Students

What you need to know if you've just moved in

If you're a university student living in Derby, here's some information that explains what you need to know about waste and recycling.

You have a legal duty to store and dispose of your waste and recycling correctly, whether you are a tenant or owner, live alone or with others.

Find out your bin collection dates using our bin day lookup tool and learn how to present your bins.

In Derby we have a four system-bin:

• blue bins are for household dry recycling
• brown bins are for garden waste
• green containers are for food waste only
• black bins are for any other waste that cannot be recycled in the other bins.

Check what bins you have available at your house and what goes in each one to ensure your collection goes ahead as normal. You can find out more on our what goes in each bin pages.

Please remember that you are responsible for putting your bins out correctly and removing them from the street after collection. Leaving bins permanently on the pavement is not allowed and may result in enforcement action and considerable financial penalties.

It’s important for everyone to play their part, as all occupants are equally responsible. Working together is key.  

The University of Derby also has information about waste and recycling that you can check on their website.

Together, let's keep Derby tidy, one street at the time.

Why your bins haven't been emptied

There are several reasons why bins may not have been emptied including:

• Restricted road access.
• Bin lid not fully closed.
• A genuine mistake.

If you put the wrong items in your recycling bins, this is called 'contamination'. Contaminated bins will not be emptied and may result in formal action and considerable financial penalties.

• If your bin is contaminated, we will leave a tag on it.
• The tag has a QR code that you can scan to find out what's gone wrong.

All information about this can be found on our missed bins page.

If you need to replace a broken bin, or want extra recycling or food waste bins, visit our bin requests page.

For waste produced due to medical or healthcare needs, including incontinence, visit our clinical waste page.

If you need any assistance, contact your landlord or managing agent. They should be able to provide everything that you need, from information to replacing broken bins.

What to do with your waste at the end of the year

Sell it - Money can be tight during your studies. You could consider selling your preloved items on sites such as eBay, Depop, Gumtree or Vinted. Whether you have old clothes you don’t wear or books that you won’t need next semester, there are many ways to gain that extra bit of cash.

Donate it - If you’re struggling for time to sell your preloved items, you could consider donating to a charity shop in the city or to the Reuse Raynesway shop.

You can also give items a new home with Derby Freegle, an online service that allows you to give and get items for free that are too good to be thrown away.

If you have old crockery or glassware, or a pair of jeans you don’t wear any more, Anglo Doorstep Collections is a free service which collects a wide range of unwanted household items. You can select a charity of your choice to support. 

Recycle it – After selling and donating good quality items, it’s time to recycle! 

If your item has a plug, battery or cable, visit the recycle your electricals website to find out where your nearest drop off point is or arrange a visit to Raynesway Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC).  

Many supermarkets also offer recycling points for items ranging from batteries to bread bags and other soft plastics that we cannot accept in the blue bin. Check out what your local shop can take the next time you visit. 

As a resident of Derby, you can make use of Raynesway HWRC up to 12 times per year. You’ll need to book a slot before you visit.

Bin it - If you can’t sell or find a suitable place to donate your items, help us get it right for Derby and make sure you use the correct bin it to avoid unwanted deposit issues at the end of your tenancy. If you’re unsure about which bin to use, use our Recycling Helper. 

Large items - We offer a bulky waste collection service which can be arranged for a fee, where we will collect waste and any bulky items from the kerbside.