Cheltenham Bin Collection: Dates, Days, Bin Types & Calendar
Cheltenham Borough Council uses an address-based collection checker for general waste, recycling, weekly food waste and subscribed garden waste. Enter your postcode and select the exact property instead of trying to calculate your next collection from another street.
For most standard households, green refuse and kerbside recycling alternate every two weeks while the food caddy is emptied every week. Brown garden bins are normally fortnightly for subscribers. Bank holidays and temporary operational changes can move the normal schedule.
Cheltenham Bin Collection: Quick Answer
Use Cheltenham Borough Council’s postcode checker for the exact date. It shows upcoming general-waste, recycling, food-waste and garden-waste collections for the selected address.
The standard pattern is one week green refuse bin + food caddy, followed by recycling boxes/blue bag + food caddy the next week. Food waste is therefore weekly even though refuse and dry recycling normally alternate fortnightly.
Jump to the Cheltenham bin information you need
How to Check Your Cheltenham Bin Collection Day
Cheltenham’s council checker is designed around the individual address. It is the safest route when you need to know whether tomorrow is a refuse week, recycling week or a subscribed garden-waste day.
-
Open the official collection-day page.
Use Cheltenham Borough Council’s current postcode checker rather than an old screenshot or neighbour’s calendar. -
Enter the property postcode.
Continue until you can identify the exact address. -
Select the correct household.
Collection details can differ for flats, communal services and properties with special arrangements. -
Read each waste stream separately.
Check general waste, recycling, food waste and subscribed garden waste rather than recording only the weekday. -
Recheck around bank holidays.
Holiday collection dates can move even though your normal weekday remains the same during most of the year.
How Cheltenham’s Week 1 and Week 2 Collections Work
For most standard households, refuse and recycling do not arrive together. They alternate on a two-week cycle, while the food caddy goes out every week.
| Week | Main collection | Food waste | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Green recycling boxes and blue cardboard bag | Food caddy collected | Recycling normally every 2 weeks |
| Week 2 | Green general-waste wheelie bin | Food caddy collected | Refuse normally every 2 weeks |
What Time Should Cheltenham Bins Be Put Out?
The standard council instruction is to have containers at the kerbside by 7am on collection day. A bin placed out late may not receive a return collection.
Cheltenham can temporarily start rounds earlier during exceptional conditions such as hot weather. In June 2026, for example, the council moved some rounds to 6am. When a current council notice gives an earlier time, that temporary instruction takes priority.
Cheltenham Bin Types and What They Are For
General waste
For the small amount of non-recyclable household rubbish remaining after recycling and food waste have been separated.
Mixed recycling
Used for separated household recyclable materials such as accepted plastics, cans, paper, glass and cartons.
Cardboard
Used as part of the kerbside recycling system for card and cardboard according to the council’s current sorting instructions.
Garden waste
Provided through Cheltenham’s optional paid garden-waste subscription service.
Green Wheelie Bin: General Waste
Cheltenham’s green wheelie bin is for household rubbish that cannot be recycled. It is normally emptied every two weeks and should be presented with its lid closed.
Typical general waste
Use the bin for ordinary domestic residual waste after recyclable materials and food have been separated into the appropriate services.
Keep these out
- Stones, gravel and rubble
- Builders’ and DIY waste
- Garden waste and soil
- Clinical sharps and needles
- Hazardous oils or chemicals
- Electrical goods
- Business waste
- Nitrous oxide canisters
Green Recycling Boxes and Blue Bag
Cheltenham’s green recycling boxes and blue bag are normally emptied every fortnight, alternating with the green refuse bin. Food waste is collected at the same time but from its own caddy.
From April 2026, the council expanded kerbside recycling to include food and drink cartons such as juice, long-life milk, soup and sauce cartons. These can be placed with plastics and cans in the appropriate green recycling box.
Preparation matters
- Separate materials into the council’s required containers.
- Empty containers before recycling.
- Keep cardboard in the designated bag.
