Find the Right Hull Collection and Avoid Using an Old Bin Calendar
Hull changed its household waste service in March 2026. Most brown-bin and food-waste rounds are now weekly, while blue recycling and black household rubbish remain on two-week cycles.
Start with your exact postcode and address. Then use the sections below for collection times, the 2026/27 calendar, missed bins, contamination, extra waste, replacement bins, communal properties, bulky items and Christmas changes.
What Do You Need to Do?
Find the next collection
Enter your full postcode, select the exact address and check the colour/date listed by Hull City Council.
Check before reporting
Wait until the missed-bin reporting window opens, check whether your whole street is affected and rule out contamination.
Brown bin looks wrong?
From 31 March 2026 most brown-bin and food-waste collections became weekly, so a 2025 pattern can now be wrong.
Need the 2026/27 calendar?
Hull is providing a 2026/27 waste pack containing the new calendar and Simpler Recycling information.
How to Check Your Exact Hull Bin Collection Date
Hull’s schedule is property-specific. A postcode district such as HU3 or HU7 is not enough to reliably tell you the date.
Open the official collection-day checker
Use Hull City Council’s own tool rather than relying on an old search result, image or neighbour’s calendar.
Enter the complete postcode
For example, use the full HU5 3XX-style postcode rather than only HU5.
Select the exact property
Choose your address from the list. Different streets—and sometimes different property types—can use different arrangements.
Read the upcoming collections
The council result shows the date and bin colour registered to the property.
Set a reminder
The checker offers weekly email reminders, and Hull’s web app can provide collection information on a phone.
Do not select a nearby address simply to obtain dates. Contact the council so the property record can be checked.
Hull Collection Times: What “7am” Actually Means
By 7am
Put the correct wheelie bin at the boundary of your property no later than 7am.
7am–4:30pm
Hull’s black, blue and brown collection pages say crews empty bins during this period.
Handle toward the road
The council specifically asks residents to face the wheelie-bin handle toward the road.
Bring it back in
Return the container to your property as soon as practical after it has been emptied.
The missed-bin service permits a report after 4pm, but normal bin pages say crews may still be working until 4:30pm. Before reporting at 4:01pm, check neighbours and the council’s missed-street information.
- Number each household bin so it is not confused with a neighbour’s container.
- Keep every wheelie-bin lid fully closed.
- Do not pack the bin so heavily that the vehicle cannot lift it.
- Use the normal property-boundary collection point.
Hull 2026/27 Collection Calendar and Waste Pack
Hull City Council’s new 2026/27 waste pack is the annual household information pack for the new Simpler Recycling service.
Collection dates
The pack includes a household bin calendar incorporating the new weekly food-waste service.
What goes where
It includes guidance for blue recycling, brown food/garden waste and black non-recyclable waste.
Website + app
The pack also directs residents to Hull’s Simpler Recycling information and web app.
Contact Hull City Council on 01482 300 300 or email Simpler.Recycling@hullcc.gov.uk.
The live postcode/address checker is still the fastest source. The paper calendar is best used as a planning aid.
The 2026 Change: Why an Old Hull Calendar Can Now Be Wrong
From Tuesday 31 March 2026, the majority of Hull households moved from fortnightly to weekly brown-bin or outdoor-food-caddy collections.
| Service | Before 31 Mar 2026 | Current 2026 service |
|---|---|---|
| Blue recycling | Fortnightly | Fortnightly — existing blue-bin household frequency unchanged. |
| Black refuse | Fortnightly | Fortnightly. |
| Brown / food | Generally fortnightly for the previous service. | Weekly for the majority of households. |
| Flats / communal | Property-specific arrangements. | New recycling and food arrangements are being introduced by property/building setup. |
The council described the March 2026 change as doubling the previous food/garden collection frequency.
Which Hull Bin Is Which?
Clean mixed recycling
Normally every two weeks.
General rubbish
Normally every two weeks.
Food + garden waste
Normally weekly under the 2026 service.
Food-only properties
Weekly service used by some properties without gardens.
Hull says you cannot also have the separate outdoor food bin because the brown-bin collection vehicle cannot lift that caddy. Put food waste in the brown bin instead.
Blue Bin: Keep Recycling Loose, Clean and Dry
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Catalogues, magazines and books
- Empty tins and cans
- Empty aerosols
- Clean kitchen foil
- Empty plastic bottles
- Empty plastic food containers, excluding polystyrene
- Food and drink cartons such as Tetra Pak
- Empty glass bottles and jars
- Empty carrier bags
- Empty non-black plastic plant pots
- Bagged waste
- Food waste
- Nappies
- Sanitary products and wipes
- Electrical items
- Vapes
- Batteries
- Clothes or textiles
- Polystyrene
- Plastic packets
- Wallpaper
- Kitchen cloths and sponges
- Hard plastic toys, hangers and storage boxes
Hull accepts an empty carrier bag as an item, but normal mixed recycling must be placed loose. Recycling hidden inside carrier bags or refuse sacks can cause the bin to be rejected.
