Bristol bins and recycling

It’s important to know how to use your bins, recycling containers and mini recycling centres (MRCs).

Responsible waste management is better for the environment, and the only way to stay on the right side of the law. Please remember that illegal waste disposal and fly-tipping can lead to prosecution and fines up to £50,000.

We collect household waste and recycling from every home across Bristol – that’s 22 million collections per year. We also run the city’s 3 Household Reuse and Recycling Centres.

Bristol can be proud of our status as the number 1 core English city for recycling, but we need to do more. Find out ways to improve your recycling and our campaigns.

In partnership with Bristol City Council and the One City Plan, we help deliver Bristol’s sustainability targets.

With your help we can keep Bristol clean and safe and keep our place as the number 1 core city for recycling in England.

Household bins and recycling collections

In Bristol, most houses have kerbside waste and recycling collections.

In this system, residents sort recyclable and non-recyclable materials into 5 containers that are collected from the kerb outside their home. Some households also subscribe to garden waste collections.

Sorting recycling at home means we gather high-quality recycling, and collections are faster and more efficient.

Flats are more likely to have larger shared bins, called a mini recycling centre (or MRC).

You can find more information below: