Portsmouth City Council is responsible for collecting and disposing of household waste across the city.
Make sure your wheelie bin (or your bags of rubbish if you’re in a flat-fronted property) is out on the edge of your property, where it meets the pavement. This should be before 6am, as rubbish can be collected between 6am and 4pm. Remember to bring your bins back as soon as they have been emptied or by the end of collection day. Bins and rubbish sacks must not be stored on the pavement outside these times. Bins left on the pavement may be removed.
Make sure your rubbish is secure (double-bagged or in a dustbin) or in your wheelie bin to protect it from pests.
If you live in a flat, all you need to do is put your black sacks in your shared rubbish bin and it will be collected from there.
What you can put in the rubbish bin
You can put in general household rubbish that cannot be recycled in your green recycling bin, or through recycling banks or services in the city.
What you cannot put in the rubbish bin
- clinical waste such as syringes - you can request a healthcare waste collection
- paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins, cans and aerosols - these can be recycled in your green recycling bin
- glass, textiles, cartons, books, CDs/DVDs, plastic pots/tubs/trays - take these to a local recycling bank wherever possible, find your nearest recycling bank
- food waste - place it in your food waste bin if you have one
- DIY waste such as soil, rubble, bricks, paint cans etc - take this to the Portsmouth recycling centre or arrange removal by a licensed firm (check if someone has a waste carrier licence)
- large household items such as furniture - take them to the Portsmouth recycling centre, donate them to charity, or arrange a large household item collection
- garden waste - compost or sign up for a garden waste collection
- batteries - place these in a clear bag on top of your rubbish bin or bag (if you have a communal bin, take them to your local supermarket for recycling)
- small electrical equipment such as laptops, vapes and kettles - place them in a carrier bag on top of your recycling bin (if you have a communal bin, take your electrical or electronic waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre - find your nearest recycling centre)
What happens to rubbish after collection
Rubbish is collected weekly and taken to the local energy recovery facility (ERF) to be burnt. The heat produced generates electricity through a steam turbine system. This method produces enough electricity to power 20,600 homes.
Rubbish limits and allowances
Find details on rubbish limits and allowances in Portsmouth.
If your bin has been removed
Bins are only allowed on the pavement on collection day and the evening before, after 7pm.
If you leave your bin on the pavement outside of these times, we will send you a reminder letter. If you keep leaving it out, we will remove it. Recycling bins left out can be replaced with smaller bins to make them easier to bring in.