Accepted side recycling can be left next to the blue bin in loosely tied clear bags. Keep cardboard dry.
Hull currently allows additional blue bins to be ordered free, and states that there is no limit on the number of blue bins that may be presented.
Brown Bin: Weekly Food and Garden Waste
- Meat, fish and bones
- Plate scrapings and leftovers
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
- Eggshells
- Stale bread
- Cheese
- Grass and hedge cuttings
- Cut and dry flowers
- Twigs and small branches
- Leaves and weeds
- Small shrubs
- House plants
- Straw bedding from rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs
Materials that can stop the brown bin being emptied
- Soil
- Stones
- Rubble
- Cat or dog waste
- Plastic or plastic packaging
- Glass
- Wood
- Metal
- Plant pots
- Artificial grass
- Toys
- Clothing
- Cardboard
Food or garden material placed beside the brown bin is not collected through the normal round.
Soil, stones and rubble can make the bin too heavy for the lifting mechanism. Remove heavy material rather than presenting an overloaded container again.
Outdoor Food Caddy: Weekly Service for Some Properties
Some properties without gardens use a separate outdoor food caddy plus an indoor kitchen caddy rather than a brown wheelie bin.
Weekly
The outdoor food caddy is collected weekly.
By 7am
Present it at the property boundary on the property’s normal collection weekday.
Hull liners only
The council specifically asks residents to use the compostable liners it provides.
Use the tag at the end of the roll and tie it to the outdoor caddy, or collect free council liners from participating libraries, centres and other distribution points.
Hull says to tie the liner while it is still inside the kitchen caddy and tip it directly into the brown bin or outdoor caddy rather than carrying it like a normal bag.
The council does not supply additional outdoor food caddies, although replacement caddies and kitchen caddies can be requested.
Black Bin: Fortnightly Non-Recyclable Waste
- Bagged non-recyclable waste
- Nappies and hygiene products
- Bagged cat and dog waste
- Polystyrene
- Hard plastic toys and coat hangers
- Bubble wrap and cling film
- Bread and freezer bags
- Crisp and sweet packets
- Used kitchen roll, cloths and sponges
- Vacuum-cleaner waste
- Vapes or batteries
- Food or garden waste
- Glass bottles and jars
- Paper or cardboard
- Recyclable plastic bottles and tubs
- Building material
- Paint, oil or liquids
- Asbestos
- Clinical waste or sharps
- Gas bottles
- Electrical equipment
- Soil and stones
Extra bags left beside the black bin are not collected through the standard black-bin service.
Hull’s current black-bin page says a recent waste study found 26% of black-bin household waste was food. Using the weekly brown/caddy service leaves more room for genuinely non-recyclable rubbish.
Missed Bin: Follow the Correct Hull Reporting Window
A ranking third-party page currently says “within 24 hours”. Hull City Council’s live rule is different: after 4pm and within two working days of the original collection day.
Hull says missed-bin collections are completed within five working days of the request. The council specifically notes that Mondays are not included in those five working days.
Side waste is not collected for black or brown bins. Extra blue recycling has its own clear-bag rule.
Bin Not Emptied? Diagnose the Reason Before Reporting
New, Replacement and Additional Bins
| Container | Current published charge | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| Blue recycling bin | Free | Additional blue bins can be requested. |
| Brown bin | Free | Additional/replacement service available. |
| 23L outdoor food caddy | Free | Only for addresses not receiving the brown-bin service. |
| 5L kitchen caddy | Free | For indoor food-waste collection. |
| Black refuse bin | £37.29 | Additional black capacity is eligibility-based. |
When can you apply for another black bin?
- Six or more people permanently live at the property.
- The household is already recycling as much as practical.
- A specific medical need can also be considered case by case.
If you live at the property and pay Hull Council Tax, the council allows up to four bags of general waste plus unlimited bags of recycling on the normal collection day until the bins arrive.
Hull cannot load bagged grass, leaves or shrubs into the brown-bin collection vehicle because it would contaminate the load. Use an HWRC for temporary garden-waste disposal.
Hull states that bins are delivered to new-build properties free once the property is registered for Council Tax and Waste Management receives the details.
