Your Lambeth Waste-Day Control Panel for 2026/27
Check your exact Lambeth bin collection days before putting anything outside. Standard kerbside black rubbish is normally collected every two weeks, recycling every week and food waste every week where the property receives the service.
This guide explains the 2026/27 Week A/B calendar, collection times, bank holidays, missed-bin reporting, timed town-centre rules, flats, food and recycling, assisted collections, garden waste, bulky items, clinical waste, recycling centres and current contact routes.
Lambeth Bin Collection Days: What Most Residents Need First
There is no single Lambeth bin collection schedule for every property. Start with your address because houses with wheelie bins, weekly-sack properties, estates, flats above shops and timed town-centre addresses can all have different arrangements.
Usually every 2 weeks
Standard kerbside rubbish wheelie bins follow the fortnightly Week A/Week B cycle.
Weekly
Green recycling wheelie bins and clear recycling sacks are normally collected every week.
Weekly where available
Wheelie-bin properties normally have a weekly food-waste service. Flats above shops do not use the standard food-waste service.
By 6am
Normal kerbside bins or sacks should be visible at the front by 6am unless your address is in a timed collection area.
Search your address, note the next black-bin date, identify Week A or Week B, save the matching 2026/27 calendar and use the live address result again before reporting a problem.
Wrong Lambeth Bin Information to Avoid
Search results currently contain conflicting Lambeth bin colours, times and collection frequencies. Use these official rules to spot outdated or generic advice.
“Lambeth recycling is fortnightly”
Lambeth Council says recycling is collected every week. Fortnightly applies to the standard black rubbish wheelie-bin service.
“Standard rubbish is weekly”
Most kerbside wheelie-bin households now have fortnightly rubbish. Weekly rubbish still applies to some sack and communal arrangements.
“All Lambeth bins go out by 7am”
Standard kerbside guidance says 6am. Timed areas have their own morning and evening windows.
Lambeth’s standard dry mixed recycling wheelie bin is green. Do not use generic UK “blue recycling bin” guidance to decide what belongs in a Lambeth container.
How to Find Your Lambeth Bin Collection Day
Use this process for Lambeth bin collection days, Lambeth bin collection schedule and “which bin is this week?” searches.
Open Lambeth Waste Services
Use the council’s property-based service rather than choosing a date from your postcode district alone.
Search your exact address
Enter the property number/name, street or postcode and select the correct house, flat or building.
Check each waste stream separately
Note rubbish, recycling, food waste, garden waste and any special service shown for the property.
Record the next black-bin date
The next rubbish date tells you which Week A or Week B calendar applies.
Save the correct current calendar
Match both your weekday and A/B cycle. Replace any old 2025 or 2025/26 copy.
Lambeth’s waste-service system tells residents to call 020 7926 9000 if the correct address has no waste services associated with it.
Lambeth Bin Collection Schedule by Property Type
Identify your property type before following a collection calendar. This prevents most “wrong week”, “wrong container” and missed-bin problems.
| Property | Rubbish | Recycling | What changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerbside wheelie-bin home | Every 2 weeks | Weekly | Usually weekly food waste; garden waste weekly if subscribed. |
| Weekly sack property | Weekly | Weekly | Use black rubbish sacks and council clear recycling sacks where instructed. |
| Estate / communal bins | Weekly or more often | Weekly or more often | Use ground-floor communal containers; food-waste availability is property specific. |
| Flat above shop | Normally weekly sacks | Weekly bin or clear sacks | Food-waste service is not currently provided under the normal Lambeth scheme. |
| Timed town-centre address | Timed windows | Timed windows | Street-presented waste must be put out only during the local permitted window. |
Lambeth Bin Collection Calendar 2026/27: Week A and Week B
Lambeth publishes 10 kerbside calendars: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, each with a Week A and Week B version.
Find the weekday
Use your address result to identify the weekday of your next black-bin collection.
Identify the fortnight
Match the date to Lambeth’s Week A/Week B table.
Download only that calendar
A Monday Week A PDF is different from Monday Week B even though the weekday is identical.
