Check Your Middlesbrough Council Bins, Dates and Collection Schedule
Use this practical Middlesbrough Council bin collection guide to check your 2026 collection dates, understand the black refuse bin, blue-lid recycling bin, new red-lid paper and cardboard bin, weekly food waste caddies, brown garden waste subscription, missed-bin rules, bulky waste booking and Haverton Hill Household Waste Recycling Centre appointments.
What do you need today?
Pick the task first. Middlesbrough is changing collections in 2026, so the live calendar, reminder option and correct container rules matter more than an old printed schedule.
Find Your Middlesbrough Bin Collection Date
Enter your postcode here to keep it handy, then open Middlesbrough Council’s official bin collection dates page. The council page asks for your house number and street, and it can also help you sign up for weekly reminders or print a calendar.
How do I check my Middlesbrough Council bin collection schedule?
Open Middlesbrough Council’s official “Bin collection dates” page, type your house number and street, then check your 2026 calendar. You can also sign into MyMiddlesbrough to see dates on your homepage, sign up for email reminders, download dates into a calendar, or print a calendar. Put bins out by 7am on your collection day and check the page regularly because collection dates can change.
Middlesbrough Bin Collection Dates 2026: Check Your Street Before Bin Night
Middlesbrough collection dates are address-specific. Use the official council page before relying on a neighbour’s reminder, an old printed sheet or a social media post.
The council’s 2026 bin dates page lets you search by house number and street. After you find your address, you can use reminder options, download dates into Outlook, Google Calendar or iCal, or print a calendar. This is especially useful in 2026 because weekly food waste collections and separate paper/cardboard collections start in July.
Open the official bin dates page
Use Middlesbrough Council’s “Bin collection dates” page and search your exact house number and street.
Check all waste streams
Look separately for black refuse, blue-lid recycling, red-lid paper/cardboard, food waste and garden waste if subscribed.
Use reminders
After searching your address, choose the reminder option and select email, calendar download or print.
Put bins out by 7am
Middlesbrough says bins must be out for collection by 7am. Collection order can change, so do not rely on the usual lorry time.
Resident habit: if you live in Acklam, Linthorpe, Marton, Nunthorpe, Hemlington, Coulby Newham, Newport, North Ormesby, Park End, Berwick Hills, Pallister, Brambles, Thorntree, Stainton, Thornton or Trimdon, still check the exact address calendar. Ward delivery dates and bin rounds do not always match old habits.
Middlesbrough Bin Changes in July 2026: Food Waste and Red-Lid Paper/Cardboard Collections
This is the main reason residents should refresh their calendar in 2026.
Middlesbrough Council says weekly food waste collections and fortnightly paper and cardboard collections start in July. Food waste caddies and red-lid paper/cardboard bins are being delivered in phases. Once the new service starts, paper and cardboard should move out of the blue-lid recycling bin and into the new red-lid bin or red sack.
| Collection stream | 2026 rule | What residents should do |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste | Weekly from July 2026 | Use the small indoor caddy and bigger outdoor caddy. Put all food waste in liners and then into the outdoor caddy. |
| Paper and cardboard | Fortnightly from July 2026 | Use the new red-lid bin or red sacks. Keep paper and cardboard clean and dry. |
| Blue-lid recycling | Continues for other recycling | Use for plastic, glass, tins, cans and cartons after paper/cardboard moves to the red-lid bin. |
| Printed calendars | Need updating | If you printed a calendar before the new collections were added, print a fresh version after the new dates appear. |
Why this matters: once red-lid paper/cardboard collections start, paper and cardboard in the blue-lid bin will be treated as contamination. That can lead to non-collection and avoidable confusion.
Middlesbrough Bin Types Explained: Black, Blue-Lid, Red-Lid, Food Caddy and Brown Bin
The fastest way to avoid a missed or rejected collection is to use the correct container for the correct waste.
Black refuse bin
For household rubbish that cannot be recycled. Do not use it for food waste once the weekly food waste service starts, or for items that belong at the HWRC.
Blue-lid recycling bin
For plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers, glass bottles and jars, tins, drink cans and cartons. Place items loose, not bagged.
Red-lid paper/card bin
From July 2026, most households with wheeled bins use a red-lid bin for clean, dry paper and cardboard collected every two weeks.
