Carrickfergus Bin Collection Days: Check Your Calendar, Bin Type & Recycling Route
Carrickfergus household waste is managed by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. For black and brown bins, use the council’s address-based collection calendar. For dry recycling, current council guidance still directs Carrickfergus households using kerbie boxes to the Bryson Recycling collection-day service.
A major recycling change is also underway. Mid and East Antrim is moving Carrickfergus and Ballymena households from separated kerbie boxes to a single 240-litre blue recycling bin during the 2026/27 rollout. Until your household receives confirmed changeover instructions, follow the container system currently assigned to your address.
Carrickfergus Bin Collection: Quick Answer
For black and brown wheelie-bin dates, use Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s official collection calendar and select your exact address. Current council guidance lists black residual waste and brown food/garden waste as fortnightly services.
Carrickfergus dry recycling is currently listed as a weekly Bryson Recycling kerbie-box service. Because the borough is introducing a new blue-bin recycling model during 2026/27, use the recycling container actually supplied to your property and follow any changeover notice you receive.
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How to Check Your Carrickfergus Bin Collection Day
Carrickfergus does not have one reliable weekday that can be applied to every household. Mid and East Antrim’s collection page uses an address search for council wheelie-bin collections, while Bryson Recycling handles the Carrickfergus kerbie-box day.
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Open the Mid and East Antrim collection-date page.
Use the live service instead of an old printed rota or a neighbour’s calendar. -
Enter and select your exact address.
Confirm the property before relying on the collection shown. -
Check whether you need the council or Bryson route.
Black and brown bins use the council calendar; current Carrickfergus kerbie-box recycling uses Bryson Recycling. -
Record the container and date together.
Save “black bin — Tuesday” or “kerbie boxes — Thursday”, not only a generic bin day. -
Check alternative dates around holidays.
Mid and East Antrim publishes only the scheduled changes; if a date is not listed as altered, the normal collection is expected to apply.
Carrickfergus Collection Calendar and Normal Frequencies
| Service | Container | Current normal frequency | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residual waste | Black bin | Fortnightly | Mid and East Antrim collection calendar |
| Food & garden waste | Brown bin | Fortnightly | Mid and East Antrim collection calendar |
| Dry recycling | Kerbie boxes | Weekly | Bryson Recycling |
| Future dry recycling | 240L blue bin | Fortnightly once new model is live | Council rollout communications |
Carrickfergus Bin Types and Recycling Containers
Black bin
Residual household waste
For household rubbish that cannot be recycled or composted through the other services.
Brown bin
Food and garden waste
For accepted food scraps and garden material.
Kerbie boxes
Current separated recycling
Bryson currently collects different dry recyclable materials from Carrickfergus households each week.
New blue bin
Future co-mingled recycling
The 240L blue bin will replace box sorting once the new model is formally introduced at the property.
How Carrickfergus Kerbie Boxes Work
Current Mid and East Antrim guidance divides Carrickfergus kerbside recycling into three box groups. The colour of the physical box does not determine the material—the council says it does not matter which colour box is used, provided the materials are correctly separated.
Box 1
- Cardboard
- Paper
Box 2
- Aerosols
- Foil
- Cartons
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic pots
- Plastic tubs
- Plastic trays
Box 3
- Glass bottles
- Glass jars
Kerbie boxes should normally be put out by 7am and left available until 8pm if they have not yet been collected.
New Carrickfergus Blue Bin: What Changes in 2026/27?
Mid and East Antrim is standardising dry recycling across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. Carrickfergus households are due to receive a new 240-litre blue bin for accepted dry recycling.
One recycling bin
The new model is co-mingled, meaning accepted dry recycling can be placed together instead of being separated into kerbie boxes.
Blue bin is free
The council states that the new blue recycling bin will be provided to households without a separate charge.
Black and brown stay
The council’s current harmonisation FAQ says there are no planned changes to black-bin or brown-bin collections as part of this dry-recycling change.
Accepted materials in the future blue bin are expected to include paper, cardboard, accepted plastics, food and drink cans, aerosols, clean foil, cartons and glass.
Carrickfergus Black Bin: Fortnightly General Waste
The black bin is the residual-waste container and is normally collected every two weeks. It is for waste that cannot use the recycling, brown-bin or household-recycling-centre routes.
Examples that can go in
- Pet droppings and litter
- Plastic bags
- Toothpaste tubes
- Composite snack tubes
- Non-recyclable soft-plastic packaging
Keep these out
- Food waste
- Garden waste
- Recyclable materials
- Rubble and building waste
- Paint tins and similar DIY waste
Carrickfergus Brown Bin and Food Waste
Carrickfergus brown bins are used for organic food and garden waste and are normally collected fortnightly. Kitchen food scraps can first go into the household caddy and then into the outdoor brown bin using suitable compostable liners.
Food waste
Use the caddy for accepted household food waste, tie the compostable liner when full and place it into the brown bin.
Garden waste
Use the brown bin for accepted garden material rather than putting it into the black residual-waste bin.
Bin Presentation Rules: 7am, Closed Lid and No Side Waste
Ready by 7am
Black bins, brown bins, blue bins and kerbie boxes should be presented by 7am.
Leave it available
If the container has not yet been emptied, Mid and East Antrim advises leaving it out until 8pm.
