Rubbish

• 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.

• General household rubbish which can’t be recycled either in your green recycling bin, or through recycling banks or services in the city.

• 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
• Food waste – place it in your food waste bin if you have one
• 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. You can check is someone has a waste carries licence on DEFRA’s website by searching their business name or address
• Large household 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 – place these in a clear bag on top of your rubbish bin (or on top of your rubbish bags if you don’t have a bin). If you have a communal bin, take your batteries to your local supermarket for recycling.
• Small electrical equipment such as laptops, vapes and kettles. Place these in a carrier bag on top of your recycling bin. If you have a communal bin, take your electrical/electronic waste to the Household Waste Recycling Centre

For details on how to put your bin out for collection, please read the guidelines online.

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

If you live in a flat fronted property, we will take three standard sized 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.

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.

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. 

Bins are only allowed on the pavement on the day of collection and the evening before, after 7pm. This is to make sure that the pavement is accessible to all pedestrians.

If you leave your black wheelie bin on the pavement outside of these times, we will send you a letter to remind you. If you continue to leave your bin out incorrectly, we will then remove it.

How to put your rubbish out if your bin has been removed

The council will not send you another rubbish wheelie bin.

For the collection of your rubbish, you can:

• Place up to 3 standard size bags (generally up to 80L) on the pavement.
• Place up to 3 standard size bags in a personal round dustbin.

Rubbish bags and dustbins are also only allowed on the pavement on collection day and the evening before, after 7pm.

It’s your responsibility to ensure you recycle fully so your rubbish fits within your three-bag allowance. See information in the ‘What is the limit?’ section.