Week A / Week B reference around summer 2026
| Week beginning | Cycle | Week beginning | Cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 June 2026 | A | 15 June 2026 | B |
| 22 June 2026 | A | 29 June 2026 | B |
| 6 July 2026 | A | 13 July 2026 | B |
| 20 July 2026 | A | 27 July 2026 | B |
That only identifies the calendar cycle. It does not mean every Lambeth resident has black-bin rubbish due today. Your property decides whether black rubbish is collected on A or B.
Quick Week A / Week B Helper
If you already know the date of a scheduled black-bin collection, this helper identifies the A/B week using Lambeth’s published 2026 cycle. Always confirm the final result against the council calendar.
Week A can be rubbish week for one address and the opposite cycle for another. Search your exact address first.
Lambeth Bin Collection Times: Standard 6am Rule
Standard kerbside residents should leave bins or authorised sacks where crews can see them at the front of the property by 6am, but not before 8pm the previous evening.
Ready before crews arrive
Do not wait until you hear a collection vehicle in the road.
Earliest normal set-out
Standard kerbside guidance says not to place waste outside before 8pm the previous evening.
Front of property
Crews need to see and safely reach the container.
Bring wheelie bins back
Lambeth says move recycling bins off the pavement as soon as possible and by 8am the following day at the latest.
Timed collection areas: exact resident windows
| Area | Mon–Sat morning | Mon–Sat evening | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clapham | 5am–8am | 5:30pm–6:30pm | Rubbish 5am–8am; no recycling |
| Brixton | 7am–8am | 5:30pm–6:30pm | Rubbish 7am–8am; no recycling |
| Streatham | 7am–8am | 5:30pm–6:30pm | Rubbish 7am–8am; no recycling |
| Waterloo | 7am–8am | 5:30pm–6:30pm | Rubbish 7am–8am; no recycling |
| West Norwood | 7am–8am | 5:30pm–6:30pm | Rubbish 7am–8am; no recycling |
You cannot keep a household wheelie bin on public land. Use the correct sacks and put them out only during the signed local collection window.
Lambeth Bin Collection Bank Holiday and Christmas Rules
Most Lambeth bank holidays do not change the normal collection day. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day need closer attention because current council guidance and individual calendar PDFs show special arrangements.
Normally unchanged
Lambeth’s rubbish, recycling and garden guidance states that collections normally continue on most bank holidays.
Check your own PDF
General council guidance says collections falling on Christmas Day are moved. The exact revised date is shown in the current route calendar.
Special collection
Do not assume “bank holidays never change”. New Year’s Day has special arrangements too.
The official PDF states that Friday-route collections over Christmas and New Year are made on Saturdays. Other weekday routes can have different special dates, so use your own day + A/B PDF.
Search the property again in December, open the current 2026/27 route PDF and follow any newer live Lambeth service notice if one is issued.
Lambeth Bin Collection Calendar 2025: Do Not Reuse It in 2026
A Lambeth bin collection calendar 2025 or 2025/26 council PDF can still appear in Google, downloads, browser history and phone screenshots.
Official does not mean current
A genuine Lambeth PDF can still give the wrong bin night once its stated collection year has ended.
Download 2026/27
Refresh your property result and save only the current weekday + Week A/B calendar.
Delete the old PDF or rename it “OLD – 2025/26” so another household member does not mistake it for the current schedule.
Lambeth Bin Collection Missed: Exact Reporting Window
Do not report a Lambeth missed bin immediately after the usual lorry time. Crews can return later when parked vehicles or road closures prevented earlier access.
Check the property schedule
Make sure the waste stream was actually due that day.
Wait until the following morning
Lambeth asks residents to report when the collection is still outstanding the following morning.
Check presentation
The bin must have been at the front, correctly filled and not overfilled.
Report within 2 working days
After the two-working-day window, you normally have to wait for the next scheduled collection.
Leave the container available
If Lambeth missed it by mistake, the council says it will reschedule collection for the next working day after you report it.
Road closures or parked cars can block the collection vehicle. Lambeth says evening crews will usually try to collect later.
Examples include the bin not being at the front, wrong waste being inside it or the bin being so full that the lid cannot close.
