Bins and recycling in Medway
What goes in each of Medway's bins, and where to take the things they don't collect. This page uses Medway Council's own published information, checked 22 Oct 2026.
Recycle This is independent: it isn't run by Medway Council. If anything here differs from Medway Council's website, the council is right.
Your bins in Medway
Blue reusable recycling bag
White reusable recycling bag
Clear recycling sack
Brown wheelie bin (food and garden)
23 litre food waste bin
Brown reusable garden sack
Black rubbish sack
Brown garden waste subscription bin
Flat with shared bins: Flats use a shared recycling bin (or clear sacks if there isn't one), a shared rubbish bin and a food waste bin. Brown garden bins are only by paid subscription.
Source: Medway Council's website.
Bin days in Medway
Check your collection day with Medway Council's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.
Get the app
Snap a photo instead of typing, and get a reminder the evening before bin day.
Garden waste and bulky items
Garden waste collection is available. One brown wheeled bin (or 2 brown bags) is collected free each week; up to 3 additional bins need a £40 permit each for 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, whatever the start date. (source)
One free collection (up to 3 items) per household each year; extra bookings cost £30 on your usual bin day or £54 on another day. Book up to 8 weeks ahead. Book or check prices with Medway Council.
Recycling centres for Medway
Household waste recycling centres take what your bins can't. Some need a booking: check before you go.
Capstone Waste and Recycling Centre
Shawstead Road, Capstone, Kent ME7 3JL
Opening hours: Every day, 8am to 4pm, in booked one-hour slots
Booking: Booking required for every visit; Medway Council Tax payers only, with proof of address. Book at https://www.medway.gov.uk/tipbooking or phone 01634 333 333 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, only if you have no email or internet). Small vans Wed and Sat only; asbestos needs a call the working day before.
Only site that takes tyres. Plastic bottles, tubs and trays aren't taken; use your white kerbside bag. Map position is the postcode centre.
Source: medway.gov.uk
Cuxton Waste and Recycling Centre
Cuxton Household Waste Site, Sundridge Hill, Cuxton, Rochester, Kent ME2 1LF
Opening hours: Every day, 8am to 4pm, in booked one-hour slots
Booking: Booking required for every visit; Medway Council Tax payers only, with proof of address. Book at https://www.medway.gov.uk/tipbooking or phone 01634 333 333 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, only if you have no email or internet). Small vans Wed and Sat only; asbestos needs a call the working day before.
The page lists no tyres. Plastic bottles, tubs and trays aren't taken; use your white kerbside bag. Map position is the postcode centre.
Source: medway.gov.uk
Hoath Way Waste and Recycling Centre
Ambley Road, Gillingham, Kent ME8 0QH
Opening hours: Every day, 8am to 4pm, in booked one-hour slots
Booking: Booking required for every visit; cars only, no vans. Medway Council Tax payers only, with proof of address. Book at https://www.medway.gov.uk/tipbooking or phone 01634 333 333 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, only if you have no email or internet). Asbestos needs a call the working day before.
Does not take mattresses, car tyres or plasterboard; use Capstone for those. Plastic bottles, tubs and trays aren't taken; use your white kerbside bag. Map position is the postcode centre.
Source: medway.gov.uk
Where common items go in Medway
- Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Blue reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Plastic carrier bagNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: England-wide guidance
- Crisp packetNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: England-wide guidance
- Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: Medway Council
- Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: Medway Council
- Wine bottleYes. Put it in your White reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Glass jarYes. Put it in your White reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your White reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Food scraps and leftoversYes. Put it in your Brown wheelie bin (food and garden). Source: Medway Council
- Tea bagYes. Put it in your Brown wheelie bin (food and garden). Source: Medway Council
- ClothesNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Medway Council
- Battery (not sure which type)Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Medway Council
- Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Medway Council
- Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Medway Council
- Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Medway Council
- Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Medway Council
- Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Brown wheelie bin (food and garden). Source: Medway Council
- Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Blue reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Food cartonYes. Put it in your White reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your White reusable recycling bag. Source: Medway Council
- Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: Medway Council
Something else? Search any item and choose Medway as your council.
How Medway compares
- Weekly shop basket Not enough data yet. We don't have Medway's own rule for every item in the basket, so it isn't ranked.
- Recycling rate 37.2% of household waste was reused, recycled or composted in 2024-25 (Defra). 56th of 97 councils that collect waste and run the tips in England.
- Food waste Collected from home every week.
As of 24 Oct 2026. See all the council rankings.
Common questions
What goes in the blue reusable recycling bag in Medway?
Paper and card only: newspapers, magazines, telephone directories, envelopes, junk mail, paper, cardboard and wrapping paper (no foil or glitter).
What goes in the white reusable recycling bag in Medway?
Glass bottles and jars, metal food and drink cans, clean metal foil, aerosol cans, plastic food packaging, and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.
What goes in the clear recycling sack in Medway?
Extra recycling that doesn't fit in the white bag (a new roll is delivered every 13 weeks). Houses can also use them for paper and card.
What goes in the brown wheelie bin (food and garden) in Medway?
Food waste (meat, fish, plate scrapings, peelings, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds) and garden waste (grass, hedge clippings, prunings, weeds, small branches up to 5cm, dead plants). One free bin per house.
What goes in the 23 litre food waste bin in Medway?
Food waste only, for homes that can't have a brown wheelie bin. No food in the brown garden sacks.
What goes in the brown reusable garden sack in Medway?
Garden waste only (grass, hedge clippings, prunings, weeds, small branches, dead plants), for homes that can't have a brown bin. Council-issued sacks only, maximum 2.
What goes in the black rubbish sack in Medway?
All non-recyclable rubbish, including disposable nappies. Buy your own; don't put sacks inside bins.
What goes in the brown garden waste subscription bin in Medway?
Garden waste only, loose in the bin: grass, hedge clippings, prunings, weeds, leaves, flowers, small branches. No food, soil, stones or bags. Needs a paid permit (£40).
When is my bin day in Medway?
It depends on your street. Enter your address in Medway Council's bin day lookup (medway.gov.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.