Recycle More For Bristol
From Southmead to Southville, Redland to Redfield, wherever you are in the city, let's recycle more
Just a little bit more for Bristol
Recycling is good for the planet, for our city and for your council tax pounds.
Come on Bristol, let’s recycle just a little bit more and make sure we’re freeing up space in your general waste bins, tackling the climate emergency, saving your city money, and doing our bit for Bristol.
New recycling containers are coming
To help residents on kerbside collections recycle more for Bristol, we’re delivering new containers to 175,000 households in autumn 2026. A new red bag for plastic and cans (replacing the old brittle green box), and new blue bag for card and paper, plus brown food bin where these are missing or damaged.
We will change your recycling containers and deliver new ones on your usual collection day. So please continue to put out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day until we get to you.
For translations or plain text versions of the guide, head to the bottom of the page.
Did you know?
When we recycle more, Bristol makes more money from selling recycling. That means, better value-for-money for council taxpayers!
Half of what is in the average black wheelie bin could be recycled – 26% of this is food waste which should go in the brown bin to be recycled
The waste from your black wheelie bin is incinerated to generate energy – reducing this waste means we can cut carbon emissions and costs
Why is recycling important?
Recycling is good for the planet. It reduces demand on brand new materials and helps minimise the greenhouse gases we produce.
When we recycle more, Bristol saves money on expensive general waste disposal fees. This means we reduce the cost to the council taxpayer and that Bristol has more money to spend on other vital services!
By taking an extra moment to put items in the right recycling container, we can make a big difference together for Bristol.
What's in Bristol's general waste bins?
Our research shows that only about half of what’s in the average Bristol general waste black wheelie bin is non-recyclable waste. General waste wheelie bins should only be used for non-recyclable waste!
- 24% of the average Bristol general waste bin is general recyclable items. Things that can easily be recycled in your kerbside recycling containers, such as glass, plastic, card, and metal.
- 26% of the average bin is recyclable food waste. More than a quarter! All of that useful resource is going to waste and making your bin smelly whilst it’s there.
- 50% of the average Bristol wheelie bin is non-recyclable waste. This is the only thing that should ever be in our bins. We can bring this amount down by reducing and reusing!
What happens to Bristol's recycling?
Recycling is sorted
First, you sort your recycling into your kerbside containers.
…then it’s collected
Secondly, on bin day, our crews collect it and sort the materials into our trucks.
Then it’s sorted, baled and sold
After that, the trucks take it to our Albert Road transfer station or our materials recycling facility in Avonmouth. There we sort it even more and compact it into bales by material type.
Then it’s made into new products!
Once sorted and baled, we send your recycling on to specialist companies (‘reprocessors’) who turn it into something new! Or, in the case of food, it makes green energy to power local homes and soil improver for farms.
What goes in which recycling container?
Welcome to your new containers! Here’s what household recycling items you need to put in each one.
Red bag: plastic and metal
cans
plastic bottles
PET, PP or PET plastic plant pots (non-black only)
lids and caps
plastic packaging
empty aerosols
foil
No:
black plastic or plastic film
gas cannisters
soft plastics
Fit more into your red bag by squashing plastic bottles and cans. Keep it clean by giving things a quick rinse before recycling.
Blue bag: paper and card
boxes (remove any tape)
cartons (rinsed and squashed)
greetings cards (no glitter)
cardboard tubes
paper
magazines
envelopes and letters
No:
tape
plastic
wrapping paper
Make the most of your 90-litre blue bag by squashing, folding, or cutting up boxes, and don’t forget to check the lid can be closed before you put it out for collection.
Brown bin: food waste
fruit and vegetables
cheese and dairy
meat, fish, and bones
eggshells
bread, pasta, rice, and cereal
coffee grounds and tea bags
leftovers and plate scrapings
No:
packaging
plants
Keep your food bin clean by lining it with an old plastic bag (including a used bread bag), a compostable liner or newspaper. All of these will be removed before the food waste is processed.
Black box: glass
glass bottles
glass jars
No:
metal or plastic lids
broken glass
light bulbs
drinking glasses
windows or mirrors
You can also put small electricals and batteries/vapes in here by using separate, clear, untied bags so our crews can easily separate them into the right sections of our trucks, reducing the risk of fires.
Download a recycling guide
You can download the Bristol kerbside recycling guide in English, Polish or Somali to read online or print at home.
Red bag FAQs
Find out about your brand new recycling containers and what changes you can make to recycle just a little bit more… for Bristol!