Food waste caddies
Every household gets a 5-litre kitchen caddy and, for most homes, a 23-litre outdoor caddy for weekly food waste collections.
Brown garden bin
Paid garden waste subscription from April to November. The brown bin needs a valid permit sticker and must be out by 7am.
Clear and red sacks
Some properties use sacks instead of wheeled bins. Red sacks are for paper/cardboard once the new service starts, while clear sacks are for other recycling.
Middlesbrough Food Waste Collections 2026: Caddies, Liners and What Goes In
Food waste collections start in July 2026 and will be weekly for homes across Middlesbrough.
Most households receive two caddies: a small 5-litre kitchen caddy and a larger 23-litre outdoor caddy. Homes using communal bins receive a small kitchen caddy and compostable liners, then use a communal outdoor grey-lid food waste bin. The council says the caddies and collections are free.
What can go in
All food waste from your home, including fruit, vegetables, peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, bread, pasta, rice, meat, bones, fish, eggs, dairy, pet food and small amounts of sauce left on food.
Keep out
Packaging, cardboard, foil, plastic film, plastic bags, glass, other recycling, garden waste, straw, animal bedding and liquids.
How to use it
Line the kitchen caddy, add food waste, tie the liner when full, place the tied liner in the outdoor caddy, then put the outdoor caddy out on collection day.
Flats and communal bins
Flats using communal bins get a kitchen caddy and liners, then use a communal outdoor grey-lid food waste bin once full.
Practical tip: food waste takes up space and can smell in the black bin. Using the weekly caddy should make the black refuse bin cleaner and easier to manage.
Middlesbrough Red-Lid Bin: Paper and Cardboard Collection from July 2026
Most people will get a 240-litre red-lid bin for paper and cardboard, collected every two weeks.
Paper and cardboard collections start in summer 2026. The red-lid bin is collected on the opposite week to the blue-lid recycling bin. If you use clear recycling sacks, you will get red sacks for paper and cardboard. Once the new service starts, paper and cardboard should not go in the blue-lid bin.
Accepted paper
Newspapers, magazines, leaflets, junk mail, plain wrapping paper, envelopes and telephone directories.
Accepted cardboard
Cereal boxes, toilet roll tubes, kitchen roll tubes, delivery boxes and cardboard packaging from food and household items.
Keep clean and dry
If paper or cardboard is wet or has food on it, it belongs in the rubbish bin, not the red-lid bin.
Opt-out caution
If you opt out of the red-lid bin, you are still responsible for keeping paper and cardboard out of the blue-lid bin once the new collections begin.
Middlesbrough Blue-Lid Recycling Bin: What Goes In and What Stays Out
The blue-lid bin remains for mixed recycling, but paper and cardboard move to the red-lid bin once the new service begins.
| Accepted in blue-lid bin | Examples | Do not include |
|---|---|---|
| Glass bottles and jars | All colours of glass bottles and jars. | Broken glass, Pyrex, light bulbs, mirrors and flat glass. |
| Food tins and drink cans | Steel and aluminium food/drink cans, biscuit tins and sweet tins. | Cutlery or other metal objects. |
| Plastic bottles and tubs | Drink bottles, shampoo bottles, washing-up liquid bottles, bleach bottles, milk bottles, yoghurt pots and ice cream tubs. | Hard plastic toys, black bags, cling film, food wrapping, carrier bags and polystyrene. |
| Cartons | Soft drink, fruit juice and soup cartons. | Polystyrene or dirty packaging. |
Before collection: rinse and squash items where possible, then place them loose in the blue-lid bin or clear sack. Do not bag recycling inside black sacks.
Middlesbrough Black Refuse Bin: Fortnightly Rubbish Collection and Too-Much-Waste Options
The black bin is for household rubbish that cannot go in food waste, recycling, paper/cardboard, garden waste, bulky waste, reuse or the HWRC.
Middlesbrough’s rubbish collection guidance includes fortnightly collections for rubbish. If your black bin is missed, check that you used the right day, put it out before 7am and did not make the bin too heavy to move. If you regularly have too much rubbish, make sure you are using all recycling streams, especially food waste after July 2026.
Black bin is for
Takeaway boxes and cartons, food wrappers, nappies, pet waste and other non-recyclable household rubbish.
