Derbyshire South Bin Collection: Days, Calendar, Bin Colours & Food Waste
Looking for your next collection in Swadlincote, Melbourne, Hilton, Repton or another South Derbyshire community? South Derbyshire District Council sets household rubbish, recycling, garden-waste and food-waste collection dates for properties in its district.
Use the council’s live postcode calendar to check your exact day. This guide explains the black, green and brown bins, the black inner recycling caddy, the separate weekly food-waste service introduced in June 2026 and what to do if a collection is missed.
South Derbyshire Bin Collection: Quick Answer
Enter your postcode or address into South Derbyshire District Council’s bin collection calendar. The correct day depends on your property. The online service can show collection dates and provide a downloadable calendar.
Place the scheduled bins or caddies at the edge of your property by 6am. Since 1 June 2026, food waste has been collected separately every week. It must no longer be mixed with garden waste in the larger brown wheelie bin.
Find the bin information you need
How to Find Your South Derbyshire Bin Collection Day
South Derbyshire has different rounds for different addresses. A calendar from another street may show the wrong dates, even if the property is in the same town.
- Open the official collection-date service. Go to South Derbyshire District Council’s bin collection dates page.
- Search using your postcode. Use the address or property search offered by the council.
- Select your exact property. Check the house number, flat or building before opening the collection information.
- Review each waste stream. Check general rubbish, dry recycling, garden waste and the separate food-waste collection.
- Record the next scheduled dates. Do not assume all bins are emptied on the same day or follow the same frequency.
- Save or download the calendar. Keep the current version handy and recheck it after route changes.
South Derbyshire Bin Collection Calendar 2026
The council provides online bin collection information and an option to download a calendar for the property. This is more reliable than using a generic 2026 PDF intended for another collection round.
Postcode lookup
Find dates using your home’s postcode and the correct property selection.
Download calendar
Save or print the schedule provided for your property.
My Council map
Search for an address, open My House and view the council information associated with that property.
How Often Are South Derbyshire Bins Collected?
Different streams have different collection cycles. Rubbish, dry recycling and garden waste are commonly shown on fortnightly rounds, while the new separate food-waste service operates weekly.
| Container | General collection pattern | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Black wheelie bin | Normally fortnightly household rubbish collection. | Your exact property calendar. |
| Green recycling bin | Normally fortnightly dry recycling collection. | Your exact property calendar. |
| Black inner recycling caddy | Collected as part of the green-bin recycling arrangement. | Your recycling calendar and council sorting instructions. |
| Brown garden bin | Normally fortnightly garden-waste collection. | Your exact property calendar. |
| Brown food-waste caddy | Weekly, introduced 1 June 2026. | Property calendar and current food-waste service instructions. |
These typical intervals do not establish your next collection date. Check the official calendar for the day, date and any holiday or operational variation that applies to your property.
South Derbyshire Bin Colours: What Goes Where?
The distinction between the green recycling bin and its black inner caddy is important. The smaller black recycling caddy is not the same as the full-size black refuse wheelie bin.
General rubbish
Non-recyclable household waste such as nappies, sanitary products, polystyrene and other items not accepted in the recycling service.
Mixed recyclables
Accepted glass bottles, cans, plastic bottles, food tubs, cartons and other permitted recyclable packaging.
Paper and card
Newspapers, clean cardboard, magazines and other paper products inside the green recycling system.
Garden waste
Grass cuttings, leaves, prunings and suitable garden materials. Food waste must now be kept separate.
| Material | Correct route | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Newspapers, letters, cardboard | Black caddy inside green bin | Flatten boxes and remove unsuitable packaging. |
| Glass bottles and jars | Green bin | Empty and remove food or liquid residue. |
| Food tins and cans | Green bin | Ensure containers are empty and reasonably clean. |
| Plastic bottles and accepted food packaging | Green bin | Check the council’s current plastic-recycling list. |
| Grass, leaves and garden cuttings | Brown wheelie bin | Avoid soil, rubble and excessive weight. |
| Cooked food, bones and vegetable peelings | Separate food-waste caddy | Do not put food in the garden wheelie bin. |
| Nappies, used tissues and polystyrene | Black refuse bin | Bag waste where appropriate. |
| Batteries and electrical items | Specialist recycling | Keep out of ordinary bins and caddies. |
Weekly Food-Waste Collections Introduced in June 2026
South Derbyshire introduced separate weekly household food-waste collections on 1 June 2026 as part of England’s Simpler Recycling reforms.
Before the change, some food waste was accepted alongside garden waste in the large brown wheelie bin. The council now requires food waste and garden waste to be separated.
23-litre outdoor caddy
A small brown kerbside food-waste container is used for presenting food waste to the collection crew each week.