A crew-damaged black bin is replaced free. The council says it investigates and responds within two working days after the relevant form is submitted.
Assisted Bin Collections
Hull can help eligible residents with black, blue and brown wheelie bins where they cannot present the bin and nobody aged 16 or over at the property can help.
Short or long term
A medical condition can support an assisted-collection application.
Poor mobility
Residents unable to safely move their wheelie bins can request help.
Pregnancy included
Pregnancy is one of Hull’s examples of circumstances where temporary assistance may be appropriate.
The council specifically identifies locks, steps and gates as potential access problems. Gates should be unlocked from 7am.
Hull says it will not make a special return. The bin is emptied on the next scheduled collection day.
Flats and Communal Properties: Your Service May Be Different
Simpler Recycling is also being introduced to flats, communal buildings and flats above shops, but the council is using different infrastructure depending on the building.
Shared-container trials
Hull has tested outdoor bins, recycling chutes and other approaches for different types of blocks.
Separate weekly service rollout
The 2026 Simpler Recycling programme is expanding food-waste collection across different residential property types.
Follow your assigned setup
Do not automatically apply the ordinary blue/brown/black house instructions to a communal bin store.
Hull’s bin-request service accepts enquiries about large shared household/recycling bins and says property details are checked with a response within two working days.
Bulky Waste: Free Annual Collection and Exact Set-Out Rules
1 collection
Eligible households get one free bulky collection during a 12-month period.
Up to 5 items
The free booking covers up to five individual accepted items.
Minimum £5
Additional collection requirements carry a charge.
Accessible from 7am
Booked items need to be accessible at the agreed location on appointment day.
Where should bulky items be left?
- Within your property boundary.
- On the driveway, side of the house or garden closest to the roadside.
- Do not leave booked items in a tenfoot.
- Keep all items together and easily identifiable.
- Cover furniture and other absorbent items so they do not become wet and heavy.
- Roll or bundle carpets and flooring.
- Empty fridges and freezers completely.
- Wrap or tape glass for safe handling.
If your back garden is the side closest to the road, Hull says the items should be placed there rather than automatically at the architectural “front” of the house.
Before booking disposal, check reuse options such as Dove House schemes or the reuse facilities at Hull’s HWRCs.
Sharps, Batteries, Vapes and Asbestos Need Separate Disposal
Home sharps collection
Hull has a specific sharps-box request service and says it responds to arrange collection within five working days.
Keep out of wheelie bins
They are explicitly excluded from normal blue and black-bin streams and should use dedicated recycling/disposal routes.
Wiltshire Road only
Household asbestos is accepted only at Wiltshire Road HWRC and must be correctly double-bagged or wrapped and sealed.
Hull Has Three Household Waste Recycling Centres
Do not rely on third-party pages listing a single Bankside or Stoneferry site. Hull City Council’s current service identifies these three official centres.
HU9 5SD
Burma Drive, Hull.
HU7 0XF
Amsterdam Road, Hull.
HU4 6PA
Wiltshire Road, Hull. Household asbestos is accepted only at this site under the council’s packaging rules.
Normal opening pattern
| Period | Published opening | Important exception |
|---|---|---|
| Normal days | 10am–5pm, 7 days | Check current site notices before travelling. |
| Christmas Eve / New Year’s Eve | 10am–4pm | Festive early closing in the historic/currently published pattern. |
| Christmas Day / Boxing Day / New Year’s Day | Closed | Do not travel. |
Display the resident’s pass in the vehicle. If it is missing, forgotten or lost, the council accepts suitable Hull proof of address such as a recent utility/Council Tax bill or driving licence.
A free household waste permit is required. Permits are limited to 12 visits per Hull household per year and a slot must be booked.
Hull says two-thirds of material found during checks of mixed waste bags could have been recycled. Each site now also has an area to help sort mixed bags.
Christmas 2025 and New Year 2026 Collection Changes
The table below is historical. It answers searches about Christmas 2025 only and must not be used for Christmas 2026.
| Usual date | Official revised date |
|---|---|
| Thu 25 Dec 2025 | Sat 27 Dec |
| Fri 26 Dec | Tue 30 Dec |
| Tue 30 Dec | Wed 31 Dec |
| Wed 31 Dec | Fri 2 Jan 2026 |
| Thu 1 Jan 2026 | Sat 3 Jan |
| Fri 2 Jan | Tue 6 Jan |
| Tue 6 Jan | Wed 7 Jan |
| Wed 7 Jan | Thu 8 Jan |
| Thu 8 Jan | Fri 9 Jan |
| Fri 9 Jan | Sat 10 Jan |
This restart date was stated by Hull City Council in its official festive notice.
