How Guildford's alternating recycling and rubbish weeks work, what goes in each bin, the battery and side-waste rules — and the council's own checker for your street's day.
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Guildford's bins run on a two-week cycle: one week the green recycling bin, the next week the black rubbish bin, with the outdoor food caddy going out every single week. This page explains the cycle and what belongs in each bin. It deliberately does not claim to know your street's day — the council assigns that address by address, so use its own checker at guildford.gov.uk/bincollectiondays. Garden waste is a separate paid subscription, £75 per bin for 2026/27: see guildford.gov.uk/gardenwaste.
No bank holiday affecting collections this week
Your outdoor food caddy goes out every week. Your green recycling bin and your black rubbish bin are collected on alternating weeks — one week the recycling, the next week the rubbish. Batteries, small electricals and textiles are taken every week in their own separate bags beside the bin. Which week your street is on, and which day, comes from the council's address checker; nothing on this page can work that out for you.
When in doubt, leave it out — the wrong item can spoil a whole load of recycling.
Recycling
Green wheelie bin
Every fortnight (alternating)Everything must be clean and dry. Too much for the bin? Put the extra neatly beside it in a see-through plastic bag — the crews take one extra bag per household. Put the wrong thing in and they will not empty it at all, and you can wait up to two weeks for the next collection.
Goes in
Keep out
Rubbish
Black wheelie bin
Every fortnight (alternating)No side waste on rubbish weeks — anything left beside the black bin is not taken. Bins have a weight limit too: 50 kg for a two-wheeled bin, 250 kg for a four-wheeled one.
Goes in
Keep out
Food waste
Outdoor food caddy
Every weekLine it with a caddy liner, newspaper or a carrier bag — anything but a black bin liner. It goes out every week, on recycling weeks and rubbish weeks alike.
Goes in
Keep out
Batteries, small electricals and textiles
Separate tied bags beside your bin
Every weekBatteries and vapes must never go inside a bin: they can ignite when they are damaged or crushed in the truck. Put them in a small clear bag, like a sandwich bag, on top of your bin. All three of these are collected every week, on both recycling and rubbish weeks.
Goes in
Keep out
Your exact day and week — check by address
Leave your bins at your collection point by 6.30am on your collection day — the council will not empty them if you miss that. A missed collection must be reported within two days of the collection date. Call 01483 505050 · report it online
Bank-holiday dates from GOV.UK bank holidays · council bins page.