Check the Right Bexley Bin, Lid Colour and Collection Week
Bexley uses several household collection systems, so a standard house, flat, box property and clear-sack address may not have the same containers or frequency.
Start with your exact address, then use this guide for the 6am rule, blue and white recycling weeks, weekly food waste, garden subscriptions, missed collections and alternative disposal routes.
Bexley Bin Collection 2026: Quick Answer
Your collection date is property-specific. Use Bexley’s address checker before deciding which container goes out.
For a standard suitable low-rise home, general rubbish is normally fortnightly, food waste weekly, and one recycling wheeled bin is collected each week by alternating blue and white lids.
| Container | Standard use | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Green rubbish bin | Non-recyclable household rubbish. | Every 2 weeks. |
| Blue-lidded bin | Clean paper and cardboard. | Every 2 weeks, alternating with white lid. |
| White-lidded bin | Plastic packaging, glass bottles/jars, cans, cartons and foil. | Every 2 weeks, alternating with blue lid. |
| Brown food box | Household food waste. | Weekly. |
| Brown garden bin | Paid garden-waste subscription. | Every 2 weeks with festive suspension. |
Two different brown containers: the small brown box is the ordinary weekly food-waste service. The large brown wheelie bin is the paid garden-waste service.
How to Check Your Bexley Bin Collection Day
-
Open WasteWorks.
Use Bexley’s live property lookup rather than a borough-wide guess. -
Enter the full postcode.
Search the address where the waste is actually collected. -
Select the exact property.
A flat, high-street home or communal building may have a different system from neighbouring houses. -
Check every collection stream.
Look separately at rubbish, food, recycling and subscribed garden waste. -
Confirm blue-lid or white-lid week.
Both recycling containers are not normally emptied together at standard wheeled-bin properties. -
Save the current calendar.
Use the printable calendar attached to the property rather than an old screenshot or cached search result.
Check my Bexley bin day
Which Bexley Collection System Does Your Home Use?
Standard wheeled-bin home
Normally uses a green general-rubbish bin, blue-lidded paper/card bin, white-lidded mixed-recycling bin and brown food box.
Recycling-box home
Some properties unsuitable for wheelie recycling bins use green, black and maroon recycling boxes plus a brown food box.
Clear-sack property
Busy high-street and other unsuitable addresses can use clear disposable recycling sacks and resident-supplied black bags for residual rubbish.
Communal flats
Larger blocks can have shared 140L, 240L, 1100L or 1280L containers and property-specific weekly or fortnightly arrangements.
Can I choose a different collection system?
Not automatically. Bexley’s Waste and Recycling Team determines which service is suitable for the property.
When can a property be exempt from normal wheelie bins?
Examples in the council policy include:
- No suitable container-storage space.
- No suitable rear or side access where frontage is inadequate.
- Access involving more than five steps.
- A road that cannot safely accommodate the standard collection vehicle.
Aesthetic preference alone is not normally enough for an exemption.
Bexley Set-Out Rules: Use 6am as the Safe Deadline
Present containers by 6am on collection day.
Do not normally put them out before 6pm on the previous day.
Where should the bin go?
Present containers at the front edge of the property, normally within one metre of the property boundary.
No front storage?
Where a household is permitted to use the public footway for collection, the container must not create an obstruction and should be brought back in as soon as reasonably possible after emptying.
Why this guide uses 6am
Bexley’s general collection policy and public missed-bin page both tell residents to present by 6am.
One separate paragraph in the detailed missed-collection policy uses “available from 6.30am”. To avoid losing a collection or report, 6am is the safer resident deadline.
Close the lid
Wheeled bins can be left if overfilled with the lid open.
Crews normally do not return before the next scheduled collection where the resident overfilled the container.
Heavy bins
A bin can be left if a crew member cannot manoeuvre it safely or the vehicle’s lifting equipment cannot raise it because of the weight.
Jammed or frozen contents
Loosen stuck material yourself before the next collection.
Waste that remains inside after normal mechanical emptying does not receive an additional collection just because it was compacted or frozen.
Bexley General Rubbish Bin
Standard container: one 180-litre green wheeled bin, normally collected every two weeks.
Use it for
- Ordinary non-recyclable household rubbish.
- Nappies.
- Sanitary products.
- Non-recyclable household packaging.
- Other everyday waste that has no recycling route.
Keep these out
- Food waste that should use the brown food service.
