Bins & Recycling
Biniau ac Ailgylchu
Your complete guide to bin collections, recycling bags, collection days, recycling centres, and reporting problems in Cardiff.
Check Your Collection Day
Find out exactly when your bins are collected â live from Cardiff Council
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đ Collection Schedule
Cardiff operates a fortnightly alternating cycle. Your street is assigned to either Week 1 or Week 2. Food waste is the exception â it is collected every single week.
Week 1 â General Waste
- đ˘ Green bags (general waste)
- đ˛ Food waste caddy
Week 2 â Recycling
- đ´ Red bags (plastics & cans)
- đľ Blue bags (paper & card)
- đż Green bin (garden, if registered)
- đ˛ Food waste caddy
Put your bags out by 6:00 AM on your collection day
Collections start early. Bags left out after the crew has passed will not be collected until the next scheduled date.
đŚBag & Bin Guide
Cardiff uses a colour-coded bag system. Tap any card below to see exactly what goes in each bag and what to keep out.
Green Bags
Fortnightly (Week 1)
General non-recyclable household waste
Red Bags
Fortnightly (Week 2)
Cans, tins, aerosols, plastic bottles, pots, tubs & trays
Blue Bags
Fortnightly (Week 2)
Paper, cardboard, magazines, envelopes & catalogues
Food Waste Caddy
EVERY week
All food waste, cooked and uncooked, including tea bags
Green Wheeled Bin
Fortnightly (March - November)
Garden waste only. Registration required.
đŚWhere to Get Free Bags
Cardiff Council provides green, red, and blue recycling bags, food caddy liners, and replacement food caddies completely free of charge. Collect them from any of these locations:
Cardiff Central Hub
Central Library, The Hayes, CF10 1FL
Ely & Caerau Hub
Cowbridge Road West, CF5 5BQ
Llanrumney Hub
Countisbury Avenue, CF3 5NP
Llandaff North & Gabalfa Hub
Station Road, CF14 2FH
Rumney Partnership Hub
Wentloog Road, CF3 3EQ
St Mellons Hub
Fortran Road, CF3 0LT
Star Hub (Splott)
Splott Road, CF24 2BZ
Butetown Community Hub
Loudoun Square, CF10 5UZ
Order bags online
If you can't visit a hub, you can order bags online for free home delivery. Allow up to 10 working days for delivery.
âťď¸Recycling Centres (HWRCs)
Cardiff has three Household Waste Recycling Centres for items that cannot go in kerbside bags â furniture, electricals, DIY waste, mattresses, and bulky items. Open 7 days a week (hours vary by season).
Lamby Way Recycling Centre
Lamby Way, Rumney, Cardiff CF3 2EQ
View on map
Bessemer Road Recycling Centre
Bessemer Road, Grangetown, Cardiff CF11 8TX
View on map
Wedal Road Recycling Centre
Wedal Road, Roath, Cardiff CF14 3QX
View on map
What you can take
Furniture, mattresses, electrical items, textiles, wood, metal, garden waste, rubble (limited), cooking oil, batteries, paint, and more. Tyres and asbestos are not accepted.
ID and permits
Bring proof of Cardiff residency (driving licence or utility bill). Vans, trailers, and large vehicles may need a permit booked in advance.
đSpecial Collections
Beyond kerbside bags, Cardiff Council offers additional collection services for specific waste types.
đď¸Bulky Item Collection
Sofas, fridges, washing machines, mattresses, and other large items. Book online or by phone. There may be a charge depending on the number of items.
đśNappy & Hygiene Collection
Free weekly collection for households with children in nappies or members using incontinence products. Prevents hygiene waste building up between fortnightly general waste collections.
đťGarden Waste Collection
Free fortnightly collection from March to November using a green wheeled bin. You must register in advance to receive your bin and be added to a collection round.
đĽClinical & Medical Waste
Sharps, pharmaceutical waste, and clinical waste from home healthcare. Contact the council to arrange safe collection and disposal.
â Collection Day Tips
Timing matters. Put bags out the evening before or by 6:00 AM â not days in advance.
Flatten cardboard. Flatten all cardboard before putting it in blue bags to save space.
Rinse containers. Give containers a quick rinse before putting them in red bags.
No black bags. Never use black bags for recycling. Only council-issued coloured bags are accepted.
Tie bags tight. Tie bags securely to prevent waste spilling in windy weather.
Keep caddy clean. Line your food caddy with compostable liners or newspaper. Wash periodically.
Bag everything. Do not put loose items next to your bags â everything must be bagged.
Bank holidays. Check for bank holiday changes. Collections often shift by a day.
What NOT to put in any kerbside bag
Batteries or electrical items
Paint, chemicals, or solvents
Building or DIY rubble
Textiles or clothing
Gas bottles or fire extinguishers
Plasterboard or asbestos
Syringes or medical sharps
Hot ash or liquids
đ˘Report a Problem
Missed collection
If your bags were out by 6 AM on the correct day and were not collected, report it within 2 working days.
Contaminated bags
If bags were left behind with a tag, they contained wrong items. Check the tag, fix the contents, and put them out next recycling day.
Fly-tipping
Spot illegally dumped waste? Report it to the council. Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and will be investigated.
Cardiff Council Waste Helpline
Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
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