Bins and recycling in Sefton

Your bins in Sefton

• Brown recycling bin

  Collected fortnightly All dry recycling together: paper, card, cartons, glass, cans, aerosols, foil, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays. No plastic bags.

• Grey general waste bin

  Collected fortnightly Everything that can't be recycled, and food waste until the new weekly food caddy service starts.

• Green garden waste bin

  Collected every 3 weeks Grass clippings, tree and shrub clippings, weeds, dead flowers and leaves. No food, soil, plastic or cardboard.

• Outdoor food waste caddy

  Collected weekly (from winter 2026/27, date to be confirmed) Food waste with all packaging removed, in a liner tied securely, from the kitchen caddy. Free; liners and restocks are part of the normal service.

Flat with shared bins: Flats with shared bins use large grey Euro bins for rubbish and large brown Euro bins for recycling, shared by the block. Sefton's pages don't say what flats do with garden waste or food waste, and your landlord or managing agent looks after the bins.

Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council's website.

Bin days in Sefton

Check your collection day with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council's bin day lookup, or use Bin days on this site.

Garden waste and bulky items

Paid collection of £26 for up to 3 items (a sofa counts one item per seat), booked and paid for online. Local charities collect furniture in good condition free. Book or check prices with Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council.

Recycling centres for Sefton

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

• Formby Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Altcar Road, Formby L37 8DL

  Opening hours: Summer (1 April to 30 September): 8.00am to 8.00pm. Winter (1 October to 31 March): 8.00am to 5.00pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

  Booking: No booking for a standard car. Free booking needed for vans, trailers of 2 to 3 metres, estates or hatchbacks with the rear seats removed or windows blanked, and single-cab pick-ups (maximum 12 visits a year). Book at merseysidewda.gov.uk or call 0151 255 1444.

  No paint here. Map position is the postcode centre. No pedestrian access (MRWA page read 2026-10-10 in a browser).

  Source: merseysidewda.gov.uk

• Sefton Meadows Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Sefton Lane, Maghull L31 8BX

  Opening hours: Summer (1 April to 30 September): 8.00am to 8.00pm. Winter (1 October to 31 March): 8.00am to 5.00pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

  Booking: No booking for a standard car. Free booking needed for vans, trailers of 2 to 3 metres, estates or hatchbacks with the rear seats removed or windows blanked, and single-cab pick-ups (maximum 12 visits a year). Book at merseysidewda.gov.uk or call 0151 255 1444.

  Takes paint. Map position is the postcode centre. No pedestrian access (MRWA page read 2026-10-10 in a browser).

  Source: merseysidewda.gov.uk

• South Sefton Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Irlam Road, Bootle L20 4AE

  Opening hours: Summer (1 April to 30 September): 8.00am to 8.00pm. Winter (1 October to 31 March): 8.00am to 5.00pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

  Booking: No booking for a standard car. Free booking needed for vans, trailers of 2 to 3 metres, estates or hatchbacks with the rear seats removed or windows blanked, and single-cab pick-ups (maximum 12 visits a year). Book at merseysidewda.gov.uk or call 0151 255 1444.

  No paint here. Map position is the postcode centre. Pedestrians can come in through the gate (MRWA page read 2026-10-10 in a browser).

  Source: merseysidewda.gov.uk

• Southport Household Waste Recycling Centre

  Foul Lane, Scarisbrick New Road, Southport PR9 7RG

  Opening hours: Summer (1 April to 30 September): 8.00am to 8.00pm. Winter (1 October to 31 March): 8.00am to 5.00pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

  Booking: No booking for a standard car. Free booking needed for vans, trailers of 2 to 3 metres, estates or hatchbacks with the rear seats removed or windows blanked, and single-cab pick-ups (maximum 12 visits a year). Book at merseysidewda.gov.uk or call 0151 255 1444. Asbestos (cement-bonded, DIY only) is by appointment: 0203 567 4200.

  Takes paint and, by appointment, cement-bonded asbestos. Doesn't take reusable bikes. Map position is the postcode centre. No pedestrian access (MRWA page read 2026-10-10 in a browser).

  Source: merseysidewda.gov.uk

Where common items go in Sefton

• Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Plastic carrier bagNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Crisp packetNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey general waste bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Paper coffee cupNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Glass jarYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Food scraps and leftoversThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey general waste bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Tea bagThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey general waste bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• ClothesNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Battery (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Disposable vapeNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Green garden waste bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Food cartonYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Brown recycling bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Grey general waste bin. Source: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council

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

Common questions

What goes in the brown recycling bin in Sefton?

All dry recycling together: paper, card, cartons, glass, cans, aerosols, foil, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays. No plastic bags.

What goes in the grey general waste bin in Sefton?

Everything that can't be recycled, and food waste until the new weekly food caddy service starts.

What goes in the green garden waste bin in Sefton?

Grass clippings, tree and shrub clippings, weeds, dead flowers and leaves. No food, soil, plastic or cardboard.

What goes in the outdoor food waste caddy in Sefton?

Food waste with all packaging removed, in a liner tied securely, from the kitchen caddy. Free; liners and restocks are part of the normal service.

When is my bin day in Sefton?

It depends on your street. Enter your address in Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council's bin day lookup (sefton.gov.uk), or use Bin days on Recycle This.