Frequently asked questions about bins and boxes

Bins with lids which do not fully close can be difficult to place on our lorries and materials often fall out, leaving a mess on our streets and putting our staff at risk.  

While our crews have done their best to continue to lift these bins, it is not safe for them to keep on doing this. This is because our crews need to keep a safe distance from our lorry lifting mechanisms to prevent accidents.  

More and more of our lorries are also being fitted, by their manufacturer, with updated technology following the death of a waste operative in Coventry, England. These changes mean our lorry lifting mechanisms will ‘cut out’ if a bin with a raised lid is placed on the loader – so, soon, we will be physically unable to tip these bins into the lorry.

Bins with liners can, and do, snag on our lorry loading mechanism and are a safety risk to staff who try to untangle them.

While our crews have done their best to continue to lift these bins, it is not safe for them to keep on doing this. This is because our crews need to keep a safe distance from our lorry lifting mechanisms to prevent accidents.

Liners placed in recycling and compost bins are also not recyclable – if they end up in our recycling lorry, they could contaminate the whole load and result in it all being sent to landfill.

Bin liners are not the same as black bin bags of waste.

You can also still get your bin cleaned as normal, but please let your supplier know not to place liners inside the bin.

Lots of councils already have policies around not lifting overfilled bins or bins with liners fitted to keep their staff safe at work.  

Here in Belfast, our crews have done their best to continue to empty these bins, but it is not safe for them to continue to do so. The reasons for this are given above.  

To support you in adapting to this change, we are using a phased approach.  

During May and June 2025, we will begin placing amber tags on overfilled bins and bins with liners attached, to highlight why these bins are unsafe for us to lift.  

We will still try our best to collect overfilled and lined bins during this time, but we ask you to work with us on these changes.  

From late June 2025, we will then place a red tag on bins where the lid does not fully close. These bins will not be emptied. You will need to follow the instructions on the tag before we can empty it. 

If you’re worried about fitting all your waste into your bin, please follow the advice in our dealing with extra household waste section. 

Your bin lid needs to be fully closed for us to empty it safely. Please follow the advice in our dealing with extra household waste section to make sure the lid is down.

During May and June 2025, we will begin placing amber tags on bins which are overfilled, as part of a phased approach, to highlight why these are unsafe for us to lift.  

We will still collect bins which are overfilled during this time, where we can, but we ask for your help with this. 

From late June 2025, we will then place a red tag on bins which are overfilled. These bins will not be emptied. You will need to follow the instructions on the tag before we can empty it. 

If you’re struggling to fit everything into your bin, try these tips:  

• sorting your waste properly and recycling as much as you can – this is the most important thing you can do to create space in your general waste bin 
• flattening down large items and bags  
• using our recycling centres and civic amenity sites
• booking a free bulky waste collection for larger household items  
• bagging any extra waste and keeping it one side until your next collection  
• contacting us if you have a larger household (six or more people) or someone has extra waste due to a medical condition – find out more about requesting help with this 

Don’t leave extra bin bags of waste beside your bin on collection day.  
 
You could get a fixed penalty notice of £80 or £400, as it is considered as littering or dumping, depending on the extent of the extra waste you have left out.  

We can only collect what is inside your bin (with the lid fully closed) to help keep our collections running smoothly.  

Many of the items we see dumped beside bins could also be recycled, so just throwing everything into one lorry is not the right solution.  

Instead, you can: 

• take extra items to our recycling centres and civic amenity sites – they accept a wide range of recyclables and extra black bin bags of waste that cannot be recycled can be taken here too  
• book a free bulky waste collection if you have larger household items which you need to dispose of  
• keep the items to one side for your next collection
• for recycling boxes collected by Bryson Recycling on our behalf, you can place a single bag of extra recyclables with your box. This should be tied and only contain one type of material only. Textiles can also be left out in this way. This applies to boxes collected by Bryson Recycling only.   

Be aware, if you allow an unlicensed company or person to take your extra waste and they then illegally dump it in Belfast, or elsewhere, you could receive a fixed penalty notice of £300.  

Always sort your waste yourself. You are responsible for disposing of it correctly to keep your community, and our city, clean.

Several of our recycling centres, including Ormeau and Alexandra Park Avenue, have pedestrian or cycle access.  

If needed, ask a neighbour or family member for help. For larger items, we also offer a free bulky waste collection service.  

Many charity stores will collect good quality items for free and you can also use websites and social media channels to dispose of unwanted items.

All general waste bins in Belfast are collected every two weeks. Some councils collect general waste bins less frequently.

That’s because we are all working to encourage recycling and composting, which are better for the environment and more cost effective.

In fact, 75 per cent of our household waste in Belfast can be recycled.

