Check Your Reigate & Banstead Council Bin Collection Dates and Schedule
Use this resident-first Reigate & Banstead bin guide to check your collection calendar, understand weekly food waste, weekly paper and cardboard, alternate-week mixed recycling, alternate-week refuse, paid brown garden waste, missed-bin rules, bulky waste and Surrey recycling centre options for Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Horley, Merstham, Tadworth, Woodhatch, Earlswood, Salfords and nearby areas.
What do you need today?
Pick your exact problem first. Most Reigate & Banstead bin issues are solved by the official calendar, the 6am rule, the contamination check or the two-working-day missed-bin limit.
Find Your Reigate & Banstead Bin Collection Day
Enter your postcode here to keep it handy, then open Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s official collection-date page. The council tells residents to use the “Where I live” service and select “view collections calendar” in the recycling section.
How do I check my Reigate & Banstead Council bin collection schedule?
Use the official Reigate & Banstead “Check your bin collection dates” page, search by postcode in “Where I live”, then open the collection calendar. Put containers at the boundary of your property, next to the public highway, before 6am on collection day. Food waste and paper/cardboard are collected weekly; mixed recycling and refuse are collected on alternate weeks; garden waste is collected every other week for subscribed households.
Reigate & Banstead Bin Collection Calendar: Check Your Address Before Bin Night
Your collection dates are address-specific, so the official Reigate & Banstead calendar should be your first stop.
The borough includes Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Horley, Merstham, Earlswood, Woodhatch, Tadworth, Walton-on-the-Hill, Salfords, Nork, Chipstead, Kingswood and surrounding neighbourhoods. Collection days can vary by street, communal bin setup and service type. That is why the council’s postcode and address lookup is safer than copying a reminder from another road.
Open the official collection-date page
Use Reigate & Banstead’s “Check your bin collection dates” page, then go to the Where I live postcode search.
Enter your postcode and select your address
Choose the exact property, especially if you live in a flat, private road, new development or shared-access area.
Open “view collections calendar”
In the recycling section, view your collection calendar and check future dates for each container.
Put containers out before 6am
Place containers at the boundary of your property, adjacent to the public highway, before 6am on collection day.
Resident habit: check the calendar again around Christmas, New Year and bank holiday periods. Reigate & Banstead has previously changed collection dates over Christmas and New Year, and garden waste has an annual Christmas break.
Reigate & Banstead Collection Schedule: Weekly Food, Weekly Paper, Alternate Mixed Recycling and Refuse
The borough uses several container streams, so “bin day” is not always one simple rubbish day.
| Waste stream | Normal collection pattern | Container / rule |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste | Weekly | Use the lockable food recycling caddy. You can line with a plastic bag or wrap food in paper if only used for food waste. |
| Paper and cardboard | Weekly | Use your black recycling box for paper and cardboard. |
| Mixed recycling | Alternate weekly | Use the grey wheeled bin for mixed plastic, cans, glass, cartons and foil. |
| Refuse | Alternate weekly | Use the green wheeled bin for anything that cannot be recycled or reused. |
| Garden waste | Every other week if subscribed | Garden waste is collected on the opposite week to mixed recycling/refuse for members of the paid brown-bin service. |
Important pattern: mixed recycling and refuse are collected on the same day but on alternate weeks. Food waste and paper/cardboard are weekly, so they should not be saved up for refuse week.
Reigate & Banstead Bin Containers Explained
Using the right container is the easiest way to prevent contamination, rejected bins and missed-collection confusion.
Food waste caddy
WeeklyFor cooked and raw food scraps. Food waste should not go in your refuse bin.
- Meat, fish and bones
- Dairy, eggs and eggshells
- Rice, pasta, beans and pulses
- Fruit, vegetables and leftovers
Black paper/card box
WeeklyFor paper and cardboard. Shredded paper must be contained in a paper envelope or cardboard box.
- Paper, leaflets and newspapers
- Flattened cardboard boxes
- Magazines and directories
- Pizza boxes with contents removed
Grey mixed recycling bin
Alternate weekFor mixed plastic, cans, glass, cartons and foil. Keep food waste, paper/cardboard and bagged recycling out.
- Plastic containers where accepted
- Cans and tins
- Glass bottles and jars
- Cartons and clean foil
Green refuse bin
Alternate weekFor non-recyclable household waste only. Do not use it for items that can be recycled or reused.
- Non-recyclable household waste
- No food waste
- No paper/cardboard
- No electricals, batteries, DIY waste or chemicals
Reigate & Banstead Food Waste Collection: Weekly Caddy Rules and Accepted Food
Food waste is collected weekly and should be separated from refuse.
The council accepts raw and cooked meat and fish, including bones, fat and gristle; dairy products; cheese; eggs and eggshells; bread; cakes; biscuits; pastries; rice; pasta; beans; pulses; fruit; vegetables; salad; peelings; leftovers; out-of-date food; tea bags; tea leaves; coffee grounds and pet food.
Use the caddy for food
Food waste is heavy and smelly in refuse. Weekly food waste collection keeps the green refuse bin cleaner and lighter.