Use other routes first
Food waste caddy, red-lid paper/card bin, blue-lid recycling bin, brown garden bin, bulky waste collection or HWRC booking.
No side waste
Middlesbrough says waste left beside the bin is not collected. Extra rubbish should go to the HWRC or bulky waste route where appropriate.
Middlesbrough Garden Waste Subscription 2026: Cost, Sticker, Dates and Brown Bin Rules
Garden waste is a paid subscription service, not part of the normal black or blue-lid bin collection.
The 2026 garden waste service runs from April to November. Middlesbrough lists the 2026 charge as £40 for the first brown garden waste bin and £20 for each additional bin, up to a maximum of five bins per household. The brown bin must display the council permit sticker, and garden waste is collected once every two weeks during the service season.
Cost
£40 for the first garden waste bin and £20 for each additional bin for the April 2026 to November 2026 season.
Collection pattern
Subscribed brown bins are emptied every two weeks between April and November. Dates appear on your bin calendar after subscription is processed.
Sticker and delay
You must put the permit sticker on your brown bin. A new bin or sticker can take up to three weeks to arrive.
No extra bags
Middlesbrough only collects waste in the brown bin. Extra garden waste in other bins, bags or containers is not collected.
Missed Bin Collection Middlesbrough: What to Check Before Reporting
A bin is not always “missed” just because it has not been emptied. Check the refusal reasons first.
Middlesbrough says bins may not be emptied if they were put out on the wrong day, put out after 7am, too heavy to move, or contaminated in the case of recycling. Collection days can also change at Christmas or around bank holidays, and operational problems such as vehicle breakdowns, snow or road accidents can delay collections.
Check your live calendar
Make sure the bin type was actually due for your address that day or week.
Check the 7am rule
If the bin was put out after 7am, it may not count as a missed collection.
Check weight and access
If the bin is too heavy or crews cannot safely move it, it may not be emptied.
Check contamination
Food waste, paper/cardboard in the wrong bin, or wrong recycling can stop a recycling collection.
Use the right report route
Rubbish missed collections can be reported online; recycling missed collections are reported by calling 01642 726001.
Missed rubbish
Use the missed rubbish collection page or call 01642 726001 if you cannot use the online form.
Missed recycling
For missed recycling collections, Middlesbrough says to call 01642 726001.
Missed garden waste
Use the garden waste missed collection route if you are subscribed and the brown bin was correctly presented.
Middlesbrough Bulky Waste Collection: Cost, Weight Score and What Crews Can Take
Bulky waste is for household items too big for the wheelie bin, and it is separate from normal rubbish, recycling and garden waste collections.
Middlesbrough’s bulky waste collection costs £24.50 and can cover up to five items depending on the total weight score. Small items score 2, large items score 3 and extra-large items score 10. A booking must not exceed a total score of 10, so one extra-large item may use the whole booking.
| Bulky waste point | Middlesbrough rule | Resident action |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £24.50 per bulky waste collection. | Check the live booking form before paying because fees can change. |
| Weight score | Maximum score 10 per collection. | Examples: 5 small items, 3 large items, or 1 extra-large item. |
| Collection point | Outside the front of your property by 7am. | Crews cannot collect from inside your home or move items for you. |
| Hazardous items | Asbestos, building materials, clinical waste and fluorescent lights are not collected. | Use a registered waste carrier or correct specialist route. |
Before booking: electrical and non-electrical items may be collected separately, so they can be collected on different days. Keep booked items dry, safe and clearly identifiable.
Middlesbrough Household Waste Recycling Centre: Haverton Hill Booking, Address and Opening Times
You must book an appointment before visiting the Household Waste Recycling Centre. Do not just turn up.
The Middlesbrough HWRC is listed at Haverton Hill Road, Billingham, TS23 1PZ. The council says the site is for Middlesbrough residents only. Same-day appointments may be available, but you still need a booking before you travel.
Opening times
Summer from 1 April to 31 October: 8am to 7pm. Winter from 1 November to 31 March: 8am to 6pm.
Closures
Closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Closes at 4pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Middlesbrough residents only
If you live in Stockton, use Stockton Council’s booking route rather than Middlesbrough’s booking route.
