Stoke Bin Collection: Find Your Date, Calendar & Correct Bin
Need to know which bin goes out next in Stoke-on-Trent? Use the city council’s address-based calendar to check your exact collection dates. This guide also explains the August 2026 recycling change, the new weekly food-waste service, missed-bin reports and what to do when a collection goes wrong.
Postcode 02
Choose address 03
Check date 04
Put bins out
When Is My Stoke Bin Collection?
Enter your postcode in Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Bin Day Calendar, choose your address and view the upcoming dates for each collection stream. The official tool displays the next collection, further scheduled dates and a monthly calendar. You can also print the dates or add them to a compatible calendar.
Bins and food caddies should be ready by 6am. The exact date depends on your property and the collection service. A brown-bin date will only apply when the property has the relevant garden-waste subscription.
Find the Stoke waste service you need
- Bin collection calendar
- Collection frequency
- Bin colours and sorting
- August 2026 recycling change
- Weekly food waste
- Brown-bin subscription
- Putting bins out
- Missed collections
- Broken and missing bins
- Flats and assisted collections
- Bulky rubbish
- Recycling centres
- Bank holidays and disruption
- Official council links
- Frequently asked questions
How to Check Your Stoke Bin Collection Calendar by Postcode
The official calendar is the starting point for residents in Hanley, Burslem, Tunstall, Fenton, Longton, Stoke and other neighbourhoods within the Stoke-on-Trent City Council boundary. Do not assume that two homes with similar postcodes use identical rounds.
- Open the Stoke-on-Trent bin day tool. Use the council’s official Bin Day Calendar.
- Enter a full postcode. Select the search option to load available properties.
- Choose the correct address. Check the house number, flat or property name carefully.
- Read each collection stream. The calendar may list grey, blue and brown bins, a food caddy, green box or paper collection according to the services serving the property.
- Save the result. Use the calendar download or print option. The downloaded file uses the
.icscalendar format. - Recheck after any change. If your service has been altered or the council reports disruption, use the live calendar for the latest scheduled dates.
How Often Are Stoke-on-Trent Bins Collected?
The standard service distinguishes residual rubbish, recycling, food waste and subscribed garden waste. Your individual address calendar should always take priority over a general frequency guide.
| Collection | Usual frequency | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grey bin | Fortnightly standard service | Residual household rubbish; check your address for the correct day. |
| Blue bin | Fortnightly standard recycling service | Mixed recyclables under the August 2026 collection arrangements. |
| Food-waste caddy | Weekly | Introduced from 30 March 2026; collected on the usual waste/recycling weekday. |
| Brown garden bin | Fortnightly for subscribers | 25 scheduled collections in the annual scheme, with a Christmas break. |
| Green box / paper | Address-dependent | Some properties retain a box-based service where wheelie bins are unsuitable. |
Not every household has every container. Flats, properties with limited storage and some terraced streets may use a different arrangement. The council calendar shows the services recorded against the selected address.
Stoke Bin Colours: What Goes in Each Container?
General household waste
Use for ordinary non-recyclable rubbish that cannot go into the recycling or food-waste services. Bag waste securely to reduce litter and smells.
Keep garden clippings, batteries, electrical items and recyclable materials out wherever a suitable separate route exists.
Mixed recycling
Following the August 2026 change, households with both a blue wheelie bin and recycling box can put accepted recyclable materials together in the blue bin.
Examples include suitable paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, accepted packaging, cans and glass containers. Check the council’s recycling directory for uncertain items.
Properties retaining a box service
Some households that have a recycling box but no suitable wheelie-bin arrangement continue using their existing box service. Do not abandon that system unless the council advises your property of a change.
Garden waste only
For subscribed garden waste, including grass cuttings, hedge trimmings, leaves, plants and small branches. The garden-waste service is separate from the weekly food-waste collection.
Important 2026 Change: Stoke Recycling Is Now Collected Together
Stoke-on-Trent City Council announced a simpler single-stream recycling arrangement effective from August 2026. Previously, many households separated recycling between a blue bin and an additional box. The updated arrangement allows those households to put their accepted recyclable materials together in the blue bin.
One collection vehicle
Recyclable material can be collected together in the same vehicle and separated later at a materials recovery facility.
No replacement bin required
If you already have a blue bin and recycling box, the council says you can use the blue bin for all accepted recycling.
Box-only homes
Residents using only a recycling box should continue with their current arrangement unless contacted directly about an alternative.
You do not need to return an unused recycling box to the council. You can retain it, reuse it or take it to a household waste recycling centre.
New Weekly Food-Waste Collections in Stoke-on-Trent
The city’s separate food-waste collection service began in the week of 30 March 2026. It is free for households, and the council says collections take place weekly on the same weekday as the usual rubbish or recycling collection.
