West Lothian Bin Collection 2026: Check Your Date, Bin Colour & Missed Collection
West Lothian Council’s current household calendar covers May 2026 to August 2027. Enter your postcode, choose the exact address and download the calendar for that property instead of calculating collection dates from an old rota.
This guide explains blue, green, brown and grey bins, the 7am presentation rule, garden-waste permits, missed-bin decisions, July 2026 replacement-bin charges, bulky uplifts, assisted collections and booking rules for West Lothian’s five recycling centres.
West Lothian Bin Collection: 30-Second Answer
Enter your postcode in West Lothian Council’s collection checker, select the exact property and read the dates shown for each container. You can also download the new PDF calendar covering May 2026 to August 2027.
Present the correct bin at the kerbside by 7am with the lid fully closed and remove straps, locks or weights. Do not leave excess bags beside the container. If the bin remains full, check the council’s Daily Updates page because crews can work until 8pm.
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How to Check Your Exact West Lothian Bin Collection Date
Use the property lookup rather than assuming Livingston, Bathgate, Broxburn, Linlithgow, Whitburn or another town follows one borough-wide timetable. West Lothian Council links the calendar to the selected household address.
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Open the council collection-calendar page.
Use the current postcode service rather than a previously downloaded screenshot. -
Enter your full postcode.
Use the council form buttons rather than your browser back and forward controls while completing the lookup. -
Select the exact property.
Check the house or flat carefully where one postcode contains several addresses. -
Read each scheduled collection.
Grey, blue, green and brown containers can follow different dates. -
Download the current PDF calendar.
The current downloadable household calendar runs from May 2026 through August 2027.
How the West Lothian Collection Pattern Works
The exact pattern depends on the recycling setup supplied to your property. Where a household has separate blue and green recycling bins, recycling collections alternate between those colours with the grey bin collected in the intervening weeks.
Green recycling
A green recycling collection can be followed by a grey-bin collection before the next blue recycling collection.
Grey refuse
The grey general-waste bin is normally collected every two weeks.
Blue recycling
Where separate blue and green bins are provided, each recycling colour comes round less frequently than the overall fortnightly recycling service.
West Lothian Bin Colours: Blue, Green, Brown and Grey
Paper & card
For homes with separate blue and green recycling bins, the blue bin is for clean, dry paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, envelopes and similar card products.
Containers
Use for accepted plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, food and drink cartons, tins, cans, aerosols and clean foil.
Food & garden
Solid food waste can always use the brown bin. Garden waste is collected only when the bin displays the current paid garden-waste permit.
General waste
Use for non-recyclable rubbish such as nappies, polystyrene, dirty food packaging and other household material that cannot use the recycling streams.
What If Your Property Only Has One Blue Recycling Bin?
Some West Lothian properties, particularly flats, do not use the separate blue-and-green recycling system. If your home has only a blue recycling bin, the accepted materials are broader.
Blue-only recycling can include
- Paper and cardboard
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays
- Tins and cans
- Empty aerosols
- Cartons
- Clean foil
Still keep these out
- Glass
- Batteries
- Electrical items
- Food waste
- Polystyrene
- Textiles and shoes
- Dirty food packaging
Where Does Glass Go in West Lothian?
West Lothian does not provide a normal kerbside glass collection through the household blue or green bins. Glass bottles and jars should be taken to an appropriate bottle bank, recycling point or Community Recycling Centre.
West Lothian Brown Bin 2026/27: £55.75 Garden-Waste Permit
Food waste remains part of the normal brown-bin service without a garden permit. The charge applies when you want the council to collect garden waste from the brown bin.
2026/27 permit
The price does not reduce if the permit is bought part way through the service year.
What the permit changes
A brown bin displaying the current permit can contain accepted food and garden waste. Without a permit, the brown bin can still be used for food waste, but garden waste in it can cause the bin to be refused.
