Bins and recycling in Tower Hamlets

What goes in each of Tower Hamlets's bins, and where to take the things they don't collect. This page uses London Borough of Tower Hamlets's own published information, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Recycle This is independent: it isn't run by London Borough of Tower Hamlets. If anything here differs from London Borough of Tower Hamlets's website, the council is right.

Your bins in Tower Hamlets

Purple recycling bin or clear sack

Collected weekly Paper, card, cartons, glass bottles and jars, cans, foil, empty aerosols and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, all mixed together, loose or in a clear sack. Never in black sacks. Houses without room for a wheelie bin and flats above shops use clear sacks.
Black rubbish sack

Collected weekly General rubbish that can't be recycled. The council doesn't supply rubbish containers, so you buy your own black sacks.
Food waste caddy

Collected weekly Raw and cooked food, plate scrapings, bones, tea bags and coffee grounds. A 7 litre kitchen caddy and a 23 litre outdoor caddy, free on request for houses. No packaging, liquids, oil or plastic bags. Put it out before 7am.
Green garden waste bag

Collected weekly Grass, leaves, weeds, bark, hedge clippings, dead plants and flowers, small branches and logs (up to 50cm across) from your garden, in the council's reusable green bags only (up to 2 bags per household). Houses and converted flats with a garden only. No soil, stones, rubble, Japanese knotweed, household waste, plastic, metal or pet waste.

Flat with shared bins: Blocks of flats use large communal bins: a purple one for all dry recycling and a separate rubbish bin. Food waste bins for blocks are being rolled out in phases, with the council saying every property gets the service in 2026 and 2027. Garden waste isn't collected from ground floor flats in blocks.

Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets's website.

Bin days in Tower Hamlets

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

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Garden waste and bulky items

Garden waste collection is available. Green reusable bags (up to two per household, collected weekly) for houses and converted flats with a garden; the page mentions a low-cost compost bin but states no charge for the bags. (source)

Two free collections per calendar year, up to 5 items each. Book online (or via Streetline on 020 7364 5004) and put items outside at ground level by 7am. Cancel with 24 hours' notice or it counts as one of your two. Book or check prices with London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Recycling centres for Tower Hamlets

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

Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre

Yabsley Street, London, E14 9RG

Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm; Saturday and Sunday 9am to 6pm; Bank Holidays 9am to 4.30pm

Booking: City of London residents must show photo ID (driver's licence or passport) and a recent council tax bill.

For Tower Hamlets residents only (City of London residents need photo ID and a recent council tax bill). Bring proof of identity and address. Vans must be weighed and the driver signs a declaration that the waste is from their own home. No commercial or sign-written vehicles, height limit 1.94 m. DIY waste such as bricks and rubble: one car boot load per month. Not accepted: tyres, plasterboard, asbestos, liquids, trade waste. Map position is the postcode centre. Call Streetline on 020 7364 5000.

Source: towerhamlets.gov.uk

Where common items go in Tower Hamlets

Pizza boxYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Plastic carrier bagNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Crisp packetNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Black plastic ready-meal trayThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Paper coffee cupThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Wine bottleYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Glass jarYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Kitchen foilYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Food scraps and leftoversYes. Put it in your Food waste caddy. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Tea bagYes. Put it in your Food waste caddy. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
ClothesNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Battery (not sure which type)Not in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Disposable vapeNot in your home bins. Take it to a drop-off point. Source: England-wide guidance
Light bulb (not sure which type)Not in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Small household applianceNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Paint tinNot in any home bin. Take it to a household waste recycling centre. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Real Christmas treeYes. Put it in your Green garden waste bag. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Cardboard boxYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Food cartonYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Plastic drinks bottleYes. Put it in your Purple recycling bin or clear sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Till receiptThis can't be recycled here. Put it in your Black rubbish sack. Source: London Borough of Tower Hamlets

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

How Tower Hamlets compares

Weekly shop basket Collects 19 of 22 everyday packaging items from home. Joint 100th of 279 councils in England. Not collected from home: Black plastic ready-meal tray, Crisp packet, Bread bag
Recycling rate 17.0% of household waste was reused, recycled or composted in 2024-25 (Defra). 97th 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 purple recycling bin or clear sack in Tower Hamlets?

Paper, card, cartons, glass bottles and jars, cans, foil, empty aerosols and plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, all mixed together, loose or in a clear sack. Never in black sacks. Houses without room for a wheelie bin and flats above shops use clear sacks.

What goes in the black rubbish sack in Tower Hamlets?

General rubbish that can't be recycled. The council doesn't supply rubbish containers, so you buy your own black sacks.

What goes in the food waste caddy in Tower Hamlets?

Raw and cooked food, plate scrapings, bones, tea bags and coffee grounds. A 7 litre kitchen caddy and a 23 litre outdoor caddy, free on request for houses. No packaging, liquids, oil or plastic bags. Put it out before 7am.

What goes in the green garden waste bag in Tower Hamlets?

Grass, leaves, weeds, bark, hedge clippings, dead plants and flowers, small branches and logs (up to 50cm across) from your garden, in the council's reusable green bags only (up to 2 bags per household). Houses and converted flats with a garden only. No soil, stones, rubble, Japanese knotweed, household waste, plastic, metal or pet waste.

When is my bin day in Tower Hamlets?

It depends on your street. Enter your address in London Borough of Tower Hamlets's bin day lookup (towerhamlets-self.achieveservice.com), or use Bin days on Recycle This.