- 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 7am, as rubbish can be collected between 7am 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.
- 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 can I put in my rubbish?
- General household rubbish which can’t be recycled either in your green recycling bin, or through recycling banks or services in the city.
What can’t I put in my rubbish?
- Clinical waste such as syringes – you can request a healthcare waste collection.
- General household rubbish which can’t be recycled either in your green recycling bin or through recycling banks or services in the city.
- DIY waste such as soil, rubble, bricks, paint cans etc. – you can take this to the Portsmouth recycling centre or arrange removal by a licensed firm.
- Bulky items such as furniture – can be taken to the Portsmouth recycling centre, donated to charity or you can arrange a large household item collection.
- Garden waste – you can compost or sign up for a garden waste collection.
- Batteries – these can be recycled at local shops and supermarkets, or at the Household Waste and Recycling Centre. For electrical equipment such as laptops and phones, leave the batteries in the equipment and recycle through the small electrical items collection.
What if I can’t put my rubbish out?
If you have a medical condition that prevents you from putting your rubbish out please contact us to request an assisted collection.
- Complete the online form to request an assisted collection
- Email recyclingandrubbish@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
- Telephone 023 9284 1105
What is the limit?
If you live in a flat fronted property, we will take three bags of rubbish per week. Any extra rubbish won’t be collected – you can take extra bags to the recycling centre at Port Solent.
If you have a black wheelie bin for rubbish, then this should be filled with bagged rubbish and you should be able to close the lid of your bin.
If you have extra bags to be collected, you can purchase stickers that will allow these to be taken as well. Stickers cost £24 for a sheet of 12, and should be placed on every extra bag that you put out. To buy these stickers, call us on 023 9284 1105 – you can pay by debit or credit card.
If you are recycling in full and regularly need extra rubbish taken, you can be assessed for a bigger bin. Contact us to discuss this with our team.
What happens to rubbish after it’s collected?
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.
How to put your bin out
For details on how to put your bin out for collection, please read the guidelines.
Missed collections
If you followed the guidelines on how to put your bins out but your collection has been missed, you can report it by filling in the missed collection form.
Please leave your bin at the boundary of your property until the crew can return. The crew will try to return to empty your bin within two working days of it being reported. However, due to the ongoing nationwide driver shortages, this timeframe cannot be guaranteed.