Garden material accepted with a permit
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves and twigs
- Small branches that fit with the lid closed
- Hedge clippings
- Plants
Keep these out of the brown bin
- Rubble and soil
- Pet waste and bedding
- Plant pots
- Timber, fencing and logs
- Garden furniture
- Stones, gravel and concrete
The West Lothian 7am Bin-Day Checklist
Kerbside by 7am
Present the scheduled household container before the collection round reaches your street.
Lid fully closed
West Lothian does not collect ordinary side waste left beside the bin.
Remove straps and locks
Take off straps, weights, locks or other restraints before presenting the container.
Do not compact material
Compacted or frozen contents can remain in the bin after it is lifted. The council does not provide another collection for a half-emptied bin.
Avoid excessive weight
A container considered too heavy can be refused for safety reasons and will not receive an additional collection.
Roadworks need access
If your street is closed, present the bin at the nearest location the refuse vehicle can safely reach or at an access point specified for the works.
West Lothian Bin Not Emptied? Wait Until After 8pm
Collection teams can work until 8pm, so an afternoon non-collection is not automatically a missed bin. The Daily Updates page is the first place to check because it lists affected areas, reasons and return dates where a wider service problem is known.
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Confirm the bin was due.
Check the exact address calendar and colour. -
Wait until the collection round has finished.
Do not treat the collection as missed before 8pm. -
Check Daily Updates.
Look for your area and follow any published “Return By” instruction. -
Check presentation.
A late, contaminated, locked, overweight or inaccessible container is not treated as an ordinary crew miss. -
Use the online missed-bin form if necessary.
Report the problem if no published disruption resolves it.
West Lothian Replacement Bin Charges From July 2026
Replacement charges were introduced from 3 July 2026. A missing, stolen or normally damaged bin is now chargeable unless West Lothian Council caused the loss or damage while emptying it.
| Bin | Size | Current charge | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grey | 140 litres | £27 | Standard general-waste size. |
| Blue | 240 litres | £30 | Charge also applies to an additional recycling bin. |
| Green | 240 litres | £30 | Up to two green bins may be allowed where required. |
| Brown | 240 litres | £30 | Garden-waste permits are a separate charge. |
West Lothian says it aims to deliver a purchased replacement within 15 working days. Before ordering a missing bin, check around your property and nearby streets in case it has been moved after collection.
Additional Recycling Bins and Extra Grey-Bin Capacity
Extra recycling capacity and extra general-waste capacity are handled differently. Additional blue or green recycling containers can be requested, but a second ordinary grey bin is not issued automatically.
Extra blue or green
Households can request additional recycling capacity. Current replacement/additional-container charges can apply.
Red-lid grey capacity
Residents who genuinely need more residual-waste capacity can request an assessment for an extra-capacity red-top bin.
Medical need
Additional capacity required because of medical circumstances should be assessed through the local District Nursing team.
West Lothian Assisted Bin Collection
Assisted collections are intended for residents who are infirm or whose medical condition or disability prevents them from presenting the bins normally.
Temporary or permanent
The council can assess an assisted arrangement for either a temporary situation or an ongoing need.
Assessment target
West Lothian states that the assessment will take place within five working days after the request is submitted.
If approved, the collection crew can retrieve the bin from an agreed accessible point within the property and return it there after emptying.
West Lothian Bulky Uplift: £38.59 for Up to Five Items
The council’s current household bulky-uplift service costs £38.59 for up to five items. It is intended for residential household items rather than commercial or business waste.
Up to five items
Fridges and freezers count as one of the five items rather than requiring a separate booking.
Normally within seven working days
West Lothian says household bulky uplifts normally take place within seven working days of the request.
Outside by 7am
Items must be outside and accessible from 7am. Crews do not remove them from inside the house, garage or rear garden.
Changing a booking
If you need to change the number or type of items after booking, make the change by 12 noon on the working day before collection or the appointment may be lost.
