Portsmouth Council Bin Days & Collection Schedule 2026 Guide
Use this Portsmouth City Council bin collection guide to check your bin day, understand weekly rubbish and food waste collections, sort green recycling correctly, report missed bins, manage flat-fronted property limits, sign up for garden waste, book bulky waste and plan a trip to Portsmouth HWRC at Port Solent.
What do you need today?
Choose the action first. This page is built as a practical Portsmouth resident help hub, not a generic article.
How to check your Portsmouth City Council bin collection day
Open Portsmouth City Council’s recycling and rubbish hub, use the “Find your bin collection day” task, enter your address details and check your collection dates. Portsmouth rubbish is collected weekly, food waste is collected weekly on the same day as rubbish by a different crew, and garden waste is a separate paid fortnightly service.
Official source verification for Portsmouth City Council bin collection
This is an independent resident guide for Portsmouth. It is not the official Portsmouth City Council website, and it does not replace live council forms, portals, payment pages, bookings or service updates.
Collection timing checked
Portsmouth says bins are collected between 6am and 4pm, and residents should put bins out before 6am or after 7pm the night before.
Rubbish and food waste checked
Rubbish is collected weekly. Food waste is collected weekly on the same day as rubbish by a different crew.
Recycling rules checked
Portsmouth green recycling accepts paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans and empty aerosols only, with items clean, dry and loose.
Live actions linked
Use official pages before reporting missed bins, paying for garden waste, booking bulky waste or travelling to Port Solent HWRC.
Last checked: 16 June 2026. Live council pages can change without notice, so use the official links before making a report, payment, booking or trip.
3-minute Portsmouth bin setup for homes, flats, students and HMOs
Do this once. It prevents most wrong-day, late-presentation, flat-fronted property, contamination and missed-bin problems.
Find your official collection dates
Use Portsmouth City Council’s official “Find your bin collection day” task from the recycling and rubbish hub. Save the latest result, not an old screenshot.
Set the 6am rule
Put bins, sacks, food caddies or garden waste at the correct edge-of-property point before 6am, or after 7pm the night before.
Record each stream separately
Save rubbish, green recycling, weekly food waste, brown garden waste and any bulky waste booking separately. They may not all behave the same way.
Make a household note
For families, student houses, HMOs and flat-fronted homes, place a simple note near the kitchen: “This week: rubbish / recycling / food / garden — out before 6am.”
Bring bins back same day
Bins and sacks should not stay on the pavement outside the evening-before and collection-day window. Repeatedly leaving bins out can lead to removal or smaller recycling bins.
Portsmouth bin collection schedule 2026: rubbish, recycling, food waste and garden waste
People searching “Portsmouth City Council bin collection”, “Portsmouth bin days”, “what day is my bin collected Portsmouth” or “Portsmouth rubbish collection schedule” usually need timing rules plus the official lookup.
| Service | Portsmouth schedule | Practical resident rule |
|---|---|---|
| Rubbish | Collected weekly. | Put wheelie bin or bags out before 6am; keep rubbish secure and bagged. |
| Green recycling bin/box | Check the official collection-date lookup. | Only accepted items: paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans and empty aerosols. |
| Food waste | Collected weekly on the same day as rubbish. | Different crew collects it; make the caddy visible and never use plastic bags. |
| Garden waste | Paid “Leaf it Out” service collected every two weeks. | Garden day may differ from rubbish, recycling or food waste day. |
| Bulky waste | Booked separately. | Chargeable collections are Tuesdays and Wednesdays; free eligible collections are Tuesdays. |
Timing warning: Portsmouth collections run between 6am and 4pm. Do not assume your bin is missed just because the usual lorry time has changed.
Portsmouth Bin Reminder Planner: save what goes out tonight
This mini-tool stores a reminder in your browser only. It does not submit personal data and does not replace the official Portsmouth collection-date lookup.
My next Portsmouth bin reminder
First check the official schedule. Then save your next collection note here so your household knows what to put out.
No reminder saved yet. Check the official collection date, then save your next bin note here.
Tonight’s Portsmouth bin checklist
Repeat-visit idea: bookmark this page and share the planner in your family, HMO, student house or flat WhatsApp group.
