NK Bin Collection 2026: Find Your Bin Day & Calendar
Need to know which bin goes out this week in North Kesteven? North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) provides postcode-based collection calendars for black, green-lidded and purple bins, alongside the weekly food waste service introduced in March 2026.
Find your exact household collection day, understand the different collection intervals, check the new orange food caddy arrangements and get practical help with missed bins, garden waste and replacement containers.
What Day Is My NK Bin Collection?
Use North Kesteven District Council’s official “Find your bin collection days” service. Search using your postcode and choose your address. The council also provides downloadable 2026/27 calendars organised by collection weekday.
Under the standard 2026/27 arrangements, black bins are collected fortnightly, green-lidded and purple recycling bins on alternating four-week cycles, and orange-lidded food waste caddies weekly. Garden waste has a separate subscription schedule.
Have the correct containers ready by 6.30am on collection day. The exact dates, including any bank holiday changes, must come from your own calendar.
Jump to the information you need
How to Find Your North Kesteven Bin Collection Calendar
The postcode lookup is the most reliable way to identify your property’s collection pattern. Residents in Sleaford, North Hykeham, Waddington, Heckington, Ruskington and other North Kesteven communities should not assume neighbouring streets have identical dates.
- Open the official NKDC bin collection page. Use the link below to reach the council’s collection-day service.
- Enter your postcode. Use the full postcode of the property that receives the household collection.
- Select the correct address. Check the house number or property name carefully.
- Review each collection stream. Look for black refuse, green-lidded recycling, purple paper/card, food waste and the brown-bin service if you subscribe.
- Save the 2026/27 calendar. The council supplies weekday-based printable calendars, useful for checking the correct bin colour throughout the year.
Official downloadable weekday calendars
If you already know your normal collection weekday, the council’s bin-day page provides calendars for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The current 2026/27 schedules cover black, green-lidded, purple and weekly food-waste collections.
Monday
Check the black-bin fortnight, green-lidded recycling and purple paper/card dates for the Monday round.
Monday PDF calendar ↗Tuesday
View the Tuesday collection pattern, including festive-week changes printed on the calendar.
Tuesday PDF calendar ↗Wednesday
Find the Wednesday black, green and purple collection dates and weekly food-waste arrangement.
Wednesday PDF calendar ↗Thursday
Check the separate recycling dates alongside the black-bin and orange-caddy service.
Thursday PDF calendar ↗Friday
Use the Friday 2026/27 calendar, which also identifies altered dates around Christmas and New Year.
Friday PDF calendar ↗NK Bin Collection Schedule: Weekly, Fortnightly and Four-Weekly
The council’s 2026/27 calendars show different intervals for different waste streams. The day you place your orange food caddy out is normally the same day as one of your other household bins, but the main bin colour changes according to the calendar.
| Container | Collection frequency | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Black bin | Every 2 weeks | Household refuse; check your calendar for the correct fortnight. |
| Green-lidded bin | Every 4 weeks | Mixed dry recycling; dates alternate with purple-bin collections. |
| Purple bin | Every 4 weeks | Paper and cardboard recycling. |
| Orange-lidded food caddy | Every week | Collected on the regular household bin collection weekday. |
| Brown garden bin | Normally fortnightly | Reduced frequency during December and January; paid subscription. |
| Bulky items | By arrangement | Separate collection service for eligible large household items. |
For example, a property may have black refuse one week, purple recycling the next, black refuse the following week and green-lidded recycling after that. This is an explanation of the cycle, not a dated calendar for any particular address.
NK Bin Colours: What Goes in Black, Green-Lidded and Purple Bins?
Separating materials correctly matters because contaminated recycling is harder to process and may not be collected. North Kesteven uses separate containers for residual rubbish, mixed recycling, paper/card and food waste.
Black bin — general household rubbish
Use for ordinary household waste that cannot be recycled through the other council collections.
Typical examples:- Non-recyclable packaging
- Used nappies and personal hygiene waste
- Vacuum cleaner contents
- Materials not accepted in the council’s recycling streams
Food scraps now have a separate weekly food-waste collection, so use the orange-lidded caddy for accepted food waste wherever the service is provided.