- As a response to feedback from the public
- To increase recycling rates and reduce waste
- To reduce on-street litter
- To save the city money by reducing the amount of general waste sent for incineration, which costs millions of pounds each year, and improving service efficiencies
- To help us achieve our ambitious sustainability targets
- To make recycling more accessible to everyone in the city
Bristol Waste and Bristol City Council are making it easier than ever to recycle just a little bit more. As part of an exciting new campaign, Bristol residents on kerbside recycling collections will receive brand-new and improved recycling containers from September 2026.
As part of the feedback received during the recent public consultation on the future of waste and recycling in the city, residents told Bristol City Council that they wanted extra capacity to for household recycling.
This, coupled the old containers having reached the end of their lifespan and changes in recycling collections, has led to the decision to invest in new recycling containers for the city.
The new red and blue bags feature sealable lids to prevent litter from blowing into the street during windy conditions, the red bag is far more durable than the previous brittle green boxes and can be squashed for easy storage to reduce pavement clutter between collections.
The new containers also align with the government’s Simpler Recycling legislation, which has successfully reduced street litter and improved collection efficiency in other local authorities.
This is the first of a number of improvements that will take place over the next few years to help everyone recycle ‘just a little bit more for Bristol’.
- New 90l red bag
- Updated 90l blue bag
- New, larger 25l brown food waste bin (replacing the 23l bin for those who don’t present/need broken bin replacing)
- Removal of old 55l green boxes and out dated blue bags
- Black boxes will stay the same
- Wheelie bins will not change
Red bag for plastic and metal. We’re swapping old green boxes for shiny new red bags. The bags have more 60% more capacity, they’re squashable so easier to store off the street between collections, and they’re more durable and safer for our crews to handle.
Blue bag for paper and card. Previously the blue bag was just for card and brown paper. The new blue bags are for all paper, card and cartons– one less thing to sort! (No ‘paper’ cups though, as these are mostly not recyclable).
Black box for glass bottles and jars only. We will still collect separated small electricals and batteries in clear, untied bags. This allows our crews to easily separate them into the right sections of our trucks.
The brown bin is still for all food waste. As previously, use your brown food waste bin for everything from teabags and peelings to chicken bones, plate scrapings and out-of-date food.
- All households on standard kerbside recycling collection (around 175,000 homes across the city) will receive a new red bag and blue bag
- Brown food waste recycling bins and caddies will only be given to households without existing brown bins, or those whose bins need replacing
- Black boxes, general waste bins, and garden waste bins will not be provided at part of this project
- For households with multiple green boxes, these will be swapped for the equivalent capacity of red bags. (eg, 1-2 green boxes = 1 red bag, 3 green boxes = 2 reg bags)
- Households on communal, Mini Recycling Centres (MRCs) or non-standard services (e.g. flats above shops) will remain the same
To help make it easier than ever to recycle more, households with a standard kerbside recycling service will have their existing green box swapped for a red bag, their existing blue bag swapped for a new one and those without brown food waste bins, or those whose brown food waste bin needs replacing, will be given a new one.
The black recycling boxes will not be replaced as part of this project.
Households not on standard kerbside collections, for example those with communal bins, Mini Recycling Centres (MRCs) or non-standard services such as flats above shops will remain the same.
- 60% extra capacity in the red bag
- 2l extra capacity in the brown food waste bins
- Lids to keep items secure in the bins, reducing litter
- Easier to handle safely and quickly – helping keep residents safe, helping Bristol Waste’s crews complete work more quickly
- Squashable to easier to store off the street, keeping pavements clear between collections
- Updated and clear messaging on the containers
- Accessibility improvements such as scannable QR codes
Your new red bag can hold 60% more recycling than the old green box and has a sealable lid, helping to keep your recycling in the container and not on the street.
Your replacement blue bag is for recycling cardboard and paper together, speeding up sorting time for you and our crews.
Other local authorities are using similar containers and have reported increases in recycling rates, reduction in street litter and positive feedback from residents.
- The containers are being delivered to 175,000 households from 7 September into November 2026
- It will take us a few weeks to get to everyone, your patience is appreciated
- You will receive a letter and leaflet guide through the post at least a week ahead of delivery letting you know your containers are changing
- If you have still not received your new containers by the end of November, please contact Bristol City Council’s Waste Services
We’re changing containers for 175,000 homes, in weekly batches starting from September 7 into November. Keep putting your containers out on your normal day and we’ll get to you in the next few weeks.
Our delivery partner will follow our collection crews around Bristol, one area at a time, and replace your old containers with new ones after your bins have been emptied.
All residents will receive a letter from Bristol Waste at least one week before the delivery of your new containers.
Please help us by putting out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones.
