Check Your Stratford-upon-Avon Bin Collection Using the 123+ System
Stratford-on-Avon District Council uses property-specific collection dates alongside its 123+ waste system: weekly food waste, fortnightly dry recycling, three-weekly non-recyclable household waste and an optional fortnightly garden-waste service.
Use the council’s address lookup for the exact date at your property. This guide explains the 6am presentation rule, blue-lidded recycling, the £50 green-bin permit, missed collections, replacement-bin charges, bulky waste, clinical waste and Warwickshire recycling-centre access.
Stratford-upon-Avon Bin Collection: Quick Answer
Open Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Your Bin Collection Day service, search your postcode and select the exact property. Use the dates returned for that address rather than a general town timetable.
Standard household bins should be at the authorised collection point by 6am. If a scheduled collection is missed, report it online within two working days after checking the presentation, contamination, weight and access rules.
Jump to the Stratford bin task you need
How to Check Your Stratford-upon-Avon Bin Collection Date
Collection frequency tells you the general rhythm, but the exact date still depends on the property. The council’s address lookup should therefore be your first step when checking which bin goes out next.
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Open the official collection finder.
Use Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s live service rather than an old printed calendar or neighbour’s reminder. -
Enter your postcode.
The search returns addresses connected with that postcode. -
Select the exact property.
Houses, flats, communal properties and sack-service homes can operate differently. -
Read each waste stream separately.
Food, dry recycling, household refuse and subscribed garden waste run on different collection cycles. -
Save the next dates.
Stratford also provides a council app that can help with collection information and reminders.
Stratford’s 123+ Bin Collection System Explained
The joint Stratford and Warwick waste service uses the name 123+ to describe the standard collection pattern. It has operated since 2022 and is intended to keep food and recyclable materials out of the residual-waste stream.
Food waste
Collected weekly using the outdoor food caddy or the property’s approved communal arrangement.
Dry recycling
Collected every two weeks in the blue-lidded bin or an approved black recycling box.
Residual waste
Standard wheeled-bin households receive non-recyclable waste collection every three weeks.
Garden waste
Optional subscription service collected fortnightly apart from the annual festive suspension.
Collection-Day Rules That Matter
Ready by 6am
Put the scheduled container at the authorised collection point by 6am on the collection day.
Keep the lid closed
Wheeled-bin lids should be fully down and the container should be manageable for the collection equipment.
No ordinary side waste
Extra non-recyclable bags beside the grey bin are not collected as part of the standard service.
Keep access clear
The bin must be visible and accessible. Locked gates, blocked roads or another access problem can prevent collection.
What Goes in the Stratford Blue-Lidded Recycling Bin?
Dry recycling is collected every two weeks. Materials should be clean, dry and loose inside the blue-lidded wheelie bin or approved black recycling box.
| Recycle | Examples | Important rule |
|---|---|---|
| Paper & card | Clean paper, newspapers, magazines, cardboard and cartons. | Keep material clean and dry. |
| Glass | Glass bottles and jars. | Do not add unsuitable glass such as mirrors or ceramics. |
| Metal | Tins, cans, clean foil and empty aerosols. | Items should be empty and reasonably clean. |
| Rigid plastics | Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays. | Remove food residue before recycling. |
| Selected soft plastics | Carrier bags, bread bags, frozen-food bags, some wrappers, cling film and bubble wrap. | Not every pouch or sachet is accepted; use the current council list. |
Weekly Food-Waste Collection
Food waste is collected every week. Standard households use an outdoor kerbside food caddy, while the smaller indoor kitchen caddy is optional.
Common food waste
- Meat and fish
- Bones
- Fruit and vegetables
- Bread, rice and pasta
- Plate scrapings
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
Up to two outdoor caddies
Current district guidance allows a standard household to present up to two 23-litre kerbside food caddies.
Keep packaging out
Food packaging, ordinary rubbish, garden waste, cooking oil and other non-food contamination should not be placed in the food caddy.
Grey Household Bin: Three-Weekly Non-Recyclable Waste
The grey household bin is for waste that cannot use the food, dry-recycling, garden-waste or specialist disposal routes. Standard wheeled-bin households receive collection every three weeks.
Current standard replacement size
Stratford now supplies a 180-litre grey bin as the standard residual-waste replacement rather than the older 240-litre domestic container.
Need additional capacity?
An extra grey bin is eligibility-based rather than an unrestricted purchase.
Who may qualify for an additional grey bin?
- Households with six or more permanent occupants.
- Households with two or more children using disposable nappies.
- Residents whose medical needs create additional non-recyclable waste.