Indoor kitchen caddy
Collect food scraps in the smaller kitchen container before transferring them into the outdoor caddy.
Flats and communal bins
Residents of flats may have a separate delivery and communal collection arrangement. Follow the instructions supplied for the building.
What can go in the food-waste caddy?
- Cooked or uncooked vegetables and fruit
- Meat, fish, bones and eggshells
- Bread, cakes, rice and pasta
- Cheese and other dairy food
- Plate scrapings and meal leftovers
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Beans, pulses and suitable pet food
Keep out packaging, foil, glass, cardboard, ordinary recycling, liquids and garden waste. The council prefers compostable liners and provided a starter supply with kitchen caddies; its current advice also permits bags for lining the food-waste caddy.
What if you did not receive a food-waste caddy?
South Derbyshire reported completing the main delivery of more than 50,000 caddies in 2026. Residents whose properties were missed can contact the council to arrange delivery. For flats, check whether the building’s communal containers and instructions have arrived.
Collection-Day Rules: Have Your Bins Out by 6am
South Derbyshire crews can change their collection order, so a vehicle arriving later than usual does not mean the bin was missed. The official presentation deadline is 6am.
Be ready by 6am
Put bins at the edge of your property by 6am. You can place them out the previous evening.
Keep lids closed
Overfilled bins or containers with an open lid may be refused.
No extra side waste
Additional waste left beside black, brown or food-waste bins is not collected.
Cardboard exception
Flattened cardboard can be placed beside the green recycling bin if each piece or bundle is no larger than about a small microwave box.
Do not overload
Waste that makes a container too heavy to move safely can prevent emptying.
Sort correctly
A contamination sticker or hanger explains why an incorrectly filled bin was left.
Missed South Derbyshire Bin Collection: What to Do
South Derbyshire asks residents to report a collection when their bin was correctly presented by 6am, was due for collection and has not been emptied without an explanatory contamination sticker or hanger.
- Confirm your collection date. Check the council’s official property calendar before reporting.
- Allow the collection round to finish. Vehicles may arrive later than usual because collection order or operational conditions have changed.
- Look for a sticker or hanger. If unsuitable items caused the problem, remove them before the next scheduled collection.
- Check the presentation requirements. The bin must have been out by 6am, accessible, not overloaded and correctly filled.
- Check council service updates. If a whole round is delayed, follow the latest instructions about leaving the bin available.
- Report an unexplained missed bin. Use South Derbyshire District Council’s missed-bin online form and supply the requested property and collection details.
South Derbyshire Bin Collections on Bank Holidays
Bank holiday dates do not automatically tell you whether a South Derbyshire collection will move. Holiday arrangements should be checked through the council calendar and current service announcements.
The council made specific changes around Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026. Those dates are historical and must not be copied into the Christmas 2026 schedule.
Ordinary bank holidays
Follow your current address calendar unless South Derbyshire announces a change.
Christmas and New Year
Check the 2026 festive collection arrangements when the council publishes them.
Snow or operational delays
Crews may be unable to complete rounds safely. Follow the current service update for missed streets and any catch-up instructions.
New, Missing, Damaged or Larger Wheelie Bins
South Derbyshire provides standard 240-litre wheelie bins for general refuse, dry recycling and garden waste, as well as separate food-waste caddies.
Lost or damaged bins
A bin lost during collection or damaged by the council’s collection vehicle can be replaced free of charge. If damage or loss happens in other circumstances, the council may charge for a replacement.
Larger black bin
Households with six or more residents, or qualifying medical circumstances that increase unavoidable waste, may apply for additional residual-waste capacity.
Second brown garden bin
The council may provide an additional garden-waste bin where a household generates more appropriate garden waste than one bin can hold.
Smaller containers
Smaller bin options can be available for residents with limited waste or property access constraints.
The council’s published 2026/27 fee schedule lists £64.83 for a chargeable replacement 240-litre bin and £77.21 for a chargeable 360-litre bin. These charges are not applicable to every replacement request, particularly where council collection activity caused the loss or damage.
Apply for a new or replacement bin →Bulky Waste Collection: Sofas, Furniture and Fridges
Large household items need a separate disposal route. South Derbyshire offers a chargeable bulky-waste service, while suitable items can also be taken to a household waste recycling centre.
Up to six household items
£42.91 for collection of up to six domestic bulky items, excluding fridges and freezers.
Fridges and freezers
£37.91 per item under the council’s published bulky-waste charges.
Book and pay through the council’s official bulky-waste service. Do not leave large furniture on the pavement or beside normal wheelie bins without an accepted collection arrangement.
Flats, Communal Bin Areas and Assisted Collections
Residents of flats should follow their building’s collection arrangements, particularly for shared bins and the new separate food-waste service. Not every flat received the same individual kerbside setup at the same time.