- Put only recycling in boxes and bags.
Do not assume every plastic is accepted
Flexible plastic bags, films and wrappings are being expanded to more households during 2026, but the rollout is not automatically available everywhere at once.
Use the specific bag and instructions supplied to your household if your address joins the kerbside flexible-plastics scheme.
Cheltenham Food Waste Is Collected Every Week
Food waste runs weekly, so the outside food caddy can go out with both refuse-week and recycling-week collections. Cheltenham provides a smaller kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor caddy.
Food that can go in
- Cooked and raw food
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat, fish and bones
- Eggs and eggshells
- Bread, cakes and pastries
- Rice, pasta and beans
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Dairy products
Keep out
- Food packaging
- Nappies
- Household recycling
- Liquids such as milk
- Dog waste or cat litter
- Dead animals
Cheltenham Garden Waste Collection and Cost
The brown-bin service is optional and paid in advance for a 12-month subscription. The current charge is £60 per bin, plus a £4.99 delivery charge per bin for a new subscription.
Brown bins are normally emptied fortnightly, with a four-week suspension over Christmas and New Year. The bin remains council property and only subscribed bins containing accepted material are eligible for collection.
| Detail | Current position | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Annual subscription | £60 per bin | Paid in advance for 12 months. |
| Delivery | £4.99 per bin | Applies to new-bin delivery. |
| Normal frequency | Fortnightly | Check the address calendar for dates. |
| Festive break | Approx. four weeks | The service pauses over Christmas and New Year. |
Accepted examples
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge and shrub clippings
- Leaves, twigs and bark
- Branches under 10cm diameter
- Small plants and weeds
- Cut flowers and fallen fruit
Not accepted
- Soil, rubble or bricks
- Kitchen and food waste
- Most animal waste
- Tree stumps
- Branches over 10cm diameter
- Plastic bags, pots or trays
Missed Bin in Cheltenham: Report It Within 48 Hours
A genuine missed collection must be reported within 48 hours of the scheduled collection day. Before reporting, check that the container was due, presented on time and left in the correct place.
-
Check current service updates.
A known disruption may already explain the missing collection. -
Confirm the bin was due.
Use the postcode checker rather than assuming the week from memory. -
Check the presentation time.
The normal instruction is by 7am unless a current notice states an earlier time. -
Check the collection point.
Standard household containers should be at the kerbside unless a communal or assisted arrangement applies. -
Check sorting and contamination.
Incorrectly sorted recycling or an unsuitable bin can be left uncollected. -
Report the genuine miss promptly.
Cheltenham says it aims to return within two working days after a valid report.
Lost Bin, Damaged Bin or Extra Recycling Containers
Additional recycling boxes, blue cardboard bags and food caddies can be ordered through the council’s container service. Wheelie-bin replacements are handled differently and may require contact with customer services.
First missing wheelie bin
Cheltenham currently says the first missing bin replacement itself is free, but delivery costs £4.99, reduced to £2.99 for residents on qualifying benefits.
Repeated loss
If a wheelie bin has gone missing more than once within two years, the council can charge for the replacement.
Delivery time
Cheltenham warns that a new bin can take up to 40 working days to arrive.
Assisted Collections
Residents who cannot move household waste and recycling containers because of age, disability or another health-related limitation may be able to receive an assisted collection.
Where an assisted arrangement is agreed, crews can collect containers from the approved location rather than requiring the resident to move them to the standard kerbside position.
Bulky Waste Collection in Cheltenham
Cheltenham Borough Council operates a paid bulky household waste service for standard domestic items that cannot fit in the normal refuse bin.
Items must be outside the front of the property and easy for the crew to see and reach. Only items included in the booking will be removed, and collection staff cannot enter the home, garden or outbuilding to carry them out.