Stratford Bin Not Emptied: What to Check First
Stratford allows a qualifying missed collection to be reported online within two working days. Before submitting the form, check whether the container met the collection rules.
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Confirm the bin was actually due.
Recheck the council’s exact-property calendar. -
Check the 6am presentation time.
A container put out after the crew has passed does not normally qualify for a return collection. -
Check its position.
It should be at the normal collection point where the property boundary meets the road or pavement unless another arrangement applies. -
Check weight and contamination.
An overloaded, very heavy or incorrectly filled bin may be refused. -
Check access.
Locked gates, inaccessible roads or severe weather can prevent a collection. -
Report within two working days.
If the council arranges a return, leave the container at the normal collection point.
Quick missed-bin decision
Stratford Green Bin Permit 2026/27
Garden waste is an optional subscription service. For the 2026/27 period, the charge is £50 per green bin, covering 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
£50
Annual permit price for one green bin.
Fortnightly
Normal garden-waste collection frequency.
48 hours
Approximate processing time after purchase before the permit becomes active in the council system.
10 working days
Allow up to this long for the permit pack to arrive by post.
| Garden-waste question | Current 2026/27 position |
|---|---|
| Service period | 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. |
| Price | £50 for each green bin used for the service. |
| Partial-year discount | No ordinary six-month or pro-rata option. |
| Concessionary discount | The current council FAQ says no concessionary discount is offered. |
| Replacement permit | £5 under the current permit terms. |
| Cooling-off | 14 days, subject to the council’s stated conditions. |
| Christmas/New Year | A two-week annual garden-waste suspension applies. |
What can go in the green bin?
Suitable garden material
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Garden plants and flowers
- Small branches and prunings
- Windfall fruit
- Suitable straw bedding
Keep these out
- Food waste
- Ordinary household rubbish
- Soil and turf
- Stones and rubble
- Japanese knotweed
- Ragwort
- Sawdust
Assisted Bin Collections
Assisted collection is available where a resident cannot move their containers to the normal presentation point and nobody else living at the property is able to help.
Published eligibility reasons
- Infirmity
- Disability
- Ill health
- Medical condition
How the service works
The crew collects and returns the containers from an agreed accessible point outside the property. The council reviews assisted arrangements every two years.
New and Replacement Bin Prices 2026/27
| Container or service | Current charge | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|
| 240L blue-lidded recycling bin | £50 | Standard dry-recycling wheelie bin. |
| 180L grey household bin | £50 | Current standard residual-bin size. |
| 140L smaller grey bin | £42 | Smaller residual-waste option. |
| 23L outdoor food caddy | £10 | Used for weekly food collection. |
| Indoor kitchen caddy | £5 | Optional indoor food caddy. |
| Additional recycling bin | £28 | Extra blue-lidded recycling capacity. |
| Unwanted-bin collection | £25 | Council collection of an unwanted container. |
| Qualifying additional grey bin | £44 | Eligibility-based; charge is refunded if the application does not qualify. |
Stratford Bulky Waste Collection 2026/27
Stratford offers a chargeable collection for qualifying large household items that cannot reasonably go in normal household bins. The service is not designed for full house clearances.
1 to 3 items: £51
This is the current published 2026/27 charge for a smaller bulky-waste booking.
4 to 5 items: £62
Five items is the maximum normal booking through the household bulky-waste service.
Before collection
- List every item when booking.
- Place booked items outside the property boundary.
- Have them clearly visible and accessible by 6am.
- Do not obstruct pedestrians or the highway.
- Items must be safe for two operatives to lift.
- Empty fridges and freezers before collection.
Clinical Waste and Sharps
Stratford provides a free weekly collection for qualifying infectious clinical waste, but eligibility must be confirmed through a medical practitioner.
Clinical waste
Qualifying infectious waste is collected weekly in yellow sacks by the council’s contractor.
Medical confirmation
A doctor, practice nurse, clinician or community health practitioner must provide the required confirmation to the council.
Sharps
Stratford lists participating pharmacies for needles, syringes and prick sticks in sharps containers up to one litre. Contact the council for larger containers.
Burton Farm Recycling Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-on-Avon District has four Warwickshire County Council household recycling centres, including Burton Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon. Check the live Warwickshire page before travelling because booking arrangements, accepted materials and temporary site alerts can change.