- Accepted blue-lid paper/card.
- Accepted white-lid containers.
- Garden waste.
- Batteries.
- Electrical items.
- Hazardous chemicals.
- Asbestos.
- Specialist clinical waste.
No ordinary side waste
Additional residual sacks placed beside a standard wheeled bin are not normally collected.
Bexley can red-tag the presentation where side waste is left.
Bexley Blue-Lidded Recycling Bin: Paper and Card
Accepted
- Newspapers.
- Magazines.
- Letters.
- Envelopes.
- Junk mail.
- Shredded paper.
- Cereal boxes.
- Dry food packaging.
- Card medicine packaging.
- Paper bags.
- Flattened cardboard boxes.
Keep out
- Food/drink cartons.
- Plastic packaging.
- Plastic bags.
- Glass.
- Foil.
- Used paper cups.
- Foam cups.
- Used paper plates and straws.
- Foil or glitter wrapping paper.
- Gift bags containing non-paper materials.
Extra cardboard
Bexley’s ordinary side-recycling exception is flattened cardboard boxes no larger than about half a square metre.
Keep other recycling inside the correct container.
Bexley White-Lidded Bin: Plastic, Glass, Cans and Cartons
Empty containers, give food packaging a quick rinse and put accepted items into the bin loose.
Accepted
- Glass bottles and jars.
- Plastic bottles.
- Yoghurt pots.
- Spread tubs.
- Meat, fruit and ready-meal trays.
- Food and drink cartons.
- Food tins.
- Drink cans.
- Clean aluminium foil.
- Clean foil trays.
- Plastic tubes such as toothpaste/icing tubes.
- Metal tubes such as tomato-purée tubes.
- Suitable sweet/cake tubs and tins.
- Plastic plant pots.
Keep out
- Plastic film.
- Crisp packets.
- Carrier bags.
- Black sacks.
- Cut-flower cellophane.
- Mirrors.
- Sheet glass.
- Light bulbs.
- Pyrex/glass cookware.
- Drinking glasses.
- Pet-food pouches.
- Polystyrene.
- Nappies.
- Batteries.
- Electrical items.
Batteries, vapes and electrical items should never be hidden in ordinary rubbish or recycling bins.
Check wheelie-bin recycling
Bexley Food Waste Collection: Weekly
Food waste is collected every week.
The standard system includes a 23-litre outdoor brown food box and a 10-litre kitchen caddy.
Accepted food
- Fruit and vegetables.
- Peelings.
- Food scraps.
- Egg shells.
- Cooked or raw meat.
- Bones.
- Fish and fish bones.
- Bread.
- Rice.
- Pasta.
- Tea bags.
- Coffee grounds.
Kitchen-caddy liner
You can use:
- A suitable starch bag.
- Old newspaper.
- A paper bag.
Do not use an ordinary plastic bag in the food caddy.
Keep out
- Garden waste.
- Plastic packaging.
What happens to collected food?
Bexley sends food waste to Biogen in Hoddesdon for anaerobic digestion, which produces energy and fertiliser.
Check Bexley food waste
Bexley Recycling Boxes: Current Colour Rules
Where wheelie recycling bins are unsuitable, Bexley can issue recycling boxes instead.
Important source update: Bexley’s current dedicated recycling-box page lists the green box for paper/card and lists both black and maroon boxes for the accepted plastic, glass, cans and carton stream.
If an older label or property instruction differs, follow the label issued to your actual container or confirm it with Waste Services.
| Box | Current dedicated-page guidance |
|---|---|
| Green | Clean, dry paper and cardboard. |
| Black | Accepted mixed container recycling: plastic packaging, glass bottles/jars, cans and cartons. |
| Maroon | Accepted mixed container recycling: plastic packaging, glass bottles/jars, cans and cartons. |
| Brown food box | Weekly food waste. |
Green box accepted
- Newspapers and magazines.
- Letters and envelopes.
- Junk mail.
- Cereal boxes.
- Dry food/medicine packaging.
- Paper bags.
- Flattened cardboard.
Black/maroon accepted
- Glass bottles and jars.
- Plastic bottles.
- Yoghurt pots.
- Spread tubs.
- Accepted food trays.
- Food/drink cartons.
- Food and drink cans.
- Clean foil.
- Foil trays.
- Plastic and metal tubes.
- Suitable tubs/tins.