Green-lidded bin — mixed dry recycling
For the accepted recyclable packaging and containers listed in the council’s recycling guide.
Common examples:- Accepted plastic bottles
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays
- Food and drink tins
- Empty drinks cans
- Other approved packaging containers
Keep paper and cardboard out of this stream where the separate purple-bin service is provided. Do not put batteries, nappies or food scraps into mixed recycling.
Purple bin — paper and cardboard
Use the purple bin for clean and dry paper and card.
Common examples:- Newspapers and magazines
- Letters and envelopes
- Office paper
- Suitable cardboard packaging
- Clean cereal boxes and other card
Flatten cardboard when necessary. Avoid wet, greasy or heavily food-contaminated paper and packaging.
Orange-lidded caddy — food waste
The separate food-waste service began in March 2026. Use the orange-lidded outdoor caddy for accepted household food scraps.
Examples include:- Vegetable and fruit peelings
- Plate scrapings
- Eggshells
- Tea bags
- Leftovers that meet the council’s food-waste guidance
Keep ordinary rubbish, food packaging, glass and non-food material out of the food-waste caddy.
New NK Food Waste Collection: What Changed in March 2026?
North Kesteven launched a separate weekly household food-waste collection in the week beginning 30 March 2026. This is a significant change from older collection calendars that showed only the black, green-lidded and purple bins.
The council delivered food-waste caddies to more than 58,000 households before the service started. The standard household arrangement includes a small indoor caddy and a larger outdoor collection container. Read the council’s rollout announcement.
5-litre kitchen caddy
Keep this smaller caddy in your kitchen to collect food scraps conveniently throughout the week.
23-litre outdoor caddy
Transfer collected food waste to the larger orange-lidded outdoor container for weekly collection.
Flats and communal properties
Some shared properties have communal outdoor food-waste bins instead of individual outdoor caddies. Follow the arrangement supplied for your building.
How to prepare food waste each week
- Collect food scraps indoors. Use the small kitchen caddy or another suitable indoor container.
- Use a suitable liner if needed. Check the council’s guidance for accepted liners and bags.
- Transfer contents to the outdoor caddy. Make sure the lid is properly secured.
- Put the caddy out on your normal bin day. It should be ready by 6.30am, regardless of which main bin is being collected.
- Retrieve and clean the caddy. Bring it back after collection and wash it when necessary to reduce smells.
Do I need to buy replacement food-waste liners?
Households were supplied with an initial roll of liners during the 2026 rollout. The council says suitable replacements can be purchased from retailers, including liners sized for small food-waste caddies. Check the official service guidance for current accepted bag types.
North Kesteven Brown Bin Collection and Garden Waste Subscription
The brown bin is part of North Kesteven’s optional paid garden-waste collection service. It is separate from the weekly food-waste collection and has its own subscription conditions and collection dates.
2026/27 subscription period
The published service period runs from 23 March 2026 to 19 March 2027.
Residents can join partway through the service year, but the subscription still ends on 19 March 2027. The council does not reduce the price simply because someone subscribes later.
Brown-bin collection frequency
Collections normally operate every other week. During December and January, they reduce to a monthly pattern because seasonal garden-waste quantities are lower.
After subscribing, the household’s garden collection dates are added to the council’s bin-day lookup.
What goes in the brown garden bin?
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves and weeds
- Hedge clippings
- Flowers and plants
- Clean straw
- Twigs and small branches
- Real Christmas trees cut into suitable lengths
What should stay out?
Do not put vegetable peelings, other kitchen food waste, plastic bags, rubble, soil or animal waste into the brown bin. Food scraps belong in the separate food-waste collection.
Renewing or changing a garden-waste subscription
Existing direct debit customers are automatically renewed under the council’s published 2026/27 arrangements. Residents paying by another method can renew online. Subscribers who need more garden bins or another service amendment should use the relevant council request process.