Cheltenham Christmas & New Year Bin Dates 2026/27
Cheltenham has already published its revised festive collection timetable. Several collections immediately before Christmas move earlier, while most dates between 28 and 31 December stay unchanged.
| Normal collection | Revised collection |
|---|---|
| Monday 21 December 2026 | Saturday 19 December 2026 |
| Tuesday 22 December | Monday 21 December |
| Wednesday 23 December | Tuesday 22 December |
| Thursday 24 December | Wednesday 23 December |
| Friday 25 December | Thursday 24 December |
| Monday 28 December | Normal collection |
| Tuesday 29 December | Normal collection |
| Wednesday 30 December | Normal collection |
| Thursday 31 December | Normal collection |
| Friday 1 January 2027 | Saturday 2 January 2027 |
The council also warns that some festive-period collections can begin as early as 6am. Check the live holiday page shortly before collection because operational updates take priority over a saved calendar.
Snow, Ice and Bad-Weather Collections
When road or pavement conditions are unsafe, crews may not be able to complete a scheduled round. Cheltenham asks residents to follow current service messages rather than assuming a missed route has been permanently cancelled.
Refuse and recycling
During severe-weather disruption, the council may carry out catch-up collections. Residents can be asked to leave affected containers available for several days.
Food and garden waste
The council says food-waste and garden-waste catch-up collections are not normally prioritised during severe-weather recovery. The next scheduled service may therefore apply.
Recycling Banks Around Cheltenham
Cheltenham also maintains recycling-bank locations for materials that can supplement household kerbside collections. Available materials differ by site.
Bath Terrace
GL50 2AL. Council information lists glass, paper, cans, textiles and shoes, card and mixed plastics.
London Road, Sixways
GL52 6YT. Listed streams include glass, paper, cans, textiles and shoes, card and mixed plastics.
St James Street
GL52 2SH. Council information lists glass, paper, cans, card and mixed plastics.
Official Cheltenham Waste Services
BinCollectionGuide.org is an independent information website. Cheltenham Borough Council controls household collection records, reports, garden-waste subscriptions, bulky-waste bookings and replacement-container services.
Open collection-day checker
Open missed-bin service
Open container service
Open council contact page
Cheltenham Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my Cheltenham bin collection day?
Use Cheltenham Borough Council’s collection-day checker, enter the property postcode and select the exact address. The result covers general waste, recycling, food waste and subscribed garden waste.
How often is the green refuse bin collected?
The standard green household refuse bin is normally emptied every two weeks, alternating with the kerbside recycling collection.
How often is Cheltenham recycling collected?
Green recycling boxes and the blue cardboard bag are normally collected every fortnight, on the alternate week to the green refuse bin.
Is food waste collected every week in Cheltenham?
Yes. The food caddy is collected weekly and can therefore go out on both the refuse week and recycling week.
What time should Cheltenham bins be out?
The normal standing instruction is by 7am. Temporary council notices can require an earlier time, such as 6am during some hot-weather or festive operations.
How long do I have to report a missed bin?
A missed collection must be reported within 48 hours of the scheduled collection day. Cheltenham says it aims to return within two working days after a qualifying report.
How much is Cheltenham garden waste?
The current 12-month subscription is £60 per brown bin, with a £4.99 delivery charge per bin for a new subscription.
Can I put extra rubbish beside my green bin?
Under normal collections, the council expects household refuse to fit inside the green bin with the lid closed. Do not assume ordinary side waste will be collected unless a specific council disruption notice says otherwise.
Are Christmas bin dates different in Cheltenham in 2026?
Yes. Several collections immediately before Christmas move earlier, including Monday 21 December moving to Saturday 19 December. Friday 1 January 2027 moves to Saturday 2 January 2027.
Best Next Step: Check the Exact Cheltenham Property
The normal collection rhythm is simple: alternating fortnightly refuse and recycling with food waste every week. The exact date still comes from your property-specific council record.
Check the address, confirm the correct stream and have containers ready by the required time. If a genuine collection is missed, report it within the council’s 48-hour window.
Independent information: BinCollectionGuide.org is not Cheltenham Borough Council. Live collection records, service changes, payments, reports and bookings remain under the control of the relevant council service.