Check Bexley recycling boxes
Bexley Clear Recycling Sacks
Some addresses that cannot use wheelie bins or boxes receive clear disposable recycling sacks.
Put clear sacks out by 6am on the collection day.
Current clear-sack page accepts
- Paper.
- Cardboard.
- Plastic bottles.
- Plastic pots.
- Plastic tubs.
- Plastic trays.
- Glass bottles.
- Glass jars.
- Food and drink cans.
Current clear-sack page says keep out
- Food/drink cartons.
- Food waste.
- Garden waste.
- Nappies.
- Polystyrene.
- Textiles.
Older broad policy wording has included cartons in clear sacks, but the current dedicated clear-sack page lists cartons under “will not collect”.
This guide therefore follows the current task-specific page: keep cartons out of clear sacks.
How often are sacks supplied?
Bexley says clear recycling bags are normally delivered every six months. Extra bags can be requested if required.
General rubbish at these properties
Use resident-supplied black bags where the address has Bexley’s approved single-use residual service.
Check Bexley clear-sack rules
Bexley Bin Collections for Flats and Communal Buildings
Communal properties can have different container sizes and collection frequencies from ordinary houses.
Typical communal recycling
- Blue bins for paper/card.
- Green and silver bins for accepted glass, plastic packaging, cartons and cans.
- Separate food-waste service where provided.
- Communal residual containers.
Collection frequency
Communal residual and recycling can be weekly or fortnightly depending on the development.
Containers may need to remain accessible throughout the week
Unless a special arrangement exists, Bexley’s policy says communal bins should be accessible for collection seven days a week because a specific collection day is not always guaranteed.
Locked bin store
The managing agent is responsible for making sure crews have any necessary key, code or electronic access.
Loose waste can block the whole collection
Do not leave furniture, bags or loose recycling around communal bins.
If crews cannot safely access the container, it may remain unemptied until the next scheduled collection after the obstruction is removed.
Chute blocks
A small number of blocks use chute systems. Waste for those properties should follow the building’s chute arrangement; loose waste around communal containers is not collected.
Bexley Missed Bin: Report Within the Correct Window
Before reporting
- Check the collection date.
- Check blue-lid versus white-lid week.
- Confirm the container was presented by 6am.
- Confirm it was at the correct front-edge location.
- Check the lid was shut.
- Check the container was not overweight.
- Check for a red tag/hanger.
- Confirm the correct waste was inside.
| Service | Current reporting deadline after scheduled collection |
|---|---|
| Residual rubbish | 3 working days |
| Dry recycling | 2 working days |
| Food waste | 2 working days |
| Garden waste | 5 working days |
Accepted missed collection
Bexley’s household collection policy says the contractor should return for an accepted missed collection within 48 hours / two working days.
Red tag?
A red-tagged service cannot normally be reported as a missed collection until after the next scheduled collection.
Regular genuine misses?
Use the Waste and Recycling enquiry route so the council can investigate a repeated property or round problem rather than simply submitting identical isolated reports.
Report a Bexley missed collection
What Does a Red Tag on a Bexley Bin Mean?
A red tag identifies a contamination, presentation, capacity or service problem.
Common causes
- Wrong waste inside.
- Recycling contamination.
- Garden waste in ordinary rubbish/recycling.
- Hazardous or clinical waste in the wrong bin.
- Open lid.
- Overfilled container.
- Overweight container.
- Unauthorised additional rubbish bin.
- Unpaid garden-waste service.
What to do
-
Read the tag or hanger.
Identify the marked problem. -
Correct it.
Remove contamination, excess or heavy material. -
Use the correct disposal route.
A recycling centre, garden service, clinical service or specialist route may be needed. -
Present correctly next time.
Do not file an ordinary missed-bin report for a correctly red-tagged refusal.
Bexley £40 Additional Rubbish Collection
Current price: £40.
The additional service covers up to six sacks or approximately one wheeled-bin quantity of eligible residual waste.
Useful when
- Your ordinary residual bin was put out too late.
- You have excess residual side waste.
- A recycling wheeled bin was contaminated and the material now needs residual disposal.
- You need one extra unscheduled residual collection.
Limits
- Card payment only.
- Maximum five additional wheeled-bin collections per household per calendar year.
- Collection within two working days after payment under the current policy.
- Garden waste is excluded.
This is not a permanent alternative to the normal fortnightly rubbish and recycling system.