North Kesteven Collection-Day Rules
Getting the correct bin to the agreed collection point on time is the simplest way to avoid a missed collection. NKDC’s calendar specifies a morning presentation deadline and its normal service does not include collecting loose waste left beside wheelie bins.
Ready by 6.30am
Have your bin or caddy at the required collection point by 6.30am on its scheduled day.
No side waste
Bagged or loose rubbish placed alongside the bin is not normally collected under the council’s no-side-waste policy.
Use the right container
Keep purple paper/card separate from mixed recycling, and food waste separate from residual rubbish.
- Make sure wheelie-bin lids can close safely.
- Do not overload bins with excessively heavy contents.
- Leave enough clear access for collection crews.
- Use the appropriate collection point for your property.
- Keep bins away from parked vehicles or obstructions that could prevent safe emptying.
- Bring emptied containers back onto your property after collection.
NK Missed Bin Collection: What to Do
If your North Kesteven bin or orange food-waste caddy has not been emptied, first make sure the relevant collection was due. The council provides an online missed-bin and missed-caddy reporting route.
- Check your collection calendar. Confirm that the bin colour was scheduled for your address.
- Check the time. A bin that was put out late may not qualify as a missed collection.
- Look for a rejection notice. Contamination, overloading or other problems can explain why a container was not emptied.
- Check nearby properties. If several bins remain full, an access issue or interrupted collection round may be involved.
- Use the official missed-bin service. Enter the required details and follow the council’s current reporting and collection instructions.
Only your bin was missed
Check whether your container was correctly presented and free from prohibited materials before submitting a report.
Whole street was missed
A vehicle breakdown, blocked road or other service disruption may affect several properties. Check council updates as well as the reporting route.
Request a New, Missing, Broken or Larger NK Bin
North Kesteven District Council provides different routes for households needing a container, reporting damage or requesting extra recycling capacity.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Bin damaged during collection | Report the damage to the council. Replacement is provided free where the collection process caused it. |
| Householder-caused damage | Request a replacement; a charge may apply if the bin is irreparably damaged. |
| Missing or stolen bin | Report the missing container and follow the council’s replacement process. |
| New property without bins | Use the council’s bin or caddy request form. |
| Food-waste caddy missing | Request a caddy or report the problem through the waste service. |
| More recycling capacity | Ask about the 360-litre green-lidded recycling bin option. |
Can I get a bigger recycling bin?
The council’s “Your bins” service identifies a larger 360-litre green-lidded recycling bin for households requiring more capacity. Availability and any applicable conditions should be checked on the request form.
Before ordering another container, consider whether separating paper and card into the purple bin and food scraps into the orange caddy would free enough space in your existing bins.
Assisted Bin Collection for Residents Who Cannot Move Their Bins
North Kesteven offers assisted collections for eligible households where occupants are unable to place containers at the property boundary.
This service may be relevant to someone whose disability, health condition or limited mobility makes moving a wheelie bin difficult. The council determines the appropriate arrangement based on the household’s circumstances.
What assistance means
Under an approved arrangement, collection crews can collect bins from an agreed location rather than relying on the resident to wheel them to the normal boundary collection point.
Before applying
Explain why presenting the bins is difficult, whether another household member can assist and whether the collection crew can safely reach the agreed location.
Bulky Waste and Large Household Items in North Kesteven
Sofas, mattresses, furniture and some household appliances do not belong beside an ordinary wheelie bin. Residents should choose an appropriate reuse, retailer take-back, household waste recycling centre or council bulky-waste collection option.
Reuse or donate
If the item is still usable, consider a suitable charity, community reuse organisation or second-hand collection route.
Retailer take-back
When buying a replacement electrical appliance or furniture item, ask whether the retailer can collect the old one.
Council bulky service
Use NKDC’s extra refuse collection service for eligible large items. Check accepted items, current fees and collection arrangements before booking.
Other Recycling Options in North Kesteven
Normal kerbside bins cannot accommodate every kind of household waste. Batteries, vapes, electrical appliances, large furniture and some hazardous materials require separate disposal routes.