Address
Burton Farm Recycling Centre
Bishopton
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 0RW
Current booking position
Burton Farm currently remains open to ordinary household visits without advance booking, although vehicle restrictions still apply.
| Day | 1 Apr–30 Sep | 1 Oct–31 Mar |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9:30am–3:15pm | 9:30am–3:15pm |
| Tuesday | 9:30am–3:15pm | 9:30am–3:15pm |
| Wednesday | 9:30am–6:15pm | 9:30am–3:15pm |
| Thursday | 9:30am–3:15pm | 9:30am–3:15pm |
| Friday | 9:30am–3:15pm | 9:30am–3:15pm |
| Saturday | 8:30am–5:45pm | 8:30am–4:15pm |
| Sunday | 8:30am–5:45pm | 8:30am–4:15pm |
Flats, Communal Bins and Homes Without Wheelie-Bin Space
Some communal properties use larger shared containers and can have different frequencies from ordinary individual-house collections. Access to bin stores must remain clear for the collection crew.
Communal residual waste
Large shared residual containers are generally collected fortnightly rather than on the standard three-weekly household pattern.
Communal recycling
Shared dry-recycling containers are normally emptied fortnightly.
Communal food waste
Food-waste arrangements remain weekly where the communal service applies.
Property cannot accommodate wheelie bins?
Some flats above shops, maisonettes and terraced homes use alternative containers. Approved properties can present up to two residual-waste sacks fortnightly; the council does not provide those black sacks.
- Black recycling boxes can be requested for dry recycling.
- Food waste can use kerbside food caddies.
- Garden-waste subscribers can ask about reusable green sacks where a wheelie bin is impractical.
Current Service Alerts Worth Checking Before You Travel or Put Waste Out
Household textile kerbside collection
Stratford published a temporary suspension from 1 April 2026. Check the council’s latest service notice before leaving textiles at the kerbside.
Fridges and freezers at Warwickshire HWRCs
The August suspension was lifted on 8 September 2026. Acceptance has resumed, but site capacity and local restrictions can still change.
Christmas, New Year and Holiday Collections
Do not assume that Stratford collections simply move by one day after every public holiday. The council publishes revised festive arrangements when required, and those arrangements can differ by date.
The garden-waste service has an annual two-week suspension over Christmas and New Year regardless of the normal fortnightly pattern.
Official Stratford Waste Services
BinCollectionGuide.org explains the process, but live dates, reports, payments, permits and bookings are managed by Stratford-on-Avon District Council or Warwickshire County Council.
Open official bin calendar
Open 123+ guidance
Open missed-bin form
Open bin-order guidance
Open bulky-waste service
Open Burton Farm guidance
Stratford-upon-Avon Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my Stratford-upon-Avon bin collection date?
Use Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s address lookup, enter the postcode, select the exact property and read the upcoming collection dates shown for that address.
What time should Stratford bins be put out?
Standard household containers should be at the authorised collection point by 6am on the scheduled collection day.
What does Stratford’s 123+ collection system mean?
It means weekly food-waste collection, fortnightly dry recycling, three-weekly non-recyclable household waste and an optional paid fortnightly garden-waste service.
How often is Stratford dry recycling collected?
Standard dry recycling is collected every two weeks in a blue-lidded bin or approved black recycling box.
How often is the Stratford grey rubbish bin collected?
Standard wheeled-bin households receive non-recyclable household-waste collection every three weeks. Some approved sack-service and communal properties operate differently.
When must I report a missed Stratford bin?
Report a qualifying missed collection within two working days of the scheduled collection after checking the collection date, 6am presentation, access, weight and contamination rules.
How much is the Stratford garden-waste permit in 2026/27?
The current 2026/27 garden-waste permit costs £50 per green bin and covers the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
How much does Stratford bulky waste collection cost?
The current charge is £51 for one to three items and £62 for four to five items. Five items is the maximum normal booking.
Does Burton Farm Recycling Centre require booking?
Burton Farm currently remains open to ordinary household visits without advance booking. Vehicle restrictions still apply, and residents should recheck the live Warwickshire page before travelling.
Can I take a fridge or freezer to a Warwickshire recycling centre now?
Yes. Warwickshire County Council resumed fridge and freezer acceptance on 8 September 2026 after the temporary August suspension, although residents should check current site capacity and restrictions before travelling.
Best Next Step: Check the Exact Property First
For the correct Stratford-upon-Avon bin collection date, start with the official address calendar. Select the exact property, confirm which stream is due and have the correct container ready by 6am.
If something goes wrong, use the matching official route for missed collections, garden permits, assisted collections, replacement bins, bulky waste or recycling-centre access rather than relying on an old schedule.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Warwickshire County Council or Biffa. Live collection records, service alerts, payments, permits and bookings should be confirmed through the responsible authority.