To arrange it, Bexley currently directs residents to call 020 8303 7777.
Bexley Garden Waste: Current 2026 Price and 12-Month Subscription
Current price: £87, or £82 for the first bin when paying by Direct Debit.
Up to four additional garden bins can be added for £67 each.
| Garden-service point | Current rule |
|---|---|
| First bin | £87 |
| First bin by Direct Debit | £82 |
| Additional bin | £67 each |
| Maximum | First bin + up to 4 additional bins. |
| Subscription | 12 months. |
| New subscription starts | 14 days after signup/payment. |
| Collections | 25 per subscription year. |
| Frequency | Every 2 weeks except festive suspension. |
Current-price period versus your subscription
The council’s current terms state that the present £87/£82 rate applies until 31 March 2027.
That is the price schedule, not a statement that every subscriber’s service ends on 31 March. Individual subscriptions last 12 months and start 14 days after signup.
Christmas gap
The normal service is suspended for two weeks over Christmas/New Year, creating four weeks between affected garden-waste collections.
New bin delivery
Bexley says a new subscriber’s garden bin is normally delivered within about 10 days.
Accepted
- Grass cuttings.
- Hedge cuttings.
- Weeds.
- Plants.
- Flowers.
- Dead leaves.
- Twigs.
- Fallen fruit.
- Real Christmas trees prepared to the current seasonal instructions.
Keep out
- Bagged waste.
- Food waste.
- Plastic bags.
- Plant pots.
- Manure.
- Dog waste.
- Cat litter.
- Pet bedding.
- Soil.
- Stones.
- Gravel.
- Rubble.
- Fences.
- MDF.
- Treated wood.
- Branches/logs over the council’s published 6cm size limit.
Garden waste loose inside
Do not bag garden waste inside the brown wheelie bin.
Share a subscription?
Bexley allows residents to share one garden bin where the membership is registered to one property and the bin is presented outside that registered address.
Moving within Bexley
Tell the garden-waste team and transfer the subscription. Take the paid garden bin with you.
Moving outside Bexley
Cancel or let the prepaid service finish. Bexley does not provide normal partial refunds for an unused part of the year.
First signup cooling-off period
A first-time subscriber can cancel for a full refund within 14 days, subject to the current service terms.
After that period, the account can be cancelled but no normal partial refund is provided.
Direct Debit
Direct Debit subscriptions renew automatically after the annual term unless cancelled in time.
No subscription?
Bexley residents can take household garden waste to Foots Cray or Thames Road reuse and recycling centres instead.
Check Bexley garden waste
Missing, Damaged and Replacement Bexley Bins
| Container | Current available options |
|---|---|
| General rubbish | 140L or 180L; larger residual capacity requires authorisation. |
| Blue-lidded recycling | 140L, 180L or 240L. |
| White-lidded recycling | 140L, 180L or 240L. |
| Outdoor food box | Fox-resistant replacement available. |
| Kitchen caddy | Replacement available. |
Delivery target
Bexley’s household policy says replacement or additional containers are normally delivered within 10 working days.
You may receive a reused bin
Replacement containers are not always brand new. Bexley can supply a cleaned and repaired second-hand bin.
Dirty is not damaged
A usable bin will not normally be replaced simply because it is dirty or smells.
Missing?
Check nearby houses and the surrounding street before ordering a replacement.
Damaged?
Leave the damaged container accessible where instructed so it can be repaired or exchanged.
Bin fell into the vehicle?
Collection crews report containers accidentally lost into the collection vehicle so the council can replace them through its normal process.
Moving house
Ordinary council rubbish, recycling and food containers remain at the property.
The paid brown garden bin is the exception where an active subscription is being transferred to another Bexley address.
Request a Bexley bin or caddy
Can You Get a Larger Bexley General Rubbish Bin?
140L small-family bin
A smaller 140-litre container can be requested and is recommended for some one- or two-person households.
180L standard bin
The standard residual-waste allocation is 180 litres.
240L large-family bin
Households with six or more permanent residents can qualify for the 240-litre large-family size.
Need more than the large-family bin?
Bexley does not simply issue another rubbish bin on request.
The process can include:
-
Discuss the capacity problem.
Waste Services checks the household circumstances. -
Use existing recycling fully.
Additional recycling capacity is preferred over residual capacity. -
Waste audit if required.