Lambeth Recycling Collection: Weekly Green Bin or Clear Sacks
Lambeth recycling is collected every week. Main kerbside recycling should be loose inside the green wheelie bin rather than hidden inside ordinary plastic carrier bags.
Common accepted materials
- Newspapers and magazines
- Card and cardboard
- Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
- Egg boxes
- Junk mail and catalogues
- Plastic bottles with lids
- Plastic tubs and trays
- Glass bottles and jars
- Tins and cans
- Food and drink cartons
- Clean foil and foil trays
Common contamination
- Black bin bags
- Aerosol spray cans
- Broken glass
- Pyrex and window glass
- Light bulbs
- Polystyrene
- Plastic film
- Textiles
- Food or food-soiled cardboard
- Nappies
- Shredded paper
- Electricals and batteries
- DIY or hazardous waste
- Garden waste
Extra recycling that does not fit
Keep it loose
Do not bag normal contents inside the green recycling wheelie bin.
Additional bag allowed
Lambeth says additional recycling can be collected when placed in an untied plastic bag large enough to contain it without spilling.
Flatten large boxes
Oversized cardboard can be collected outside the bin if flattened and free from polystyrene.
Remove the non-recyclable material and remove the council tag. The recycling is then considered again on the next collection day rather than as a missed collection.
Lambeth Food Waste Collection: Weekly Caddy Rules
Wheelie-bin properties normally receive a small kitchen caddy and larger outside food-waste container. Transfer the food into the external container for collection.
Accepted food
- Meat and fish, including bones
- Fruit and vegetables
- Dairy, cheese and eggs
- Bread, cakes and pastries
- Rice and pasta
- Tea bags, tea leaves and coffee grounds
- Used kitchen paper towels
Keep these out
- Packaging
- Plastic bags
- Glass or metal
- Oil and liquids
- Nappies
- Soil, stones and rubble
- Garden waste
- Normal rubbish or recycling
If you use one, Lambeth requires a fully compostable liner certified to BS EN 13432:2000. Newspaper is also acceptable. Ordinary or merely “biodegradable” plastic can contaminate the food-waste process.
Lambeth says food and garden waste are processed through enclosed controlled composting. After roughly three months, the material becomes compost used in parks, gardens and agriculture.
What Goes in the Lambeth Black Rubbish Bin?
Use black rubbish only for household waste that cannot be reused, recycled or collected through another specialist service.
Examples Lambeth accepts
- Non-recyclable household waste
- Food-soiled cardboard
- Plastic bags and film
- Polystyrene
- Disposable nappies
- Aerosols
- Cold, bagged fire ash
Do not put these in black rubbish
- Food waste where a service is available
- Normal recyclable material
- Garden waste
- DIY/building waste
- Large items over 25kg
- Clinical or hazardous waste
- Paint, chemicals or oil
- Asbestos
- Vehicle parts and batteries
- Tyres
- TVs and monitors
- Gas cylinders
- Textiles and household batteries
Do not hide batteries or electrical devices inside black rubbish. Crushing or bending batteries in a collection vehicle can cause fires.
Replacement Bins, Larger Bins, Sacks and Current Container Prices
Use the container-request service if a bin is damaged or missing, you need free recycling capacity, or your household qualifies for a larger refuse bin.
Standard household provision
| Container | Typical provision | Approx. size |
|---|---|---|
| 140L black bin | Standard rubbish bin for one household | 48cm W × 105cm H × 56cm D |
| 240L green bin | Standard dry mixed recycling | 57cm W × 105cm H × 74cm D |
| 360L bin | Approved shared/larger capacity | 60cm W × 109cm H × 87cm D |
Current order-form prices
| Order | Current listed price |
|---|---|
| Domestic Waste 140L wheelie bin | £73 |
| Domestic Waste 240L wheelie bin | £82 |
| Domestic Waste 360L wheelie bin | £108 |
| Domestic Recycling 240L wheelie bin | Free |
| Domestic Recycling 140L wheelie bin | Free |
| Domestic recycling sacks | Free |
Lambeth’s live container form says high demand is causing delays in bin and bag deliveries. Do not assume a replacement will arrive immediately.
Who can request larger rubbish capacity?