Reuse shop
The Teesside Reuse Shop offers pre-loved items and may be able to accept donations; ask HWRC staff what can be taken.
Middlesbrough Flats, Terraced Streets, Sacks and Communal Collection Points
Not every property uses the same container setup, especially flats, communal areas and some terraced streets.
If you use clear sacks for recycling, the new paper/cardboard service will use red sacks. If you live in a flat with communal bins, you should receive a small kitchen caddy and liners for food waste, then use the communal outdoor grey-lid bin for full liners. Always check your building’s instructions, the council calendar and any delivery tags or leaflets.
Clear sacks
Use clear sacks for the recycling stream that your property is assigned to. After July, red sacks are for paper/cardboard.
Communal food waste
Flats using communal bins receive a 5-litre kitchen caddy and liners, then use a communal outdoor grey-lid food waste bin.
Shared responsibility
Wrong items in a communal bin can affect the whole building. Keep paper/card, mixed recycling, food waste and refuse separate.
Middlesbrough Bin Day Tips Residents Learn the Hard Way
These small checks help prevent missed collections, contamination, full black bins and wasted HWRC trips.
Refresh your calendar after June
Food waste and paper/cardboard dates are being added to calendars from 18 June, so a printed calendar before then may be missing key collections.
Keep blue-lid recycling loose
Rinse, squash and place items loose. Bagged recycling and food contamination can stop recycling being collected.
Move paper/card to red lid
Once the new service starts, paper and cardboard in the blue-lid bin counts as the wrong stream.
Book before driving to the tip
Haverton Hill HWRC needs an appointment. Do not load the car and turn up without booking.
Middlesbrough Council Bins Official Links
Use these official pages before reporting, subscribing, booking or travelling.
Middlesbrough Council Bins FAQ
These answers cover the main searches around Middlesbrough bin collection dates, black bin, blue-lid recycling, red-lid paper/cardboard, food waste, garden waste, missed bins, bulky waste and HWRC booking.
Use Middlesbrough Council’s official bin collection dates page. Type in your house number and street, then view your 2026 calendar. You can also sign into MyMiddlesbrough for saved dates and reminders.
Middlesbrough says bins must be out for collection by 7am. Garden waste bins must also be presented at the kerbside by 7am on the collection day.
Middlesbrough says weekly food waste collections start in July 2026. Every household receives food waste caddies, and collections will be every week once the service begins.
All food waste can go in, including fruit, vegetables, peelings, tea bags, coffee grounds, bread, pasta, rice, beans, meat, bones, fish, eggs, dairy products, pet food and food leftovers. Do not put packaging, cardboard, foil, plastic film, glass, recycling, garden waste, animal bedding or liquids in the caddy.
The red-lid bin is for paper and cardboard. The collection is fortnightly and starts in summer 2026. If you use sacks, you will use red sacks for paper and cardboard.
Only until the new paper and cardboard collections start. Once the red-lid bin or red sack service starts, paper and cardboard should not go in the blue-lid bin.
Middlesbrough lists the April 2026 to November 2026 garden waste charge as £40 for the first bin and £20 for each additional bin, up to a maximum of five bins per household.
Subscribed brown garden waste bins are collected once every two weeks between April and November. Dates appear on your bin calendar after your subscription has been processed.
For missed rubbish, use the council’s missed rubbish collection form or call 01642 726001 if you cannot use the online form. For missed recycling, Middlesbrough says to call 01642 726001. Check first that the bin was due, out before 7am and not too heavy or contaminated.
Yes. Middlesbrough says the only way to take waste to the HWRC is by booking an appointment. Do not just turn up, because you will not be allowed in without a booking.
Editorial note
This independent guide helps Middlesbrough residents reach official council waste services quickly. Always confirm collection dates, reminders, July 2026 food waste and paper/cardboard changes, missed-bin routes, garden waste prices, bulky waste fees, HWRC appointments and accepted items directly with Middlesbrough Council before taking action.
Final summary: use the official Middlesbrough bin dates page first. Put bins out by 7am. Weekly food waste collections and fortnightly paper/cardboard collections start in July 2026. Use the blue-lid bin for other recycling, the red-lid bin for paper/cardboard after the change, and the brown bin only if you subscribe to garden waste. Book the Haverton Hill HWRC before travelling.