Using your recycling bins or boxes properly, alongside our recycling centres, civic amenity sites and other recycling initiatives, is the best way to create space in your general waste bin.

We can only collect one general waste bin per household, unless:  

• six or more people live in your property; or 
• someone has a medical condition that generates extra waste which cannot be recycled.  

Call us on 028 9027 0230 for help with this. 

A council officer will carry out an assessment to check you’re using all your recycling bins and boxes properly, before approving additional general waste capacity.  

If approved, we will provide this for free but will review your collections annually. Additional bins remain council property, and they may be removed if your eligibility changes.  
  
If you’re not eligible, follow the tips in our dealing with extra household waste section to create space in your general waste bin.

We provide one of each type of recycling bin or box, depending on where you live in the city.   

If you have a larger household (six or more people), we may be able to provide you with extra recycling containers. Call us on 028 9027 0230 for further information.

We recommend leaving bins and boxes out by 7am on the day of your collection, then bringing them back in again by 8pm. This can reduce the risk of dumping in or beside your bin.   

You can report dumping online or call us on 028 9027 0230.  

We monitor areas daily, but reports from you can help us to tackle these issues more effectively.  

If we are able to detect who is behind the dumping, they may receive a fixed penalty notice of up to £400, depending on the extent of the offence.

We ask you not to do this.  

If we have not emptied your bin because it is overfilled, has a liner or has the wrong items inside it, we will add a tag to it to explain what you need to do ahead of your next collection day.  

Ignoring these rules is damaging for you and your community - excessive waste can bring problems, including pests, and it makes your street look untidy.  

Our Enforcement and Operations teams regularly monitor neighbourhoods for fly-tipping and side waste and focus on hotspot areas during targeted campaigns.  

Fixed penalty notices of £80 or £400 are possible, depending on the extent of the offence, if we can detect who is behind the dumping.  

Once we have completed our enforcement investigation, we will remove waste to limit the risk to public health.

Around 70,000 households in Belfast can’t recycle glass via their recycling bins or boxes just now.  

We are working hard to reduce this figure, via a three-year project to expand glass recycling across the city.  

• Find out more about how we’re improving glass recycling

In the meantime, recycle your glass bottles and jars at our

• recycling centres,
• civic amenity sites or
• bottle banks. 

Visit our what goes in my bins and boxes page for help with sorting your waste and recycling as much as you can.   

We also offer printed and digital guides to support you to leave your bin or box out for collection in the right way and to not overfill your bin. These can be provided in different formats or languages.

Email waste@belfastcity.gov.uk or call us on 028 9027 0230 or with your contact details, and we’ll send you the right information.  

More information will also be published in our City Matters magazine, due with households in June 2025. 

Depending on where you live in Belfast, you will have access to a general waste bin for disposing of waste which cannot be recycled. You should also have access to containers to help you recycle as much as you can.   

The type of bins or boxes you have for recycling varies, depending on which part of the city you live in – urban (usually recycling boxes or wheelie boxes, collected by either our crews or Bryson Recycling on our behalf), or suburban (usually blue or brown bins). 

If you aren’t sure what you have access to, use our find my bin collection day postcode checker to look up your address. 

You can then order bins or boxes online or call us on 028 9027 0230 and we’ll deliver them to you. If you live in rented accommodation, you should contact your landlord first.  

We can help if you're physically unable to leave your bin out for collection, and have no-one to help you.  

We will take the bin from your property, empty it and then return it to your home. This service is also available if you use recycling boxes. 

To apply, email wastecollections@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 028 9027 0230.   

• Find out more about our free assisted lift service

Your bin must be in good working order for us to lift it safely. This includes the wheels and lid.  

If it is damaged, you can order new bins or boxes online or call us on 028 9027 0230.

If you need more green food waste bags, tie your last bag to your food waste or compost bin handle.  

Our crews will leave bags with you at your next collection, where available.  

Rolls can also be picked up at our community centres and recycling centres. We advise using the bags we provide because these decompose along with the food waste.  

If you’re stuck, you can place food waste directly into your food waste or compost bin, or wrap it in newspaper. 
 

Unfortunately, we don’t have the resources to expand our bulky waste collection service at present.  

It is already offered free of charge, unlike many other councils.  

You can book up to seven items per collection, but we also encourage you to consider using our recycling centres and civic amenity sites where you can.  

You can also donate items to charity stores, many of which collect items for free, or consider using resale website or social media channels too.  

Yes - bins must be safe for our crews to lift and empty them.

Overly heavy bins won’t be collected – instead, we’ll add a tag to them and ask you to remove some of the items before your next collection date.

Avoid this by recycling as much as possible, presenting your general waste bin at every collection (even if it’s only half full) and using our recycling centres for heavier items like household rubble and garden waste.