What residents receive
- A 7-litre indoor kitchen caddy.
- A 23-litre outdoor caddy for suitable houses.
- An initial supply of caddy liners.
- A weekly collection for accepted food scraps.
What can go in?
- Vegetable and fruit peelings.
- Cooked and uncooked meat and fish, including bones.
- Eggs, eggshells and dairy products.
- Bread, pasta, rice and leftover meals.
- Tea bags and coffee grounds.
How to use your caddy correctly
- Register for the service using the council’s current food-waste guidance if registration or container delivery is required at your property.
- Line the kitchen caddy and collect food scraps without their packaging.
- Tie the filled liner and place it in the outdoor caddy.
- Place the outdoor caddy at your usual collection point, in front of other bins so crews can see it.
- Have it ready by 6am on collection day.
What if I live in a flat?
The council provides an arrangement for flats and apartments, including shared outdoor food-waste containers in suitable bin-storage areas. Residents use the smaller indoor caddy and transfer their collected food waste to the designated communal container.
Stoke Brown Bin Subscription: 2026/27 Cost, Dates and Rules
The brown-bin garden-waste service is optional and chargeable. The published 2026/27 subscription costs £42 per bin for the annual period ending in March 2027. It covers 25 fortnightly collections, with a seasonal Christmas closure. Check the live council payment page before purchasing.
Annual charge
£42 per subscribed bin for 2026/27. The council does not normally reduce the price when a resident signs up partway through the year.
Collection schedule
Fortnightly, normally on the same weekday as recycling, with a break around Christmas.
Alternative options
Residents can consider home composting or take suitable garden waste to one of the council’s household waste recycling centres.
How to subscribe
- Open the official garden-waste service page.
- Follow the subscription form and enter the required property information.
- Pay the annual charge using an accepted credit or debit card.
- Keep the confirmation email and watch for the bin sticker.
- Check your brown-bin dates in the normal postcode calendar.
According to the council’s 2026/27 FAQ, stickers should usually arrive within 10 working days. A paid subscription remains recorded in the crew’s system even if the sticker is delayed.
Important brown-bin conditions
- Present the council-issued brown bin by 6am on the scheduled date.
- Put loose garden waste inside the bin rather than filling it with bags.
- Do not leave additional garden waste beside the bin for collection.
- Do not put food scraps into the chargeable garden-waste bin.
- If you move within the city, contact the council about transferring the subscription rather than moving the bin yourself.
- Subscriptions are not usually refundable just because the service is no longer wanted.
When and Where Should Stoke Residents Put Their Bins Out?
The standard council collection guidance asks residents to have their bins ready by 6am. Place the relevant container at your recognised collection point without obstructing pedestrians, traffic or neighbouring properties.
Before collection
- Check the bin colour and date.
- Keep the lid closed where required.
- Do not make the bin excessively heavy.
- Make sure the collection crew can reach it safely.
After collection
- Bring emptied bins back onto your property promptly.
- Keep communal bin stores accessible.
- Remove contamination if the council has refused a container.
- Check for a reported collection disruption if your street was missed.
What about extra bags?
Stoke-on-Trent’s council guidance distinguishes ordinary bagged side waste from illegal dumping. Extra general rubbish needs to be secured in standard tied rubbish sacks and presented within the allowed collection window, not left outside days early. Large household objects are not treated as bagged side waste.
Stoke Bin Not Collected? Check the Live Problems Map and Report It
Stoke-on-Trent City Council publishes a live list of streets affected by known collection problems. This helps residents distinguish an area-wide disruption from an individual unemptied container.
- Check the collection date. Confirm that the container was scheduled for your property.
- Check the time. A collection is not necessarily missed just because the vehicle has not arrived at its usual hour.
- Check council disruption notices. Search the current affected-streets information using your postcode or street.
- Look for contamination or access issues. Incorrect recycling and vehicles obstructing the route can prevent collections.
- Report a genuine missed collection. Use the council’s online missed-bin service within its stated reporting window.
Street-wide delay
Look for a known issue, such as parked cars blocking access or an interrupted route.
Contaminated recycling
Remove the rejected material. The council may leave the container until the next scheduled round.
Individual missed bin
Submit the property and bin details through the official reporting route rather than posting personal information publicly.
Request a Replacement, Missing or Broken Bin in Stoke
Stoke-on-Trent City Council provides separate service routes for requesting bins and reporting lost, stolen, damaged or abandoned containers. Using the correct category helps avoid sending the issue through the missed-collection form.
Damaged container
Explain which container is damaged and whether the lid, body or wheels prevent safe use. Use the official broken-bin reporting option.
Lost or stolen bin
Check whether the bin was moved nearby after collection, then report it through the lost/stolen bin service.
Need an additional caddy?
For food waste, the council provides a process for households needing additional capacity. Check the live food-waste request guidance.