Lining rule
You can use newspaper, paper wrapping or a plastic liner if it is only used to wrap food waste.
Do not mix with packaging
Remove plastic packets, trays, film, foil and other packaging before putting food into the caddy.
Paper and Cardboard Recycling: Weekly Black Box Collection
Paper and cardboard are collected weekly in your existing black recycling box.
Accepted paper/cardboard includes paper, leaflets, cardboard, flattened cardboard boxes, pizza boxes with all contents removed, magazines, telephone directories, newspapers, envelopes, junk mail with plastic wrapping removed, cereal boxes and ready-meal cardboard sleeves with plastic film removed.
Shredded paper tip: contain shredded paper inside a paper envelope or cardboard box to help stop littering when crews empty containers.
Grey Mixed Recycling Bin: Plastic, Cans, Glass, Cartons and Foil
The grey mixed recycling bin is collected on alternate weeks and should not be used for food, paper/cardboard or bagged recycling.
| Common issue | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste in mixed recycling | Food contaminates otherwise recyclable material. | Use the weekly food caddy. |
| Paper and cardboard in mixed bin | Reigate & Banstead collects paper/card separately. | Use the black paper/cardboard box. |
| Plastic bags and black sacks | Bagged recycling can be refused and cannot be sorted properly. | Put accepted items loose in the bin. |
| Compostable cups or packaging | These are not accepted as plastic recycling. | Check packaging and use the correct disposal route. |
Contamination warning: if recycling is contaminated, the council says you cannot report it as a missed bin. Remove the wrong items and wait for the next scheduled collection.
Green Refuse Bin: What Stays Out of General Rubbish
The green refuse bin is for anything that cannot be recycled or reused. It is not a shortcut for recyclable or hazardous waste.
The council says not to put recyclable or reusable items, electrical items, batteries, vapes, liquids, garden waste, food waste, paper/cardboard, domestic DIY waste, items heavier than 15kg, bricks, rubble, soil, stones, paint tins, large furniture, hot ash, chemicals, clinical waste, needles or business waste in the refuse bin.
Before using refuse
Ask whether the item belongs in food waste, paper/card, mixed recycling, garden waste, reuse, bulky waste or Surrey community recycling centre.
Heavy and DIY waste
Items heavier than 15kg, rubble, soil, stones, paint tins and DIY waste need a different route.
Batteries and vapes
Do not put batteries, vapes or electrical items in household bins. They can cause fires and need a specialist recycling route.
Reigate & Banstead Garden Waste Service 2026: Brown Bin Cost, Collections and Christmas Break
Garden waste is a paid optional service with every-other-week collections for subscribed households.
The service includes 25 fortnightly collections a year over 50 weeks, with a two-week break over Christmas. From 1 April 2026, the garden waste fee is £79 for one bin, £158 for two bins, £237 for three bins and £316 for four bins. Payment is by one annual Direct Debit. The service includes rental of a brown 240-litre wheelie bin, and the council says the bin may be second-hand and remains council property.
Collection pattern
Garden waste is collected every other week and normally on the opposite week to mixed recycling/refuse.
Brown bin size
A single annual fee includes rental of one brown 240-litre wheelie bin. Residents can rent up to 10 bins, each with an annual subscription.
Delivery timing
The garden waste bin is delivered within three weeks of applying, according to the council service page.
Access warning
The council may be unable to offer garden waste service where operational or access reasons prevent it.
Missed Bin Collection Reigate & Banstead: Report After 3pm and Within Two Working Days
Do not report too early. The council says the crew may still return before 3pm.
Your bin must be placed at the boundary of your property by 6am on the scheduled collection day. You cannot report a missed bin if it is before 3pm, if a whole road has been missed, if it has been more than two working days, or if the recycling is contaminated. If a whole road has been missed, the council says it will return the next working day.
Check the calendar
Confirm the container was due for your address on that day.
Check the 6am rule
The bin or container must have been at the boundary before 6am.
Wait until after 3pm
The crew may still return before 3pm, so reports before then are not valid.
Check whether the whole road was missed
If the whole road was missed, the council says it will be back the next working day.
Report within two working days
After two working days, you need to wait for your next scheduled collection.
Recycling warning: contaminated recycling cannot be reported as a missed bin. Check the “what goes in each bin” page, remove the wrong items and use the next scheduled collection.
Reigate & Banstead Bulky Waste Collection: Sofas, Beds, Washing Machines and Large Items
The council can collect many household items for a charge, including washing machines, sofas and beds.
All booked bulky waste items must be placed outside your property by 6am on the morning of collection. The council says crews are unable to carry items up or down stairs, and no amendments or refunds can be made after the order is placed. That means you should only book when the items, collection point and payment details are correct.
Good for
Many large household items that will not fit in your normal refuse bin, such as beds, sofas and washing machines.
Put out by 6am
Items must be outside the property on the morning of collection. Do not leave them where crews cannot safely access them.
Check exclusions first
The council has a separate list of items and substances it cannot collect, especially hazardous materials.