- We are no longer be accepting extra, less common items like textiles, shoes or spectacles in the black box as part of the standard kerbside collection
- Low quality of textiles being collected as a result of weather or other contamination means this isn’t a good way to ensure textiles are recycled
- To help keep it simple
- Residents can still take any of these sorts of items to the household reuse and recycling centres for free
- Try charities, online freebie sites etc
We are no longer be accepting extra, less common items like textiles, shoes or spectacles in the black box as part of the standard kerbside collection
This change has been made for a couple of reasons. Firstly, to help keep recycling simple.
Secondly, due to the low quality of textiles being collected as a result of weather or other contamination means this isn’t a good way to ensure textiles are recycled
Bristol residents can still take any of these sorts of items to the household reuse and recycling centres for free, or for items in good condition, why not try reusing them, selling or donating them instead?
Watch this space! We’re looking at introducing soft plastic collection for kerbside as soon as possible. However, with government legislation changes to the date it for soft plastic collections nationally, it’s looking like it might be as late as 2030. Taking soft plastics to local supermarkets is a great solution in the meantime!
- Once all deliveries of new containers have been completed we will only be collecting plastic and metal recycling from the new red recycling bags
- If you would like to keep your old green box to use around your home or garden, you can do. Just keep it out of sight to ensure our collection teams don’t remove it by mistake, as it will not be replaced
- Our research has shown that the bags are much better for safe manual handling than the boxes. We offer assisted collections for those in need of them, please contact Bristol City Council’s Waste Services to get this set up
We love reducing, reusing and recycling. If you’d rather reuse your green recycling box in your home or garden, instead of us collecting it to be recycled, you are welcome to.
However, please ensure that your green box is out of sight so our teams don’t collect it for recycling by mistake, as it will not be replaced.
Please be aware, once all deliveries of new containers have been completed we will only be collecting plastic and metal recycling from the new red recycling bags
- Ordering online is still available as normal with delivery fee
- To tide you over until your new containers are delivered, you can put sorted recycling out in bags for life or similar for us to collect
If you need a new container sooner than your new ones are delivered, you can order directly from Bristol City Council’s website as per usual. However, there is a delivery charge, and this will not be reimbursed after you receive your new container.
- Put out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones (even if they’re empty)
- Check what recyclable material goes in which container
- Recycle just a little bit more for Bristol
Come on Bristol, let’s recycle just a little bit more and make sure we’re freeing up space in your general waste bins, tackling the climate emergency, saving your city money, and doing our bit for Bristol.
Please help us by putting out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones.
- We might not have got to you yet
- Sit tight and keep putting your existing containers out each bin day
We’re changing containers for 175,000 homes, from September into November, so it will take a few weeks for us to get to everyone.
Our delivery partner will follow our collection crews around Bristol, one area at a time, and replace your old containers with new ones after your bins have been emptied.
Please help us by putting out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones.
- Old green boxes and brown bins will be recycled within the UK into new recycling boxes (or similar products).
- Blue bags will be reused where possible, as ‘spares’, or recycled into new products. Recycling is of utmost importance to the teams at Bristol Waste and Bristol City Council. Recycling will not take place within the UK due to no reprocessors.
Your old green box will be taken to a site in the UK where they will be recycled back into recycling containers.
Blue bags that are still in good condition will be available as free replacements from Bristol’s recycling centres.
Blue bags that are no longer usable will be sent to a manufacturer in Europe where they will be recycled, likely being turned into new recycling bags.
- Whilst we’re still completing deliveries of the new containers, we will still collect recycling from old green boxes and blue bags
- Once all deliveries of new containers have been completed we will only be collecting plastic and metal recycling from the new red recycling bags
Your recycling will be collected as normal throughout the rollout of Bristol’s new containers. Our teams will collect from both the old green boxes and the new red bags. Just make sure you put paper in with card in your blue bag (not in the black box)
- To help everyone in Bristol recycle more, the new containers delivered as part of this project will be provided free of charge.
- Containers ordered online, separate to the new container rollout, will be charged a small delivery fee.
To help everyone in Bristol recycle just a little bit more, the new containers will be provided free of charge
However, if you online a new recycling bin or box online, separate to the new container rollout, will be charged a delivery fee.