Portsmouth item route helper: rubbish, recycling, food waste, garden waste, bulky waste or HWRC?
Use this quick helper for common Portsmouth disposal routes. It is not a full official database, but it prevents the most common green-bin, food-caddy and flat-fronted property mistakes.
Choose an item
Result: Select an item to see the likely Portsmouth route.
Hard rule
Portsmouth green recycling is narrower than many residents expect: paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans and empty aerosols only. Glass, cartons, plastic pots/tubs/trays, textiles and books need other routes wherever possible.
Portsmouth bin types: black rubbish, green recycling, food waste and garden waste
The right container matters. Portsmouth has different rules for wheelie-bin homes, flat-fronted properties, communal flats and garden waste subscribers.
| Container | Use for | Do not use for |
|---|---|---|
| Black rubbish wheelie bin or rubbish sacks | Bagged non-recyclable weekly waste. | Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans, aerosols, glass, textiles, cartons, food waste and batteries/electricals. |
| Green recycling bin or box | Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles with lids on, tins/cans and empty aerosols. | Dirty/wet items, plastic pots/tubs/trays, Tetra Pak cartons, glass, foil, tissues, shredded paper and bagged recycling. |
| Food waste caddy / big caddy | Raw and cooked food leftovers, meat/fish bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, eggshells, fruit/veg peelings and plate scrapings. | Plastic bags, packaging, liquids and non-food items. |
| Brown garden waste bin or garden sacks | Subscribed garden waste, loose in bin/sacks. | Plastic bags, soil, rubble, food waste, trade waste and non-garden rubbish. |
| Small electrical bag | Small electricals that fit in a standard carrier bag, placed on top of green recycling bin, not inside. | Do not put on top of communal flat bins; use HWRC or other routes for flats/large items. |
Portsmouth rubbish collection: weekly waste, flat-fronted homes and extra bags
Portsmouth rubbish is collected weekly, but the rules are strict for presentation, bag limits and bins left on pavements.
| Resident situation | Portsmouth rule | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelie-bin home | Rubbish should be bagged inside the wheelie bin and the lid should close. | Recycle properly and use food waste to reduce black-bin volume. |
| Flat-fronted property | Council takes three standard-sized rubbish bags per week. | Use strong rubbish sacks or a regular round dustbin to reduce fox/cat damage. |
| Extra rubbish bags | Extra bags are not normally collected unless stickered. | Stickers cost £24 for a sheet of 12; call 023 9284 1105 to buy. |
| Bins left out | Bins and sacks can only be on the pavement after 7pm the night before and on collection day. | Bring bins back by the end of collection day to avoid removal/replacement action. |
Flat-fronted property warning: extra clear-out bags are not weekly household waste. Use Port Solent HWRC, bulky waste, reuse/donation or a licensed waste carrier.
Portsmouth green recycling bin: what can and cannot go in?
Portsmouth recycling is simple but strict. Only the accepted core items should go in the green recycling bin or box, and they must be clean, dry and loose.
| Item | Portsmouth route | Caution |
|---|---|---|
| Clean paper | Green recycling bin/box. | No dirty, greasy, mouldy, laminated, waxed, glittery or shredded paper. |
| Clean cardboard | Green recycling bin/box. | No food-stained, wet, mouldy, painted, glittery or glued cardboard. |
| Plastic bottles | Green recycling bin/box. | Bottle-shaped plastics only; squash bottle and put lid back on. |
| Tins and cans | Green recycling bin/box. | No paint cans and no aluminium foil in the green bin. |
| Empty aerosols | Green recycling bin/box. | Only empty aerosols; do not include aerosols with contents left. |
| Glass, cartons, textiles, books, CDs/DVDs, plastic pots/tubs/trays | Local recycling point wherever possible. | Do not put these in the green recycling bin. |
| Small electricals | Carrier bag on top of green recycling bin, not inside. | Not for communal flat bins; use HWRC or other routes for flats/large items. |
Portsmouth food waste collection: weekly caddy rules and plastic-bag warning
Food waste is collected every week on the same day as rubbish, but by a different crew. Your rubbish may be collected even if food waste has not been collected yet, or the other way around.
What goes in
Raw and cooked food leftovers, plate scrapings, tea bags, coffee grounds, meat/fish bones, shellfish shells, eggshells, rice, pasta, bread, cakes, fruit and vegetables.