West Lothian Community Recycling Centres: Booking Required
West Lothian residents can use five Community Recycling Centres: Blackburn, Broxburn, Linlithgow, Oakbank in Livingston and Whitburn. All vehicle visits require an advance booking, including cars.
Oakbank — Livingston
OakbankLivingston
EH53 0TP
Open days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Whitburn
Dixon TerraceBurnhouse Industrial Estate
Whitburn
EH47 0LQ
Open days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Blackburn
East Mains StreetBlackburn
EH47 7QU
Open days: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Broxburn
Greendykes Industrial EstateBroxburn
EH52 6PG
Open: Thursday, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
Linlithgow
Braehead RoadLinlithgow
EH49 6HF
Open: Tuesday, Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon.
CRC booking rules residents often miss
| Rule | What it means | Before travelling |
|---|---|---|
| Advance booking | Every vehicle needs a booking. | Use the official CRC booking system. |
| Vehicle registration | The arriving registration must match the booking. | Bring the hire agreement if using a hire vehicle. |
| 30-minute slot | Each booking provides one vehicle entry during the booked period. | Do not arrive before the slot; late entry may be refused. |
| Vans | Van spaces are limited and vans are not permitted on Sundays. | Choose another day or site if no van appointment is available. |
| Residency | Centres are for West Lothian household waste. | Business, trader and charity waste is not accepted. |
Official West Lothian Waste Contact Routes
For online services, use the collection, reporting and booking routes that match the task. West Lothian Council’s Customer Service Centre number is 01506 280000.
West Lothian Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my West Lothian bin collection date?
Use West Lothian Council’s postcode collection checker, select the exact property and read the dates shown for each bin. The current downloadable household calendar covers May 2026 to August 2027.
What time should West Lothian bins be put out?
Present the scheduled bin at the kerbside by 7am with its lid fully closed. Remove locks, straps and weights and do not leave ordinary side waste beside the container.
When can I report a missed West Lothian bin?
Collection teams can work until 8pm, so check the Daily Updates page first and do not treat an afternoon non-collection as missed. If the issue remains unresolved, use the official missed-bin form.
Will West Lothian Council return for one missed bin?
The council says Waste Services will not return solely for one individual missed bin in a street. Where there is a wider disruption, follow the return instructions published on the Daily Updates page.
How much is the West Lothian garden-waste permit in 2026/27?
The 2026/27 permit costs £55.75 per household and covers up to two brown bins. It is valid from 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2027.
Do I need a brown-bin permit for food waste?
No. Food waste can still be placed in the brown bin without paying for a garden-waste permit. The permit is required when garden waste is added.
How much is a replacement West Lothian bin?
From 3 July 2026, the current charge is £27 for a 140-litre grey bin and £30 for a 240-litre blue, green or brown bin, unless a qualifying council-caused loss or damage exemption applies.
How much is West Lothian bulky waste collection?
The current bulky uplift costs £38.59 for up to five items. Items must be outside and accessible by 7am on the arranged collection date.
Do West Lothian recycling centres require a booking?
Yes. All vehicles visiting Blackburn, Broxburn, Linlithgow, Oakbank or Whitburn Community Recycling Centres need an advance booking. The vehicle registration must match the booking.
Can I put glass in a West Lothian recycling bin?
No. West Lothian does not provide normal kerbside glass collection through the blue or green bins. Use a bottle bank, recycling point or Community Recycling Centre.
The Simplest West Lothian Bin Routine
Use the postcode checker, select your exact property and save each bin colour beside its collection date. Have the scheduled container at the kerbside by 7am with its lid closed and all straps or locks removed.
If the bin stays full, check Daily Updates and wait for the collection round to finish before reporting it. For brown bins, remember that food collection remains available without a permit but garden waste requires the current £55.75 permit.
Independent guide: BinCollectionGuide.org is not West Lothian Council. Live household dates, service disruptions, reports, permits, payments, bin orders and recycling-centre appointments remain with the responsible official service.