Missed bin or recycling collection
Missed bin or recycling collection
How to tell us if we didn't collect your rubbish or recycling when we were due to.
On the day of the collection wait until after 5pm to report a missed collection. You need to report the missed collection before 5pm the next working day.
Before reporting a missed collection
Unfortunately the garden waste service will continue to be suspended. We’d like to apologise to all residents who use the service.
The national driver shortage is continuing to have a significant impact on Bristol Waste.
They currently have a shortfall of 17 drivers resulting from vacancies, lack of available agency drivers, and absence due to illness and COVID-19.
In order to maintain the city’s essential waste and recycling collections, the temporary replacement of the garden waste collection service with drop-off points, will be extended.
If you’re paying for garden waste collection you can find locations and times of the drop off points on Bristol Waste’s website.
The situation is being constantly reviewed, and we will provide another update at the start of October.
We will automatically discount the renewal of people’s subscription to cover the missed collections, however if you are not planning to continue the subscription you can contact us for a refund when you get your renewal invoice by emailing waste.services@bristol.gov.uk
Use our bin collection day finder to check that you have put your bin out on the right collection day.
You shouldn't make duplicate reports for the same missed bin.
Possible reasons why we haven’t collected your waste
- containers weren't out before 6am on the collection day
- wheelie bin lid wasn't closed
- wheelie bin was too heavy
- side waste or extra bags left outside of containers
- recycling wasn't in correct containers
- recycling was overflowing and could spill when moved
When you can report a missed collection
You can report a missed collection between 5pm on the day of the missed collection and 5pm the next working day.
When we'll collect
We'll collect within 2 working days of your report, so leave containers at your normal collection point.
Help make sure your collections aren't missed
Put your bins and boxes out by 6am on your collection day. They should be at the edge of your property and visible from the road.
Make sure your recycling is in the right boxes or bag.
Why we can’t collect some waste
We won’t collect:
- extra waste next to your black wheelie bin
- extra waste stopping your black wheelie bin lid from closing
We do collect extra recycling, apart from cardboard, if it's separated into untied carrier bags.
If you didn’t put your waste or recycling out
If you forgot or weren’t able to put your recycling or waste out on collection day, put it out on the next collection day.