- Households with 5 or more members
- Homes with small children using disposable nappies
- Residents producing bulky medical waste such as incontinence products
Lambeth allocates 120 litres of rubbish capacity per household in converted properties. For example, two households can share a 240L bin and three can share a 360L bin.
Assisted Bin Collections for Residents Who Cannot Move Their Bins
If nobody in your household can move bins to the front because of disability, injury, illness or another limiting issue, Lambeth can assess you for an assisted collection.
Short-term help is possible
The service can be requested for temporary illness or injury as well as permanent needs.
Lambeth checks eligibility
The council arranges a visit and may ask for supporting evidence before approving the service.
Collection location is agreed
The council discusses a suitable collection point close to the property boundary that the resident can access.
Lambeth says it needs a letter from the resident’s doctor or another medical professional confirming the need and expected duration.
Assisted bin collections are not offered to residents using shared communal bins. Lambeth advises contacting the managing agent, caretaker or cleaner for help reaching the communal containers.
A relative, friend or neighbour can submit the assisted-collection application on behalf of the resident.
Weekly Small Electrical and Battery Collection
Most wheelie-bin kerbside properties can recycle suitable small electrical items and household batteries each week.
Top of recycling bin
Put qualifying electricals inside a loosely tied standard carrier bag on top of the recycling bin.
Top of black bin
Put accepted household batteries in a separate loosely tied carrier bag on top of the black rubbish bin.
Two-slice-toaster rule
Small electrical items should be no larger than roughly a two-slice toaster.
Examples collected at the kerbside
- Chargers, cables and extension leads
- Phones, tablets and laptops
- Kettles and toasters
- Hairdryers and straighteners
- Small radios and games consoles
- Small printers with cartridge/toner removed
- Electric toothbrushes
- Small power tools
Remove batteries from an item where possible. Lambeth allows some lithium-battery products such as laptops, tablets, phones and electric toothbrushes to be collected with the battery still fitted.
If the electrical bag is not collected, take it back inside and try the following week. Lambeth says it will prioritise the collection then.
They are not accepted through the normal kerbside collection or Lambeth reuse/recycling centres. Use Lambeth’s current specialist retailer/drop-off guidance.
Lambeth Garden Waste Collection: Weekly Service and 2026 Cost
Lambeth garden waste is a paid, all-year weekly collection. The standard subscription covers two authorised reusable garden-waste bags per week.
| Service / item | Current cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month collection | £99 | Weekly collection of 2 reusable bags. |
| Reusable bag | £11 each | Purchased separately from the subscription. |
| Extra reusable bag collection | £37/year each | Regular weekly collection of an additional reusable bag. |
| 10 compostable bags | £37 | Occasional additional garden-waste capacity. |
| Cheque administration | £15 | Additional administration charge. |
What can go in the bags
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves and twigs
- Weeds, shrubs, plants and flowers
- Hedge trimmings
- Fallen fruit
- Branches up to 10cm diameter
- Plant-eating pet bedding
Keep these out
- Soil and rubble
- Branches over 10cm diameter
- Plant pots and trays
- Plastic or polystyrene
- General rubbish
- Normal recycling
- Cat or dog waste
- Bonfire ash
Garden waste is collected on the same normal day as food, rubbish and recycling services for the property.
Put subscribed garden-waste bags outside by 6am, but not before 8pm the previous evening. Keep them light enough for one person to lift and do not obstruct the pavement.
Lambeth states that the garden-waste subscription is available only to properties that have food-waste collections.
Lambeth Bulky Waste: Paid Collection or Free Emmaus Reuse?
Before paying for bulky waste, check whether a clean reusable item can be collected free through Lambeth’s Emmaus partnership.
Paid bulky-waste charges
| Booking | Current charge |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 items | £36 |
| Up to 6 items | £70 |
| Up to 10 items | £116 |
Out after 8pm, ready by 6am
Put booked items outside only after 8pm the previous evening and have them ready by 6am.
Runs until 6pm
Do not report booked bulky items as missed before the collection window has finished.
No extras on the day
Lambeth collects only the items listed and paid for in the booking.