Flats and communal food waste
Check whether your building has received its food-waste collection equipment and resident instructions. Do not place loose food waste in a shared garden-waste or general-rubbish bin.
Assisted collection
Residents who cannot safely move their bins because of disability, illness or mobility-related circumstances can ask the council about its assisted bin collection service.
Where to Take Extra Waste in South Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Council is responsible for household waste recycling centres in the county. South Derbyshire District Council manages ordinary household kerbside collections.
For South Derbyshire residents, the Newhall Household Waste Recycling Centre is an important nearby option. The council also refers residents to Raynesway for large cardboard and other suitable recycling; Raynesway is operated by Derby City Council, so check its current eligibility and access requirements before visiting.
Newhall recycling centre
Check the Derbyshire County Council service for opening times, acceptable materials, vehicle rules and any site restrictions.
Raynesway recycling centre
Raynesway is a Derby City facility. Check its current entry rules rather than assuming every South Derbyshire resident can use it without restrictions.
Items needing a specialist route can include batteries, electrical goods, household chemicals, rubble and oversized cardboard. Check the relevant facility’s accepted waste list before loading your vehicle.
South Derbyshire Bin Problems and Practical Solutions
| Problem | Possible cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Bin not collected | Route delay, obstruction or presentation issue. | Check service updates and report an unexplained missed bin. |
| Green recycling bin rejected | Wrong items or contaminated materials. | Check the hanger and remove unsuitable waste. |
| Cardboard left behind | Boxes were too large or not flattened. | Break down cardboard to the council’s required size. |
| Food-waste caddy missing | Property missed during delivery or alternative flat arrangement. | Contact the council for a caddy or communal service instructions. |
| Garden waste not emptied | Overweight bin, unsuitable materials or missed round. | Check contents, weight and current collection instructions. |
| Bin damaged or missing | Collection damage or another cause. | Use the council’s replacement request and check applicable fees. |
| Postcode search incorrect | Wrong property selected or service data mismatch. | Retry via My Council and contact Waste and Cleansing. |
Official South Derbyshire Bin Collection Services
Use these council services for the final live action. BinCollectionGuide.org provides independent information and does not manage waste-collection rounds or customer records.
Find your next rubbish, recycling and food-waste collections.
Look up address-based council and bin collection information.
Report an uncollected or damaged bin through the appropriate official route.
Read the new weekly food-waste caddy and flat-service rules.
Check the correct waste stream for household materials.
Request new, missing or differently sized containers.
Arrange and pay for eligible furniture and appliance collections.
Contact Waste and Cleansing
Email: [email protected]
General council Customer Services: 01283 221 000.
South Derbyshire Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my South Derbyshire bin collection day?
Use South Derbyshire District Council’s online collection-date service. Search your postcode or address, choose the correct property and view or download its collection calendar.
What time should South Derbyshire bins be out?
The council requires bins at the edge of the property by 6am on collection day. Residents may put them out the evening before.
Are South Derbyshire rubbish collections weekly?
Black-bin household rubbish is normally collected fortnightly. Check your own address calendar because the precise date and service arrangements depend on your property.
When did weekly food-waste collections start?
South Derbyshire introduced separate weekly household food-waste collections on 1 June 2026.
Can I still put food waste in my brown garden bin?
No. Since the separate food-waste collection began, food waste must go in the appropriate food-waste caddy rather than the larger brown garden-waste wheelie bin.
What is the black caddy inside the green bin for?
The smaller black recycling caddy is used for paper and cardboard. It is separate from the full-size black wheelie bin used for general rubbish.
Can I leave extra cardboard next to my green bin?
Yes, if it is correctly flattened and presented in manageable bundles no larger than approximately a small microwave box. Oversized boxes should go to an appropriate recycling centre.
What happens if my bin is not collected?
Check the correct collection date and presentation rules. Look for a contamination sticker or hanger and review council service updates. If it was correctly presented and remains uncollected without an explanation, use the council’s missed-bin report service.
Does Derby City Council collect South Derbyshire bins?
No. South Derbyshire District Council manages ordinary household bin collections in its district. Derby City Council operates a separate service for properties within Derby city.
How much does bulky-waste collection cost?
The council currently lists £42.91 for up to six eligible domestic bulky items, excluding fridges and freezers, and £37.91 per fridge or freezer. Verify the charge in the booking service before paying.
Find Your Exact South Derbyshire Bin Collection Date
Your next bin day depends on the council calendar assigned to your home. Search your address, check the correct waste stream and place the scheduled bins at the edge of your property by 6am.
Remember that food waste has had a separate weekly collection since June 2026. Use the new caddy rather than the garden-waste wheelie bin.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not affiliated with or operated by South Derbyshire District Council. Official schedules, bin requests and household waste services are controlled by the responsible council.