Missed bins

Important notice: due to coronavirus (COVID-19) a number of our team are having to self-isolate as per the government guidance, some of our bin collections have been delayed or cancelled. Please see Bins, rubbish and recycling for more details.

Collections may be missed by us for a number of reasons:

• restricted access to your road
• bad weather, badly parked vehicles or roadworks can restrict access to bins sometimes
• our vehicle may have broken down and your collection may take place later than usual
• a genuine mistake; each crew empties over 1,000 bins per day, so sometimes a bin may be missed by accident
• orange bags may be missed if you have not used the service before. We will need to notify the crew that you have started recycling so they visit your property in future. Please let us know using our online contact us form.

If your bin is missed due to bad weather please keep looking on the homepage for updates.

If access to your road was blocked due to roadworks or parked vehicles, we will automatically return to attempt to empty bins either later the same day or in the days that follow.

What do I need to check before I report a missed bin?

• Have you put the right bin out on the right day? Please check on the bin day look-up tool.
• Was your bin out at 6.30am?
• Is it after 4.30pm on your collection day? We collect bins until 4.30pm so we may not have got to your street yet.
• Do you have an assisted collection? Could we get access to your bin from 6.30am?
• Does your bin have an information tag on it? If so we have missed it for a reason outlined on the tag:
  • Is it very heavy?
  • Is it overloaded? Have you placed extra bags on top or next to your bin?
  • Have you put the wrong things in your bin?

Unfortunately we are unable to return and empty your bin for any of the reasons listed above. Our crews keep a record of the bins that have not been emptied for these reasons.

Please take steps to ensure that we can empty your bin on your next scheduled collection. We won't be able to return any sooner. Excess waste can be taken to Raynesway Household Waste and Recycling (HWRC) site.

How do I report my bin as missed?

Please fill this missed bin online form if we have genuinely missed your bin.

We aim to return and collect within two working days (please note that Monday is not a working day).  

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need to put my bin out for 6.30am?

Our crews start collecting bins from 6.30am. We will not always collect your bin at the same time each week, this may vary due to roadworks, access issues, bad weather etc. Therefore we ask for bins to be out for collection by 6.30am to make sure they are available when we arrive.

Why can't you empty heavy bins? 

Overloaded and heavy bins will not be emptied as they may cause injury to the collectors if the bin breaks or excess waste falls from the bin on our lifts. Our bin lifts cannot lift very heavy bins. 

Why can't you return to empty my bin if it was my mistake it was missed?

Unfortunately we are unable to return to missed bins that are not our mistake as we do not have the vehicles or crews spare to carry out this work. Any excess or additional waste can be taken to Raynesway Household Waste and Recyling (HWRC) site.

My blue/black bin is often heavy and/or overloaded, what can I do?

Please make sure you are washing and squashing your recycling to fit more in your blue bin.

We may be able to help by offering an additional bin. Please apply for a bin online.