza boxThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Plastic carrier bagNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Crisp packetNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Glass jarYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Food scraps and leftoversYes. Put it in your Green top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Tea bagYes. Put it in your Green top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• ClothesNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Battery (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Paint tinYour council can collect this from home. Arrange it first. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Green top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Food cartonYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Blue top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich
• Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black top bin. Source: Royal Borough of Greenwich

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

Common questions

What goes in the blue top bin in Greenwich?

Dry recycling, loose and clean: glass bottles and jars, paper and cardboard, plastic bottles, tubs and trays (not black plastic), tins, cans and empty aerosols, kitchen foil and foil trays, cartons. No plastic bags. Homes without space for a bin use clear recycling bags.

What goes in the green top bin in Greenwich?

Food waste (use the free kitchen caddy) and garden waste such as grass, hedge cuttings, leaves, weeds, plants and flowers. No plastic bin liners, degradable or biodegradable bags, or compostable packaging. Paper sacks or corn starch bags with the 'compostable' logo are fine, or put it in loose.

What goes in the black top bin in Greenwich?

General waste that can't be recycled. Bag it first. Homes without a black top bin put up to 3 bags of their own out.

When is my bin day in Greenwich?

It depends on your street. Enter your address in Royal Borough of Greenwich's bin day lookup (royalgreenwich.gov.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.