Flats, Communal Bins and Assisted Collections in Reigate & Banstead
Flats and communal bin areas may have different container arrangements, but the same sorting logic applies.
The standard service for flats and communal bins covers paper/cardboard, mixed recycling, non-recyclable rubbish and food waste. Some properties may be waiting to move to the standard service. If you live in a flat, check your building notices, landlord instructions and the council page before moving containers or reporting a missed communal collection.
Communal sorting
One contaminated communal bin can affect everyone. Keep paper/card, mixed recycling, food waste and refuse separate.
Assisted collection
Frail or vulnerable residents who cannot put out containers can apply for an assisted collection.
Visibility matters
The council asks that assisted-collection containers can be seen from the roadside so crews can collect and return them.
Community Recycling Centres Near Reigate & Banstead: Epsom and Earlswood Options
If you have excess refuse, recycling, bulky items, DIY waste or garden waste that cannot go in household bins, use the appropriate Surrey County Council community recycling centre route.
Reigate & Banstead’s garden waste page points residents to Surrey County Council community recycling centres for garden waste disposal, including Epsom and Earlswood. Always check Surrey’s current opening times, permits, accepted items and site restrictions before travelling.
Use for excess waste
Excess refuse or recycling should not be left beside your normal bin. Use a recycling centre route where appropriate.
Use for DIY and hazardous items
DIY waste, batteries, vapes, electricals, rubble, paint, soil and similar items need special handling.
Check before travelling
Opening times, vehicle rules, permits and accepted items can change, so check the official Surrey page first.
Replacement and Additional Bins: What Is Free and What Is Chargeable?
Some containers are free to replace, while others are chargeable.
Reigate & Banstead says food waste containers and paper/cardboard recycling boxes are free to replace. The council no longer supplies internal food bins. Chargeable items include refuse bins, mixed recycling bins and extra garden waste bins, while a damaged first garden waste bin can be replaced free.
Free to replace
Food waste containers and paper/cardboard recycling boxes.
Chargeable
Refuse bins, mixed recycling bins and extra garden waste bins are chargeable under the council’s fees guidance.
Delivery timing
The household collection page says replacement containers can be ordered through the replacement and additional bins page, with delivery within four weeks.
Reigate & Banstead Bin Day Tips Residents Learn the Hard Way
These small checks help prevent missed bins, contaminated recycling and avoidable trips to the tip.
Do not mix paper and mixed recycling
Paper/cardboard has its own weekly box. Mixed recycling goes in the grey wheeled bin.
Use food waste weekly
Food waste is weekly and should not be filling the green refuse bin.
Garden waste is optional
If you do not subscribe to the brown-bin service, use home composting or a Surrey recycling centre route for garden waste.
Report missed bins quickly
After two working days, the council says you need to wait for your next collection, so do not delay if the bin was genuinely missed.
Reigate & Banstead Council Bin Collection Official Links
Use these official pages before reporting, booking, paying, ordering containers or travelling to a recycling centre.
Reigate & Banstead Council Bin Collection FAQ
These answers cover the main searches: Reigate and Banstead bin collection dates, schedule, missed bins, garden waste, recycling, bulky waste and replacement containers.
Use the official Reigate & Banstead “Check your bin collection dates” page. Search by postcode in “Where I live”, then select the view collections calendar in the recycling section.
All containers should be presented at the boundary of your property, adjacent to the public highway, before 6am on your collection day.
Food waste is collected weekly using the lockable food recycling caddy.
Paper and cardboard are collected weekly using the black recycling box.
Mixed recycling and refuse are collected on the same day but on alternate weeks. Mixed recycling uses the grey wheeled bin and refuse uses the green wheeled bin.
From 1 April 2026, the council lists garden waste fees at £79 for one bin, £158 for two bins, £237 for three bins and £316 for four bins, paid by annual Direct Debit.
You can report a missed bin after 3pm on the scheduled collection day and within two working days. You cannot report if the whole road was missed, if the recycling is contaminated, or if more than two working days have passed.
The council says if a whole road has been missed, it will return to collect the next working day. You should not submit an individual missed-bin report for that situation.
Yes. Reigate & Banstead says food waste containers and paper/cardboard recycling boxes are free to replace. The council no longer supplies internal food bins.
Yes. The council can collect many household items such as washing machines, sofas and beds for a charge. Items must be outside by 6am and crews cannot carry items up or down stairs.
Editorial note
This independent guide helps residents reach official Reigate & Banstead waste services quickly. Always confirm exact collection dates, missed-bin eligibility, garden waste fees, bulky waste booking rules, replacement-container charges, Christmas changes and Surrey recycling centre rules directly with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council or Surrey County Council before taking action.
Final summary: use the official Reigate & Banstead collection-date lookup first. Put containers at the boundary before 6am. Food waste and paper/cardboard are collected weekly. Mixed recycling and refuse are collected on alternate weeks. Garden waste is a paid every-other-week service. Missed bins can be reported after 3pm and within two working days if the bin was correctly presented and not contaminated.