Handles towards the road
Present the wheelie bin at the kerbside or agreed collection point with the handles facing the roadside.
Lid must close
Overfilled, excessively heavy or damaged containers can be refused, and ordinary side waste is not normally collected.
Carrickfergus Bin or Kerbie Boxes Not Collected
First confirm the correct date. A genuine missed collection can happen because of bad weather, vehicle breakdown or road closures, but contamination or incorrect presentation follows a different process.
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Check the correct collection calendar.
Use Mid and East Antrim for black and brown bins and Bryson for current Carrickfergus kerbie boxes. -
Check presentation.
Confirm the container was available by 7am, the lid closed and access was clear. -
Look for a refusal sticker.
If the bin was contaminated or incorrectly presented, correct the issue and follow the next-collection guidance. -
Check service-disruption information.
If the council has already identified a disruption, leave the bin presented as instructed. -
Report a genuine miss promptly.
Use Council Direct, the Waste Helpdesk or the appropriate Bryson route.
Black bin
Where a qualifying service disruption caused the miss, council guidance says the bin will normally be collected within 24 hours and no later than 48 hours, weather permitting.
Brown bin
A missed organic collection should be reported within 24 hours. Normal recovery is within 24–48 hours, although winter capacity can mean waiting until the next collection.
Kerbie boxes before noon
Bryson’s current policy says a qualifying non-collection reported before noon is collected the same day.
Kerbie boxes after noon
A qualifying non-collection reported after noon is normally collected on the next working day.
Assisted Collections and Extra Bin Capacity
Assisted lift
If you are physically unable to put the bin out and nobody can do it for you, you can apply for the free collect-and-return service. When approved, the crew retrieves the bin from the agreed location, empties it and returns it.
Additional capacity
Households with larger families or medical needs that create extra non-recyclable waste can apply for additional residual capacity. The council currently describes eligible households as potentially receiving up to 480 litres of residual capacity.
Bulky Waste Collection in Carrickfergus
Mid and East Antrim offers one free bulky collection of up to three standard items per household each financial year, unless the item is classed as oversized. Further collections are chargeable.
The council’s pricing schedule also lists up to 12 units at £59.40. Oversized items, green waste and some larger requests require an assessment before a price or collection can be confirmed.
Sullatober Household Recycling Centre, Carrickfergus
The main household recycling centre in Carrickfergus is Sullatober HRC, 10 Marshallstown Road, Carrickfergus BT38 9DE. It is for additional household waste and recyclable material that cannot be managed through ordinary kerbside collections.
| Day | Current published opening time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 9am–5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am–5pm |
| Thursday | 9am–7pm |
| Friday | 9am–7pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
Bank Holidays and Alternative Carrickfergus Collection Dates
Do not automatically move every holiday collection by one day. Mid and East Antrim publishes only the collections that are officially changed. If a date is not shown on the alternative-collection page, the council says the collection remains scheduled as normal.
Check the normal date
Start with the address calendar or Bryson kerbie-box service.
Check alternatives
Look for the specific original collection date on the council’s alternative-date page.
Recheck at Christmas
Christmas and New Year arrangements should be checked close to the holiday rather than copied from a previous year.
Official Carrickfergus Waste Services
Open council collection calendar
Open kerbie-box guidance
Open harmonisation FAQs
Open missed-collection guidance
Open bin-help service
Open HRC information
Carrickfergus Bin Collection FAQs
Who collects household bins in Carrickfergus?
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council manages black and brown household-bin collections. Bryson Recycling currently operates the Carrickfergus kerbie-box dry-recycling service.
How often is the black bin collected in Carrickfergus?
The normal residual black-bin service is fortnightly. Use the council’s address calendar for the exact date.
How often is the brown bin collected?
Food and garden waste in the brown bin is normally collected fortnightly.
How often are Carrickfergus kerbie boxes collected?
The current council collection page lists Carrickfergus kerbie-box dry recycling as a weekly Bryson Recycling service.
What time should Carrickfergus bins be put out?
Bins and kerbie boxes should be presented by 7am. If they have not been collected, leave them available until 8pm.
Is Carrickfergus changing from kerbie boxes to blue bins?
Yes. Mid and East Antrim plans to move Carrickfergus households to a 240-litre co-mingled blue recycling bin during the 2026/27 rollout. Continue using your current service until the council confirms the change for your property.
What should I do if my Carrickfergus bin is missed?
Check the correct date, presentation, access and contamination first. Then check the council’s disruption page and report a genuine missed collection through the appropriate council or Bryson route.
Where is the Carrickfergus recycling centre?
Sullatober Household Recycling Centre is at 10 Marshallstown Road, Carrickfergus BT38 9DE. Check the live council page for current opening and holiday arrangements before travelling.
Best Next Step: Check the Service Attached to Your Address
For black and brown bins, use the Mid and East Antrim address calendar. For Carrickfergus dry recycling, check whether your property is still using weekly Bryson kerbie boxes or has received formal instructions for the new blue-bin service.
Put the correct container out by 7am, keep lids closed and leave uncollected containers available until 8pm unless the council gives different disruption instructions.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not Mid and East Antrim Borough Council or Bryson Recycling. Live dates, rollout status, missed-collection reports, bulky bookings and recycling-centre closures should be confirmed through the responsible official service.