Unwanted or abandoned bin
Use the council’s specific reporting category rather than leaving a spare wheelie bin in a public place.
Stoke Flats, Terraced Streets and Assisted Bin Collections
Some properties do not have the space or access needed for individual wheelie bins. Stoke-on-Trent keeps alternative collection arrangements for certain streets, flats and communal areas. Use the calendar and container instructions recorded against your own address.
Help if you cannot move your bin
Residents who meet the council’s assisted-collection criteria may be able to have crews collect bins from an agreed location. Applications can require supporting evidence where a medical condition, disability or temporary mobility problem prevents safe presentation.
For example, the council explains that a temporary assisted service after an operation may require evidence showing how mobility has been affected. Applicants should prepare a clear digital photo or scan of any requested supporting document.
Stoke Bulky Waste Collection: Costs and Booking Rules
The council offers a booked collection for large household objects that are unsuitable for normal bins, including eligible furniture and appliances. Charges depend on the type and number of items.
| Booking type | Published charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to five eligible items | £50.70 | Standard household bulky-waste collection. |
| Each additional eligible item | £10.18 | Added to a qualifying booking. |
| Specified large electrical items | £44.35 each | Examples include fridges, freezers, cookers and washing machines. |
The council states that the service is for qualifying households within the city boundary, not business or landlord waste. Items generally must fit within its published size limits. Some hazardous materials, gas cylinders, tyres and other restricted waste are excluded.
Preparing for collection
- Book and pay through the council’s service before presenting items.
- Place accepted items outside by 7am on the booked date; the council permits presentation from 7pm the previous evening.
- Leave them at an accessible kerbside or agreed collection point.
- Check the booking terms before changing the appointment. The council permits a collection-date change up to noon on the preceding working day.
- Do not assume a booking charge is refundable if you cancel.
Stoke Household Waste Recycling Centres: Hanford and Burslem
Stoke-on-Trent City Council operates two household waste recycling centres, commonly called tips. These provide alternatives for many recyclable materials, suitable household rubbish and garden waste.
Hanford Tip
Address: Campbell Road, Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 4DX.
Check the accepted items, access rules and current opening hours before travelling.
Burslem Tip
Address: Federation Road, Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, ST6 4HU.
Check current site information, especially for unusual or restricted materials.
Important differences between the two sites
- Mattresses: the council identifies Hanford as the site accepting mattresses, with checks to ensure waste is from a household rather than a commercial clearance.
- Asbestos: the council identifies Burslem as its asbestos disposal location. Follow the specific official safety and acceptance instructions before any visit.
- Vehicle tyres: not accepted at either of the two city tips.
- Commercial waste: neither household site accepts trade or business waste.
- Vehicle access: some vans, trailers and similar vehicles can trigger proof-of-residency checks or visit restrictions.
Stoke Bin Collections on Bank Holidays, at Christmas and During Snow
For the standard garden-waste service, the council says collection weekdays generally remain unchanged on bank holidays other than the Christmas and New Year period. The brown-bin annual subscription includes a planned seasonal suspension.
Bad weather, blocked streets and operational problems may also interrupt rounds. A general announcement is not always a replacement calendar for every property, so use the official date lookup and the current street-level disruption list together.
Official Stoke-on-Trent Bin Collection Services
Use the following Stoke-on-Trent City Council resources for live dates, payment, reports and service requests. This independent guide does not operate the council’s calendar or receive requests on its behalf.
Stoke Bin Collection FAQs
What day is my bin collected in Stoke-on-Trent?
Enter your postcode at stoke.gov.uk/mybinday, select your exact address and check the next collection date for each container.
What time do Stoke bins need to be out?
Stoke-on-Trent City Council asks residents to have their bins and food-waste caddies ready by 6am on the scheduled day.
Can recycling go in one blue bin now?
Yes. Since August 2026, households with both a blue bin and recycling box can place accepted recyclables together in the blue bin. Box-only households should retain their existing arrangement unless told otherwise.
Is food waste collected every week in Stoke?
Yes. The separate weekly household food-waste service began on 30 March 2026 and operates on the usual waste or recycling weekday.
How much is the Stoke brown-bin service?
The published 2026/27 garden-waste subscription costs £42 per bin for the annual service, with fortnightly collections and a Christmas break.
How do I report a missed Stoke bin?
Confirm the date in your calendar, check the council’s known collection problems and use the official missed-bin reporting route. Follow the reporting deadline for the relevant service.
Where are the Stoke recycling centres?
The city has household waste recycling centres at Campbell Road in Hanford (ST4 4DX) and Federation Road in Burslem (ST6 4HU). Check accepted materials and opening times before travelling.
Can I receive help putting my bin out?
Residents who meet the council’s assisted-collection criteria can apply. Supporting evidence may be required depending on the circumstances.