Metal/white goods and non-metal items may be given separate dates and may not disappear at the same time.
Lambeth’s live booking form states that standard paid bulky-waste bookings are non-refundable. Amendments must be requested no later than two working days before the collection.
Free Emmaus collection for reusable furniture
Tuesday and Wednesday
Emmaus collections run on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, normally between 1:30pm and 4:30pm.
Items are resold
Furniture must be intact, reusable and free from significant marks, rust, missing parts or weather damage.
Do not leave it outside
Emmaus collects suitable reusable items from inside the home because outdoor exposure can make them unusable.
- Dining tables and suitable chairs
- Wardrobes
- Non-upholstered bed frames
- Chest of drawers
- Bedside cabinets
- Suitable non-upholstered office furniture
Electrical items and upholstered furniture are excluded from this reusable-furniture route. If an item is unsuitable for reuse, use the paid bulky service or recycling centre.
Clinical Waste, Sharps and Healthcare Collections
Infectious clinical waste must be kept separate from ordinary household rubbish. Lambeth provides a specialist household clinical-waste service after healthcare referral.
GP or hospital starts it
A healthcare professional must refer the resident using an NHS email address.
Containers supplied
Lambeth provides appropriate yellow bags or sharps boxes for the specialist collection.
Ready on agreed day
Clinical waste must be available by 6am. Collections operate Monday to Friday.
Your specialist clinical-waste day can differ from your normal rubbish or recycling day.
Lambeth says non-contagious items such as some dressings, incontinence pads and dialysis waste can be double-bagged for the black rubbish bin. Follow healthcare advice where infection risk is involved.
Report a missed clinical-waste collection by calling 020 7926 9000.
Lambeth Bin Collection for Flats, Estates and Flats Above Shops
Do not use the standard house Week A/B calendar if your building uses communal containers or a sack collection.
Use communal containers
Recycling is normally placed loose directly into the ground-floor communal recycling bin—not bagged or left beside it.
Bin or clear sacks
If a recycling wheelie bin is supplied, use it. If no bin is provided, use Lambeth’s free clear recycling sacks.
Check your exact property
Current Lambeth guidance states that food-waste collection is not provided to flats above shops under the standard service.
Flat-above-shop sack rules
- Use a strong black bag for rubbish.
- Use council clear sacks for recycling.
- Do not use ordinary carrier bags as recycling sacks.
- Tie recycling sacks securely.
- For standard non-timed areas, put sacks out by 6am but not before 8pm the previous evening.
- Where instructed, place sacks next to suitable street furniture without blocking pedestrians.
Lambeth says eligible properties receive clear recycling sacks six times a year and can order more when needed.
Where a green box is marked “clear recycling bags only” or “recycling only”, residents above specified shops should place tied clear recycling sacks inside the box rather than loose recycling.
Vale Street Lambeth Reuse and Recycling Centre
Vale Street in West Norwood is for Lambeth residents bringing reusable or recyclable household material. It is not a general rubbish tip.
SE27 9PA
Vale Street, West Norwood, London SE27 9PA.
Book first
A time slot is required if you visit the site in a vehicle.
Bring two checks
Bring photo identification and proof of a Lambeth address every time you visit.
Reuse/recycling only
Ordinary rubbish for disposal is not accepted at Vale Street.
Current opening times
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 7:30am–4:30pm |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | 7:30am–4:30pm |
| Friday | 7:30am–4:30pm |
| Saturday | 8am–5pm |
| Sunday | 8am–5pm |
The centre closes every day between 12pm and 1pm.
Lambeth says vans and commercial vehicles are not admitted. Commercial waste is not accepted.
The current council page says Vale Street is temporarily unable to accept cooking oil or engine oil. Lambeth directs residents to Smugglers Way for oil disposal.
Lambeth Bin Collection Phone Number and Waste Contact Routes
Use online self-service first for dates and missed bins. Phone support is useful when the online service cannot resolve the issue, a property is missing, you need specialist collection help or a bulky item query.
Online contact form
Lambeth directs routine resident rubbish and recycling enquiries to the Waste Services contact form.
020 7926 9000
This number appears across Lambeth’s waste pages for issues including missing online services, bulky waste, recycling-centre questions and specialist collections.