The 2025 notice allowed residents to chop the tree up and place it in the brown bin, or take the whole tree to Burma Drive, Sutton Fields or Wiltshire Road.
Christmas 2026
As of this July 2026 audit, a Hull City Council Christmas 2026 bin timetable was not identified. Do not extrapolate from 2025; check the council calendar when the new notice is published.
Christmas 2024 Historical Collection Changes
These dates are preserved only for people specifically researching Hull’s Christmas 2024 collection changes.
| Usual date | Official revised date |
|---|---|
| Wed 25 Dec 2024 | Fri 27 Dec |
| Thu 26 Dec | Sat 28 Dec |
| Fri 27 Dec | Tue 31 Dec |
| Tue 31 Dec | Thu 2 Jan 2025 |
| Wed 1 Jan 2025 | Fri 3 Jan |
| Thu 2 Jan | Sat 4 Jan |
| Fri 3 Jan | Tue 7 Jan |
| Tue 7 Jan | Wed 8 Jan |
| Wed 8 Jan | Thu 9 Jan |
| Thu 9 Jan | Fri 10 Jan |
| Fri 10 Jan | Sat 11 Jan |
That date comes from Hull’s official 2024 festive notice.
The 2024 pattern cannot be used to calculate 2025, 2026 or future festive collections.
Official Hull Recycling PDF: 4 Pages Converted Into Practical Rules
Hull’s current Simpler Recycling leaflet is a four-page guide. The useful information is converted below so a resident does not need to decode the PDF before bin day.
Blue recycling
Keep recycling loose and clean. The visual guide highlights plastic bottles, containers, aerosols, tins, cans, cartons, cardboard, newspapers, books and glass bottles/jars.
Brown food + garden
Food scraps, meat, fish, bones, eggshells, tea/coffee, garden cuttings and suitable small garden material. No soil/rubble, plastics, glass or cat/dog waste.
Black general waste
Non-recyclable rubbish such as nappies, hygiene waste, crisp packets, dirty takeaway packaging, polystyrene, tissues and hard plastics.
Bulky + HWRC
Lists common bulky household items, reuse options and the three Hull recycling centres at Burma Drive, Wiltshire Road and Sutton Fields.
The official four-page PDF was opened and its text was audited. Page-image screenshot requests returned a cache error from the council PDF endpoint, so this article does not invent or fake PDF screenshots.
Hull Bin Collection Phone Number and Contact Details
Have the full address, postcode, collection date, bin colour, whether it was presented by 7am, and any contamination/access information ready.
Hull Collection Questions Answered
How do I check my Hull bin collection day?
What time should Hull bins be put out?
What time can the Hull bin lorry arrive?
How often is the Hull blue bin collected?
How often is the Hull black bin collected?
How often is the Hull brown bin collected in 2026?
Can I use my Hull 2025 calendar in 2026?
When can I report a missed Hull bin?
How quickly will Hull return for a missed bin?
Should I report a missed bin if the whole Hull street was missed?
Can I leave extra rubbish beside my black bin?
Can I leave extra recycling beside my blue bin?
Can I leave garden waste beside the brown bin?
Can I order an extra blue recycling bin?
How much is a Hull black wheelie bin?
Can a large household get another black bin?
How does bulky waste collection work in Hull?
How many Hull recycling centres are there?
What were the Hull Christmas 2025 collection changes?
What is the Hull bin collection phone number?
Official Hull Actions
Use these links when you need to complete an action or confirm information that can change.
Check collection date
Postcode and exact-property lookup with reminders.
Official collection checkerReport missed bin
Check missed streets and use the two-working-day reporting window.
Missed-bin serviceBefore Collection Day
- Use your exact Hull postcode and property.
- Check the bin colour shown by the current council checker.
- Remember the March 2026 switch to weekly brown/food collections for most households.
- Put wheelie bins at the property boundary by 7am.
- Face the handle toward the road.
- Close the lid fully.
- Keep normal blue-bin recycling loose and clean.
- Use clear bags only for permitted extra blue recycling.
- Do not leave black or brown side waste.
- Keep soil, rubble and dense material out of wheelie bins.
- Check the missed-street list if the lorry does not arrive.
- Report a genuine miss after 4pm and within two working days.
- Do not reuse 2024 or 2025 Christmas dates for a current collection.
- Use the 2026/27 waste pack, reminder email or Hull web app for future dates.
Independent resident guide. This website is not Hull City Council. Collection dates, service alerts, festive schedules, bin charges, recycling rules, waste-pack information and HWRC access can change. Confirm urgent and property-specific information through the official council services linked above.