The residual bin can be assessed to see what could have been recycled. -
Larger or double-bin service only where justified.
Approval depends on genuine residual waste remaining after proper recycling.
Exceptional double-bin households
Examples can include:
- Families with three or more children in nappies.
- Adults producing unusually large quantities of non-hazardous medical waste such as incontinence pads.
Approved second bins receive official identifying stickers.
An unauthorised second general-rubbish bin can be left and red-tagged.
Bexley Assisted Bin Collection
The assisted service is for residents unable to move rubbish or recycling to the normal collection point because of illness, disability or mobility problems.
It can also apply where the property itself cannot reasonably use a standard front-edge presentation.
How it works
An alternative accessible storage/collection position is agreed.
The crew collects the containers from there and returns them after emptying.
After applying
The Environmental Services Team says it will normally contact the applicant within five working days to discuss the request.
Approval is assessed
Not every request is automatically approved.
Keep the route safe
- Leave necessary gates unlocked.
- Keep access clear.
- Store the containers in the agreed location.
- Tell the council if circumstances change.
Periodic review
The household collection policy allows eligibility checks at least every three years.
Request assisted collection
Bexley Bulky Waste Collection: Current Price Warning
Standard weekday bulky collections currently start from £50. The final cost depends on the number and size of items.
Saturday price currently conflicts on Bexley’s own page
The current page’s top Saturday notice says prices start from £65.50, while its pricing section says £67.50.
Because the official page itself is inconsistent, this guide does not choose one Saturday figure. Use the price shown in the live booking checkout before paying.
Common accepted items
- Sofas.
- Beds.
- Tables.
- Wardrobes.
- Other furniture.
- Washing machines.
- Fridges.
- Cookers.
- Dishwashers.
- Tumble dryers.
- Eligible DIY waste.
- Eligible bulky household rubbish.
Not accepted
- Pianos.
- Large quantities of rubble.
- Garden waste.
- Hazardous waste.
- Clinical waste.
- Large house-clearance quantities of black sacks.
- Commercial waste.
- Textiles that have a separate collection/reuse route.
Have everything ready before 6am
The live service says collections can take place any time after 6am.
Bexley’s broader household policy separately uses a 6:30am bulky presentation deadline. Having the booked items outside and accessible before 6am safely satisfies both instructions.
Collection location
- Outside the home.
- Neatly grouped.
- Accessible to crews.
- Not on the public highway.
- Not inside the home under the normal service.
- Not in a rear garden unless suitable side access exists and it matches the booking arrangement.
Only booked items
Crews collect only what appears on the booking.
Need to change items?
The current service says a paid booking cannot simply be edited. Cancel and rebook where a change is needed.
Cancellation
The live service accepts cancellations up to one working day before collection.
Pension customers
Bexley says pension recipients can receive additional item capacity for the same price in qualifying bookings, and evidence can be requested.
Reuse first
Usable furniture and appliances may be suitable for charity, reuse groups or the Community Reuse Shop instead of disposal.
Check Bexley bulky collection
Bexley Clinical Waste and Sharps
Clinical bags and sharps use a free specialist collection, not the ordinary household-bin service.
Yellow sharps boxes
Use them for:
- Syringe needles.
- Vials.
- Other contaminated disposable sharps.
Sharps boxes are collected on request.
Bexley currently provides 1-litre and 5-litre sizes and supplies replacements two at a time.
Orange clinical bags
The weekly service can include:
- Contaminated dressings.
- Swabs.
- Catheters.
- Dialysis waste.
Supporting evidence
A weekly bagged-clinical-waste application requires a letter signed by a GP, hospital or district nurse.
Treatment provided by a healthcare professional at home
Waste created by the healthcare professional should normally be removed by that professional/service provider rather than transferred to the resident’s household collection.
Ordinary non-infectious hygiene waste
Incontinence pads, nappies and sanitary protection can normally be double-bagged for residual rubbish where no other medical concern applies.
Stoma bags should be emptied into the toilet first and then double-bagged.
Unused medicines
Take unused medicines to a pharmacy.
Check Bexley clinical-waste service
Clothes, Batteries, Vapes and Small Electricals
TRAID clothing home collection
Bexley partners with TRAID for free clothing reuse collections from households, including flats.
Accepted through TRAID
- Clothes.
- Shoes.
- Accessories.
- A small bag of broken small/medium electricals alongside a qualifying clothing collection.