Household waste recycling centres
Lincolnshire County Council manages household waste recycling centres for suitable household waste. Check the current site rules, opening hours and accepted materials before travelling.
Batteries and small electronics
Never hide loose batteries or vapes in ordinary household or recycling bins. Use an appropriate retailer collection point or electrical/battery recycling service.
Which council is responsible?
North Kesteven District Council is responsible for household collection services, including your bin calendar and missed-bin reports. Lincolnshire County Council is responsible for household waste recycling centres and certain wider waste-disposal services.
This distinction matters: a missed kerbside collection should be reported to NKDC, while a question about materials accepted at a county recycling centre belongs with the county council’s site guidance.
Christmas, New Year and Bank Holiday Bin Collection Changes
North Kesteven’s 2026/27 weekday calendars already identify certain altered collection dates around Christmas and New Year. Do not assume that your usual weekday will remain unchanged throughout the festive period.
Christmas week
Some scheduled rounds move to a different weekday. Check the December 2026 entries on your own official calendar.
New Year
January 2027 collection dates are included in the current 2026/27 council calendars.
Severe weather
Ice, snow, flooding and access problems can interrupt collections. Follow current council notices rather than assuming a replacement collection date.
Official North Kesteven Council Services
Use these official resources to check dates or complete a council transaction. BinCollectionGuide.org provides independent information; it does not manage NKDC’s calendars, collection crews, accounts or reporting forms.
Search by postcode and access the 2026/27 weekday calendars.
Official bin collection calendar ↗Learn about the weekly service, kitchen caddies, outdoor containers and liners.
Official food-waste information ↗Check subscriptions, renewal, service period and brown-bin collections.
Official garden waste service ↗Report a missed collection or request a missing, damaged or additional container.
Official bin and caddy requests ↗Access the council’s request options for extra assistance or large waste items.
Waste service requests ↗Use the official A–Z guide to check individual materials.
NKDC recycling guide ↗Frequently Asked Questions About NK Bin Collections
What does NK bin collection mean?
NK bin collection commonly refers to household waste and recycling services provided by North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire.
How do I find my NK bin collection day?
Use North Kesteven District Council’s “Find your bin collection days” service, search by postcode and select your property. The council also provides 2026/27 downloadable weekday calendars.
What time should NK bins be put out?
Household bins and orange-lidded food-waste caddies should be ready for collection by 6.30am on the scheduled day.
How often are North Kesteven black bins collected?
Under the normal 2026/27 arrangement, black household refuse bins are collected every two weeks. Check your postcode-specific calendar for the correct dates.
Are purple and green-lidded bins collected every week?
No. The standard 2026/27 calendars show purple and green-lidded recycling collections on alternating four-week cycles.
When did weekly food-waste collections begin?
North Kesteven’s weekly food-waste service began in the week commencing 30 March 2026. Collections normally take place on the same weekday as the household’s regular bin service.
What is the orange bin used for in North Kesteven?
The orange-lidded outdoor caddy is for accepted household food waste. The standard rollout also included a smaller indoor kitchen caddy.
How often is the brown garden waste bin emptied?
The optional subscribed brown-bin service normally runs fortnightly, reducing to monthly collections in December and January. Your actual dates appear in the council lookup after subscribing.
Can I leave extra rubbish bags beside my black bin?
Not under the council’s normal no-side-waste policy. Bagged or loose waste left beside the bin is not collected as part of the routine service.
Who should I contact about a missed bin?
North Kesteven District Council manages missed household waste collections. Use the official missed-bin or missed-caddy reporting route on its website.
Check Your Next North Kesteven Collection
The most reliable way to know which bin to put out is to use your own postcode calendar. Check the date and container colour, have everything ready by 6.30am, and remember that food waste is collected weekly even when the main bin colour changes.
Independent information guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not affiliated with North Kesteven District Council. Official collection dates, subscriptions, charges and service requests are controlled by the council. This guide incorporates official 2026/27 calendar and service information; operational arrangements may change.