Call 020 7926 9000Streetcare support
Some container, assisted-service and recycling-centre queries use:
streetcarecallcentre@lambeth.gov.ukThe current recycling-centre page lists 020 7926 9000, option 1, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm for centre questions.
Call 020 7926 9000 and choose option 1, or email commercialwaste@lambeth.gov.uk.
Official Lambeth PDF Audit: What the Documents Add
The most useful PDFs are the current route calendar and Lambeth’s Waste Strategy. The calendar answers today’s practical collection questions; the strategy explains why the service uses smaller rubbish capacity, weekly recycling/food and paid garden/bulky services.
2026/27 collection calendar PDFs
- 10 calendar combinations: Monday–Friday × Week A/B.
- Standard set-out reminder: bins out by 6am.
- Recycling: every week.
- Food waste: every week.
- Garden waste: every week where subscribed.
- Rubbish: every two weeks.
- Most bank holidays follow the normal day.
- Christmas/New Year special collections are marked on the route calendar.
A Friday Week B PDF is useless to a Tuesday Week A resident. The official calendar chooser is the safer action link.
Lambeth Waste Strategy: useful household details
Lambeth’s Waste Strategy records the move toward smaller standard residual-waste capacity, broad dry mixed recycling, weekly food waste, paid weekly garden waste and chargeable bulky collections, while prioritising waste reduction, reuse and recycling.
Smaller standard rubbish bin
The strategy records the reduction of the standard kerbside rubbish bin from 240 litres to 140 litres.
Dry mixed recycling
Kerbside dry recycling is predominantly collected from 240-litre wheeled bins where properties can accommodate them.
Bulky items before disposal
Lambeth’s strategy prioritises reuse routes such as its charity partnership alongside paid bulky-waste disposal.
Recycling and Waste Collections Charter
Lambeth also publishes a Recycling and Waste Collections Charter through its waste-strategy document hub. Use the current operational service pages for dates, prices and live collection rules, because policy documents are not substitutes for an address calendar.
Open official strategy & charter hubLambeth Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check Lambeth bin collection days?
Where is the Lambeth bin collection calendar 2026?
How do I know if my Lambeth collection is Week A or Week B?
How often is Lambeth rubbish collected?
How often is Lambeth recycling collected?
What are Lambeth bin collection times?
When can I report a Lambeth bin collection missed by the council?
Why was my Lambeth bin not collected?
Do Lambeth bin collections change on bank holidays?
Can I use a Lambeth bin collection calendar 2025 in 2026?
What is the Lambeth bin collection phone number?
What is the Lambeth waste collection contact number for businesses?
Can I get an assisted bin collection in Lambeth?
Can I leave extra recycling next to my green bin?
How much does a replacement Lambeth rubbish bin cost?
How much is Lambeth garden waste collection?
How much is Lambeth bulky waste collection?
When does Emmaus collect reusable bulky items in Lambeth?
Can Lambeth collect batteries and small electricals?
Can I take ordinary rubbish to Vale Street?
Official Lambeth Waste Links
Use the guide above to understand what to do, then use these official routes for the live address, report, booking or payment.
Lambeth Bin-Night Checklist
- Search your exact address.
- Identify house, sack, communal or timed-area service.
- Check the correct weekday.
- Check Week A or Week B.
- Remember black-bin rubbish is normally fortnightly for kerbside wheelie-bin homes.
- Remember recycling is normally weekly.
- Put standard waste out by 6am but not before 8pm the previous evening.
- Follow the local window instead if you live in a timed collection zone.
- Keep the lid closed and put waste in the correct stream.
- Wait until the following morning before reporting a genuine missed collection.
- Report within two working days.
- Use the current 2026/27 calendar rather than a saved 2025 PDF.
- Check reuse before paying to dispose of a bulky item.
- Use specialist routes for clinical waste, hazardous items, batteries and large electricals.
Independent resident guide. BinCollectionGuide.org is not Lambeth Council or its waste contractor. Address-specific dates, charges, container prices, collection windows and service availability can change. Verify time-sensitive information using the official Lambeth links above.