Presentation
Put the big caddy at the front boundary or on the pavement by 6am, where it is easy to see and not hidden between rubbish and recycling bins.
Handle position
The handle should be straight up or all the way forward to lock the lid and reduce mess, pests and wind issues.
Plastic bag warning
If there are plastic bags in the caddy, it will not be emptied. Use approved methods and keep packaging out.
Portsmouth flats, flat-fronted homes, HMOs and student houses: bin rules that prevent problems
Portsmouth has many flat-fronted streets, HMOs, student houses and communal blocks. These properties need clearer waste routines than ordinary houses.
Flat-fronted homes
Use strong rubbish sacks or a round dustbin, and keep to the three standard-sized bag allowance unless using official extra-bag stickers.
Communal flats
Put rubbish into shared bins. Do not put small electricals on top of communal bins; use other recycling routes.
Student and HMO move-out
Do not leave mattresses, furniture or black bags beside bins. Use bulky waste, reuse/donation, Port Solent HWRC or a licensed waste carrier.
Managing agent/caretaker access
If a whole communal bin store is missed, check access, locked gates, blocked routes and contamination before assuming a council miss.
Copy-paste tenant/housemate note
“Portsmouth bins must go out after 7pm the night before or before 6am on collection day. Green recycling only takes paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans and empty aerosols. Food waste goes in the caddy with no plastic bags. Bring bins back same day.”
Portsmouth missed bin collection: when to report and what to check first
If you followed Portsmouth’s presentation rules and your bin was not collected, report it through the online portal and leave the bin at the boundary. The council says it will try to empty it within one to two working days after it is reported, though busy periods may take longer.
| Situation | Likely reason | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| It is still before 4pm | Crews may still be collecting. | Wait until the 6am–4pm collection window has passed. |
| Bin was not out before 6am | The crew may already have passed. | Set a night-before reminder; it may not qualify as missed. |
| Bin behind gate/wall | The bin was not accessible. | Place at the correct front boundary with handle facing pavement. |
| Recycling not emptied | Green bin may be contaminated. | Remove wrong items and follow Portsmouth recycling rules. |
| Food caddy not emptied | Plastic bags, hidden caddy or separate crew timing. | Remove plastic bags and make caddy visible; remember it is collected by a different crew. |
| Garden waste missed | No subscription, wrong date, plastic bags, or wrong items. | Check Leaf it Out subscription and garden collection date. |
Missed Bin Diagnosis Tool: report, wait or fix the issue?
This helps residents avoid weak missed-bin reports and gives a practical next step before using the official portal.
Choose what happened
Result: Select a situation to get the next step.
Reporting rule
Use the official missed-bin portal only after checking collection date, 6am presentation, correct location, access, contamination, caddy visibility and whether the crew window has finished.
Portsmouth garden waste collection 2026: Leaf it Out prices, sacks, bins and rules
Portsmouth’s garden waste service is called Leaf it Out. It is a paid subscription service and your garden collection day may be different from your normal rubbish, recycling or food waste day.
2026 bin price
From 1 April 2026, the annual subscription for a 240L garden waste bin is listed as £72.
2026 sack price
From 1 April 2026, the annual subscription for garden waste sacks is listed as £80.
Sack allowance
If you choose sacks, you get 25 sacks in a pack and can put out up to four sacks at a time.
Extra sacks
Extra sack packs are listed at £15; call 023 9284 1105 and select option 4.
| Accepted garden waste | Not accepted | Practical rule |
|---|---|---|
| Grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings | Plastic bags and non-garden rubbish. | Garden waste must be loose in the bin. |
| Plants, weeds, twigs and small prunings | Soil, rubble, food waste or DIY waste. | Check garden day because it may differ from other bins. |
Portsmouth bulky waste collection: prices, booking, free collection and refused items
Bulky waste is for larger household items such as sofas, beds, mattresses, fridges, freezers, washing machines and furniture. Portsmouth bookings are made by phone.
