Chorley Bin Collection: Dates, Bin Colours, Food Waste & Missed Collections
Chorley Council collects household bins across the borough. Your exact collection date depends on your address, but the standard service uses different cycles for green refuse, blue mixed recycling, brown paper and card, grey subscribed garden waste and the weekly food-waste caddy.
Use the council’s address-based collection-day service for the live date, then have the correct bin or food caddy at the kerbside by 7am.
Chorley Bin Collection: Quick Answer
Check the live collection day for your property through Chorley Council. Standard household collections are green refuse every 2 weeks, blue plastics/cans/glass every 2 weeks, brown paper/card every 4 weeks and food waste every week. Grey garden-waste bins are part of a separate paid subscription and are normally emptied every 2 weeks outside the Christmas and New Year break.
Put bins at the kerbside by 7am, with handles facing the road. Keep lids fully closed and do not leave extra rubbish bags beside the bin.
Jump to the Chorley waste task you need
How to Check Your Chorley Bin Collection Date
Collection frequencies are useful for planning, but they do not tell you the actual date for a specific property. Start with Chorley Council’s collection-day service whenever you need to know what bin is due next.
-
Open the council’s collection-day page.
Use Chorley Council’s current service rather than an old calendar screenshot. -
Check the exact property.
Use the address details requested by the council so the result relates to your home. -
Read the date and waste stream together.
Note whether the upcoming collection is green, blue, brown, grey or food waste. -
Recheck around holidays or disruption.
Christmas, New Year, severe weather or operational problems can change an expected collection. -
Check live collection issues if the street is missed.
A reported service disruption may explain why several properties have not been emptied.
Chorley Bin Calendar and Collection Frequency
Chorley uses several collection cycles at the same time. This makes it especially important to check the bin colour rather than remembering only a weekday.
| Waste stream | Container | Normal frequency | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residual rubbish | Green bin | Every 2 weeks | Non-recyclable household waste |
| Mixed containers | Blue bin | Every 2 weeks | Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, cans, glass bottles and jars |
| Paper and card | Brown bin | Every 4 weeks | Paper and cardboard |
| Garden waste | Grey bin | Every 2 weeks | Subscribed garden-waste service |
| Food waste | Outdoor food caddy | Weekly | Household food scraps and leftovers |
Chorley Bin Colours: What Goes in Each Bin?
General rubbish
Use the green bin for non-recyclable domestic waste after recyclable material and food waste have been separated.
Plastics, cans & glass
Accepted items include plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, tins, cans, glass bottles and jars.
Paper & cardboard
Use the brown bin for accepted paper, magazines, envelopes, cardboard boxes and other clean paper/card.
Garden waste
This is a subscription service for accepted garden material such as grass, leaves, plants, weeds and small twigs.
Weekly Food Waste Collections in Chorley
Chorley’s separate food-waste service began on 13 April 2026. Households put the outdoor food caddy out every week on the same normal collection day used for their other bins.
Kitchen caddy
Use the small indoor caddy for everyday food scraps, then transfer the tied liner into the outdoor caddy.
Outdoor caddy
Present the outdoor food-waste caddy at the kerbside by 7am with the handle in the vertical locked position.
Flats
Flats are included. Some properties use communal food-waste containers while others receive the same caddies as houses.
Food that can go in the caddy
- Fruit and vegetables, raw or cooked
- Meat, fish and bones
- Bread, cakes, rice and pasta
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Eggs, eggshells and dairy products
- Meal and takeaway leftovers
- Small quantities of gravy, sauces or custard left on food
Chorley Collection-Day Rules: Put Bins Out by 7am
Have the correct bin at the kerbside by 7am. Collection times can vary even if the wagon normally reaches your street later.
Before collection
- Put the correct bin out by 7am.
- Turn the handles towards the road.
- Keep the lid fully closed.
- Put blue- and brown-bin recyclables loose in the container.
- Keep parked vehicles clear of collection access.
After collection
- Bring the bin back onto your property promptly.
- Check any tag left on an unemptied bin.
- Check the collection-issues page if the street has been missed.
- Do not immediately report a collection before the working day has finished.
How Chorley Collects Textiles on Recycling Week
On recycling week, textiles can be placed next to the relevant bin or box in a clear or translucent tied bag so the crew can see what is inside.
Missed Bin in Chorley: When and How to Report It
Do not report a bin as missed early in the day. Chorley Council asks residents to wait until after 4pm on the scheduled collection day because crews may still be working in the area.
-
Check that the bin was actually due.
Confirm the collection date and correct waste stream for your property. -
Confirm it was out by 7am.
The council records bins that were not presented when the crew attended. -
Check the lid and contents.
Overfilled, excessively heavy or contaminated bins may deliberately be left. -
Wait until after 4pm.
A bin normally emptied in the morning may still be collected later that day. -
Report it within 2 working days.
Chorley Council only returns for an eligible missed collection when it is reported within this window. -
Check for wider collection issues.
Vehicle problems, severe weather or blocked access can affect an entire route.
Why Your Chorley Bin May Have Been Left Full
Overfilled bin
If the lid cannot close because the bin is overfilled, the crew may leave it rather than empty it.
Too heavy
Collection crews record bins that are too heavy to empty safely.
Wrong material
Contaminated recycling can be left with a tag explaining why the contents were not accepted.