- There will not be any changes to your Bristol bin day as part of this project
- Only change is your containers
No bin collection days will change as part of the new recycling container rollout
- Households on communal, Mini-Recycling Centres (MRCs) or non-standard services will remain the same
- All households on standard kerbside recycling collection (around 175,000 homes across the city) will receive a new red bag and blue bag
- Brown food waste recycling bins and caddies will only be given to households without existing brown bins, or those whose bins need replacing
- Black boxes, general waste bins, and garden waste bins will not be provided at part of this project
- For households with multiple green boxes, these will be swapped for the equivalent capacity of red bags. (eg, 1-2 green boxes = 1 red bag, 3 green boxes = 2 reg bags)
Households not on standard kerbside collections, for example those with communal bins, Mini Recycling Centres (MRCs) or non-standard services such as flats above shops will remain the same.
Households with a standard kerbside recycling service will receive a new red bag and a new blue bag, and old green boxes and blue bags will be removed. Those without brown food waste bins, or those whose brown food waste bin needs replacing, will be given a new one. The black recycling boxes will not be replaced as part of this project.
- The containers are being delivered to 175,000 households week-by-week between September and November 2026
- You will receive a letter and leaflet guide through the post before your containers are changed
We’re changing containers for 175,000 homes, from September into November, so it will take a few weeks for us to get to everyone.
Our delivery partner will follow our collection crews around Bristol, one area at a time, and replace your old containers with new ones after your bins have been emptied.
All residents will receive a letter from Bristol Waste at least one week before the delivery of your new containers.
Please help us by putting out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones.
- The containers are being delivered to 175,000 households week-by-week between September and November 2026
- We will get to you as soon as we can
We’re changing containers for 175,000 homes, from September into November, so it will take a few weeks for us to get to everyone.
Please help us by putting out all your recycling containers on your usual collection day, so that we can change them for new ones.
- To help everyone in Bristol recycle just a little bit more recycling guide will be/has been delivered to all households receiving new containers
- Check online www.bristolwastecompany.co.uk/recycle-more
- See the outside of your new containers for a guide for what goes in where or scan the QR code on the label
To help everyone in Bristol recycle just a little bit more, a recycling guide will be/has been delivered to all households receiving the new containers.
You can also find out how to get your recycling sorted by:
- Checking online bristolwastecompany.co.uk/recycle-more
- Using the icons on your new containers as a guide or scanning the QR code
- Bring all recycling and waste containers in between your collection days
- Make sure your bins and containers are sorted correctly and out for collection by 6am and bring them in as soon as possible after they’ve been emptied
Bring all recycling and waste containers in off the street between your collection days.
This helps keep public walkways clear and safe for you and your neighbours.
Make sure your bins and containers are sorted correctly and out for collection by 6am (5am when there are temperatures over 25 ° as our teams start early on hot days) and bring them in as soon as possible after they’ve been emptied
- Put containers out by 6am on collection day (5am during hot weather)
- Put bins and recycling containers at the edge of your property, unless you have an assisted collection.
- Bins and recycling containers should be clearly visible and safe to access for collection crews
- Bring containers back onto your property as soon as possible after collection
Make sure your bins and containers are sorted correctly and out for collection by 6am (5am when there are temperatures over 25 ° as our teams start early on hot days), they should be visible from the road, and bring them in as soon as possible after they’ve been emptied
For more information, visit: Bins and recycling collection dates
- All new containers will have sealable lids to prevent recycling becoming litter
These new containers feature sealable lids to prevent litter from blowing into the street during windy conditions, are far more durable than the previous brittle green boxes and can be squashed for easy storage to reduce pavement clutter between collections. They also align with the government’s Simpler Recycling legislation, which has successfully reduced street litter and improved collection efficiency in other local authorities.
- All new containers have a space to write your address
- Use marker or paint.
All your new containers have a space to write your address. You can also use marker, paint or purchase numbered stickers to attach to your containers.
- Rinse your recycling
- Use a liner in your food bin (plastic bag or paper)
To stop your containers from becoming dirty, we recommend that you give all glass, plastic or metal recycling a quick rinse before you put it out.
You can use a liner in your brown food waste bin and kitchen caddy to help make cleaning easier.
- Maximise space by washing and squashing plastic and cans and flattening card
- You can order additional red bags, black boxes or brown food waste bins via the Bristol City Council website
- Blue recycling bags for paper and card are limited to 1 per household
Some places offer collections of mixed dry recycling (as in, not including food waste recycling) BUT! We know that the result is a much lower quality recycling and a much more expensive process to sort afterwards.
We know that the way Bristol sorts recycling (residents sorting into the containers, our teams sorting into the trucks, our machinery at the depots sorting again) results in really high quality, low contamination recycling. This means the materials definitely get recycled and the people of Bristol get the best value for money for the service!
You can read more about it here: Are you ready for simpler recycling? Bristol’s already doing it! – Bristol Waste Company