Minimum clothing booking
The current service accepts a booking from one large bag or three small bags of clothing.
Batteries and vapes
Do not place batteries, vapes or battery-powered electrical items in ordinary rubbish or recycling containers.
Household batteries and vapes can use suitable drop-off routes including:
- Bexley’s reuse/recycling centres.
- Council libraries.
- Civic Offices.
- Participating supermarkets.
Larger electricals
Use the recycling centres or the paid bulky-waste service where appropriate.
Check textile collection
Check batteries and electricals
Bexley Reuse and Recycling Centres
| Centre | Address | Current hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foots Cray | Maidstone Road, Foots Cray, DA14 5HS | 7:30am–4pm; closed Wednesday. |
| Thames Road | Thames Road, Crayford, DA1 5QJ | 7:30am–4pm every day. |
Both centres close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Proof of Bexley address
Be prepared to show:
- A valid driving licence, or
- A Bexley Council Tax bill.
Out-of-borough residents are not admitted under the household resident service.
Foots Cray pedestrian access
Residents can access Foots Cray by vehicle or on foot.
Thames Road recycling-centre access
The resident recycling-centre area at Thames Road is vehicle access only.
Van rules
Vans are not accepted in the ordinary resident reuse/recycling-centre areas.
Residents with vans use the Thames Road Transfer Station route instead.
250kg annual resident van allowance
The current Thames Road Transfer Station rule gives eligible Bexley residents using vans a 250kg annual free household-waste allowance, subject to identification and proof-of-address requirements.
Twin-axle trailers
Twin-axle trailers cannot use the normal resident recycling-centre route and are subject to the transfer-station restrictions.
Cars need rear seats/windows
A vehicle that looks/functionally operates as a van can be redirected even if the owner describes it as a car.
Household asbestos
Bexley provides a controlled route for certain household asbestos material.
- Asbestos must be double-wrapped in strong polythene.
- Seal all edges with strong broad tape.
- Report to site staff before disposal.
- Asbestos water tanks are not accepted.
Hazardous chemicals
Chemicals, certain fuels, pesticides and similar hazardous materials need the specialist hazardous-waste route rather than ordinary recycling-centre containers.
Contractor waste
Waste produced by a tradesperson or contractor while working at your home is commercial waste for disposal purposes and should not be passed off as your household waste.
Reuse
Suitable furniture, bicycles and other usable household goods can be diverted into reuse rather than disposal, including through the Community Reuse Shop.
Check Bexley recycling centres
Check hazardous-waste guidance
Bexley Bank Holiday, Christmas and New Year Collections
Do not apply a permanent “one day later” rule.
Bexley publishes revised arrangements for individual holiday periods and WasteWorks remains the safest address-specific source.
Why saved holiday tables can become wrong
- Easter can use one pattern.
- Spring Bank Holiday can use another.
- Summer Bank Holiday arrangements should be checked separately.
- Christmas/New Year receives its own revised timetable.
Garden waste
The subscribed garden service has a festive suspension, creating a longer gap between affected collections.
Christmas side waste
Bexley’s household policy allows special Christmas/New Year arrangements for extra/side waste, but those rules are published separately for the relevant festive period.
This page deliberately does not copy an old Christmas table into 2026/27 before the council publishes the current address-specific arrangements.
Recheck my Bexley date Check revised holiday arrangements
Moving Home in Bexley
Moving in
- Search the exact address in WasteWorks.
- Identify wheeled bins, boxes, sacks or communal service.
- Check that council containers were left by the previous resident.
- Request genuine missing containers.
- Do not assume a previous occupier’s garden subscription remains active for you.
New development
For new developments, the developer has first responsibility for arranging required containers, with the new occupier as the second route where necessary.
Large development/container orders can take longer than a normal household replacement request.
Moving out
Leave normal council rubbish, recycling and food containers at the property.
Take the paid garden bin only when transferring an active garden-waste subscription to another Bexley address.
Bexley Bin Collection Contact Number
Bexley’s main Contact Centre number is 020 8303 7777.
Use online self-service first for
- Collection dates.
- Missed bins.
- Replacement containers.
- Garden subscriptions.
- Bulky-waste bookings.
- Clinical/sharps requests.
Phone can be useful for
- The £40 additional rubbish collection.
- Residents unable to use the online garden-waste system.
- Assisted-collection help.
- A collection problem not covered by a standard form.
Prepare before contacting Waste Services
- Full address.
- Postcode.
- Container/lid colour.
- Scheduled date.
- Whether a red tag was attached.
- Whether neighbours were collected.
- Previous report/reference number.
Open Bexley contact options
How to Escalate an Unresolved Bexley Waste Problem
A normal missed collection, replacement request or other fault is a service request first.
Use the formal complaint process when the problem remains unresolved or you are dissatisfied with how the council or its contractor handled it.
Early resolution
The current 2026 complaints procedure aims to resolve suitable issues within five working days before moving into formal Stage 1.
Stage 1
The detailed 2026 procedure says a written Stage 1 response should normally be issued within 10 working days of acknowledgement.
A particularly complex case can be extended by up to a further 10 working days, with an explanation.
Stage 2
A Stage 2 Review should normally be requested within 20 working days of the Stage 1 response.
- Acknowledgement: within 5 working days.
- Review by a senior manager not previously involved.
- Normal response: within 20 working days of acknowledgement.
- Complex case: extension up to a further 20 working days with explanation.
Keep evidence
- Collection dates.
- WasteWorks/report references.
- Photos of correct presentation where relevant.
- Garden-payment records.
- Bulky booking/payment details.
- Dates of calls and enquiries.
Check Bexley complaints procedure
Nearby London Bin Collection Guides
Do not apply Bexley’s 6am, blue/white-lid or garden-waste rules to a property served by another borough.
30-Second Bexley Bin-Night Checklist
- Search the exact property.
- Confirm your service type.
- Check blue-lid versus white-lid week.
- Remember food waste is weekly.
- General rubbish is normally fortnightly.
- Present containers by 6am.
- Do not normally put them out before 6pm the previous day.
- Use the front edge of the property.
- Close wheelie-bin lids fully.
- Keep containers light enough for safe handling.
- Put wheelie-bin recycling loose inside.
- Keep batteries, vapes and electricals out.
- Garden waste requires the paid garden bin.
- Normal residual side waste is not collected.
- Only use the flattened-cardboard side-recycling exception.
- Check for a red tag before reporting a miss.
- Report within the correct missed-service deadline.
Bexley Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my Bexley bin collection day?
Use Bexley’s WasteWorks postcode service, select the exact property and check rubbish, food, recycling and subscribed garden-waste dates separately.
What time should Bexley bins be put out?
Use 6am as the safe presentation deadline. Bexley’s general collection policy and public missed-bin page both tell residents to have containers at the correct collection point by 6am.
How often is general rubbish collected in Bexley?
Standard suitable low-rise properties normally receive general residual-rubbish collection every two weeks.
What goes in Bexley’s blue-lidded recycling bin?
The blue-lidded bin is for clean, dry paper and cardboard such as newspapers, magazines, letters, envelopes, paper bags, cereal boxes and flattened cardboard.
What goes in Bexley’s white-lidded recycling bin?
It accepts specified plastic packaging, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, cartons, clean foil, foil trays and certain plastic or metal tubes.
How often is Bexley food waste collected?
Household food waste is normally collected weekly. Do not line the kitchen caddy with an ordinary plastic bag; use a suitable starch liner, newspaper or paper bag.
How much is Bexley garden waste collection in 2026?
The current first-bin price is £87 for a 12-month subscription, or £82 when paying by Direct Debit. Additional garden bins currently cost £67 each, up to four extras.
When can I report a missed Bexley collection?
Current policy allows reports within three working days for residual waste, two working days for dry recycling, two working days for food waste and five working days for subscribed garden waste.
How quickly should Bexley return for a valid missed bin?
Bexley’s collection policy says its contractor should return for an accepted missed collection within 48 hours or two working days.
What does a red tag mean?
It means the container was rejected because of a problem such as wrong waste, contamination, an open lid, excessive weight, unauthorised capacity or an inactive paid garden-waste service.
How much is an extra Bexley rubbish collection?
The current charge is £40 for up to six residual-waste sacks or roughly one wheeled-bin quantity. Bexley limits the service to five additional wheeled-bin collections per household per calendar year.
Where are Bexley’s household recycling centres?
Bexley operates Foots Cray Reuse and Recycling Centre on Maidstone Road, DA14 5HS, and Thames Road Reuse and Recycling Centre in Crayford, DA1 5QJ. Check proof-of-address and vehicle rules before travelling.