Chorley Garden Waste Service 2026/27
The grey garden-waste bin is an optional paid service. The current subscription year runs from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027 and costs £40 per bin.
Collection cycle
Subscribed grey bins are normally emptied every 2 weeks, except during the Christmas and New Year service break.
More than one bin
More than one subscription can be purchased. A separate valid permit is required for each subscribed bin.
Permit delivery
The garden-waste terms advise allowing up to 20 working days for the subscription sticker to arrive after payment.
Accepted garden waste
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Flowers and plants with soil removed
- Weeds
- Twigs and small branches
- Windfall fruit
- Chopped real Christmas trees
New, Lost, Stolen or Damaged Bins
Chorley Council currently charges £32.50 for a new or replacement green, brown or blue bin. Bins are usually delivered within 10 working days.
Lost or stolen
A replacement currently carries the same £32.50 charge even where the previous bin was lost or stolen.
Minor repair
Wheels, lids and some hinge components may be repairable. The council currently provides qualifying repairs without charge and normally within 10 working days.
Bin sizes
The standard bin is 240 litres. A 140-litre smaller option is available for households producing little waste, generally no more than two people.
Can You Get an Additional Green Bin?
Chorley Council can assess households that genuinely need more non-recyclable waste capacity. Examples include homes with 6 or more residents, households producing additional medical waste or homes with 2 or more people in nappies.
An application leads to a waste audit, where the council checks the household’s waste and whether available recycling services are being used. If an additional green bin is approved, the current charge is £32.50. The charge can be waived for qualifying medical needs or other exceptional circumstances.
Help Putting Your Bins Out
Chorley Council offers a free assisted collection service for residents who cannot move their bins because of disability, poor mobility, age or infirmity and who do not live with someone able to put the bins out.
When approved, crews take the bin from its storage point on the property, empty it and return it. The council says the service can start from the next collection when at least 5 days’ notice has been provided.
Large Item Collections in Chorley
Chorley Council provides a chargeable collection for household items too large for the normal bin, including examples such as fridges, televisions, mattresses and chairs.
| Number of items | Current charge | Preparation rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1 item | £24.50 | Outside the home but still on your property by 7am. |
| 2–5 items | £49 | Only booked items will be collected. |
| 6 items | £73 | Items must be safely accessible to the crew. |
| 7–10 items | £98 | Large items may need dismantling before collection. |
Standard large-item rounds operate on Mondays or Fridays depending on the area. Tell the council exactly what should be collected; additional unbooked items are not automatically removed.
Chorley and Farington Recycling Centres
Household waste recycling centres in this area are operated by Lancashire County Council, not Chorley Council. They provide another route for suitable household waste, recycling and larger items.
Chorley Recycling Centre
Coppull Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 3QN
Current standard opening hours are 9am–5pm, 7 days a week. It closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Farington Recycling Centre
Flensburg Way, Farington Moss, Leyland, Lancashire, PR26 6PH
Current standard opening hours are 9am–5pm, 7 days a week. It closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Batteries, Electricals and Hazardous Waste
Do not put batteries in ordinary household bins. Damaged or crushed batteries can ignite in collection vehicles or waste-processing equipment.
Batteries
Use a suitable battery take-back point or household recycling centre rather than a green or recycling bin.
Small electricals
Chorley has dedicated small-electrical recycling points for items with plugs, batteries or cables.
Hazardous waste
Items such as asbestos, chemicals, car batteries and pressurised gas cylinders require an appropriate specialist or recycling-centre route.
Official Chorley Waste Services
BinCollectionGuide.org is an independent information website. Chorley Council controls household collection dates, missed-bin reports, subscriptions and bin requests. Lancashire County Council operates the household recycling centres.
Open Chorley collection days
Open missed-bin service
Open garden-waste service
Open bin replacement guidance
Open Lancashire recycling centres
Chorley Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my Chorley bin collection day?
Use Chorley Council’s official collection-day service for your property and check which waste stream is scheduled next.
What time should Chorley bins be put out?
Bins and food-waste caddies should be presented by 7am on the scheduled collection day.
How often is the green bin collected in Chorley?
The standard green bin for non-recyclable household waste is normally emptied every 2 weeks.
How often is the blue recycling bin collected?
The blue bin for accepted plastics, cans and glass is normally emptied every 2 weeks.
How often is the brown bin collected?
The brown paper-and-card bin is normally emptied every 4 weeks.
How often is food waste collected in Chorley?
Food waste is collected every week on the household’s normal bin collection day.
When can I report a missed Chorley bin?
Wait until after 4pm on the collection day. An eligible missed bin must be reported within 2 working days for the council to return.
How much is Chorley garden waste in 2026/27?
The service year from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027 costs £40 per subscribed grey bin.
How much is a replacement bin in Chorley?
The current charge for a new or replacement green, brown or blue bin is £32.50. Some minor repairs can be completed without charge.
Can I leave rubbish bags beside my bin?
No. Chorley Council states that waste bags left next to normal household bins are not collected as routine side waste.
Best Next Step: Check Your Exact Chorley Collection Date
Start with Chorley Council’s live collection-day service, confirm the waste stream due and put the correct container at the kerbside by 7am.
If it remains unemptied, wait until after 4pm, check for contamination, overfilling or access problems, then report an eligible missed collection within 2 working days.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not Chorley Council or Lancashire County Council and cannot access household collection records, accept council payments or change a collection. Complete live service actions through the responsible council.