| Rule | Portsmouth guidance | Resident caution |
|---|---|---|
| How to book | Call 023 9284 1105 to get a quote and book. | List every item accurately because only booked items are collected. |
| Collection costs | Collections start from £40. | Fridges/freezers are charged at £40 each or £60 for an American-style fridge. |
| Free collection | Council Tax support residents can get one free collection in a rolling 12-month period. | Free collection covers up to 2m³; more may cost extra. |
| Collection days | Free collections are Tuesdays; chargeable collections are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. | Items must be out by 6am on collection day. |
| Cancellation | Contact at least two working days before collection to avoid refund/fee issues. | Late changes may not get a full refund or may need extra payment. |
| Not collected | Asbestos, DIY/building waste, plasterboard, paint tins with paint, gas canisters, batteries, car engines, tyres, garden waste, fluorescent tubes, trade waste, ceramic sanitary ware, items over 2m or too heavy for two people. | Use HWRC, specialist disposal or licensed waste carrier where needed. |
Portsmouth Household Waste Recycling Centre: bookings, permits and extra waste
Portsmouth Household Waste Recycling Centre is the city’s main tip route and is commonly searched as Port Solent tip or Portsmouth HWRC. Book before visiting and check permit rules if using a van or trailer.
Booking required
HWRC bookings and permits are digital. Book a visit before travelling.
Resident area
The Portsmouth page mentions Portsmouth residents in PO1–PO6 and some PO7 addresses.
Phone help
If you cannot use the online booking or permit system, call 023 9284 1105 and select option 5.
Van/trailer permits
Each booking counts as one of the visits included with your permit where a permit applies.
Official Portsmouth City Council bin collection links
Use these official links for live actions. This guide explains the process, but official pages control calendars, reports, fees, bookings and service rules.
Related council bin guides
I checked for directly relevant internal pages and did not find enough reliable matching live pages to link without risking irrelevant or missing URLs.
Suggested future guides as plain text: Southampton bin collection, Gosport bin collection, Havant bin collection, Fareham bin collection, Hampshire recycling centre booking, Portsmouth student move-out waste, Portsmouth garden waste service.
Service trust, reviews and complaint guidance
No fake ratings or testimonials are used on this page. Waste-service feedback is case-specific, so use the correct official service route before relying on social media comments.
For live service issues
Use the missed-bin portal, garden waste signup, bulky waste booking or HWRC booking route first so the correct service team receives the issue.
For repeated problems
Keep a simple log: date, bin type, time presented, location, photo if safe, and whether neighbours or the whole road were affected.
For flats and HMOs
Check managing-agent, caretaker, gate, bin-store and contamination issues before assuming the council missed the whole communal bin store.
Portsmouth City Council bin collection FAQs
Use Portsmouth City Council’s recycling and rubbish hub and choose the “Find your bin collection day” task. Check your latest collection dates before relying on old screenshots or reminders.
Put bins out before 6am on collection day, or after 7pm the night before. Portsmouth collects between 6am and 4pm, and bins should be brought back by the end of collection day.
Yes. Portsmouth rubbish is collected weekly. Wheelie-bin homes should keep rubbish bagged inside the bin with the lid closed, while flat-fronted properties normally have a three standard-sized bag allowance.
Only clean, dry and loose paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, tins/cans and empty aerosols should go in the green recycling bin or box. Portsmouth does not accept Tetra Pak cartons, glass, plastic pots/tubs/trays, foil, textiles or bagged recycling in the green bin.
Yes. Food waste is collected every week on the same day as rubbish, but by a different crew. Put the big caddy where it can be seen by 6am and do not put plastic bags in the caddy.
Report a missed collection through the online portal if you followed the presentation guidance and your bin was not collected. Leave the bin at the boundary; the council says it will try to empty it within one to two working days after reporting.
From 1 April 2026, Portsmouth lists a 240L garden waste bin subscription at £72 and garden waste sacks at £80. Extra sack packs are listed at £15.
Portsmouth bulky waste collections start from £40. Fridges and freezers are charged at £40 each, or £60 for an American-style fridge. Call 023 9284 1105 for a quote and booking.
Yes. Portsmouth HWRC bookings and permits are digital. Book a visit before travelling, and check van or trailer permit rules if your vehicle may need one.
Do not leave furniture, mattresses or extra bags beside bins. Use reuse/donation routes, bulky waste collection, Port Solent HWRC or a licensed waste carrier, and keep proof if paying someone to remove waste.