Derry City & Strabane Council Bin Collection Schedule 2026
Use this Derry Council bin collection guide to download the 2026 calendar, understand black, blue and brown bin weeks, avoid missed-bin mistakes, sort recycling correctly, book bulky waste, order replacement bins and plan trips to Pennyburn, Strahans Road, Strathfoyle, Glendermott Road and other recycling centres.
What do you need today?
Choose the action first. This page is designed as a practical Derry & Strabane household help hub, not a thin keyword article.
How to check Derry City & Strabane bin collection schedule 2026
Download the official 2026 Bin Collection Calendar from Derry & Strabane Recycles and match it to your local collection route, or use the Derry Strabane Recycling app for a practical reminder. Black general waste and blue mixed recycling are collected fortnightly on alternate weeks. Brown wheelie bin collections follow the brown-bin schedule, while brown food caddies are collected weekly.
Official source verification for Derry City & Strabane Council bin collection
This is an independent resident guide. It is not the official Derry City and Strabane District Council website, and it does not replace live council forms, calendars, app reminders, booking pages or recycling centre updates.
2026 calendar checked
The official Derry Strabane Recycles site provides a Bin Collection Calendar 2026 PDF and promotes the Derry Strabane Recycling app.
Collection pattern checked
Black and blue bins operate fortnightly on alternate weeks. Brown wheelie bins follow the mixed food/garden schedule and brown caddies are weekly.
Two depot context
Collections are operated across the district through Skeoge and Strahans Road depots, so route-based reminders are important.
Live actions linked
Use official pages before reporting missed bins, booking bulky waste, ordering bins or travelling to recycling centres.
Last checked: 16 June 2026. Live council pages can change without notice, so use official links before making a report, booking, payment or trip.
3-minute Derry & Strabane bin setup for homes, flats, rural routes and shared houses
Do this once. It prevents most wrong-week, wrong-bin, missed-bin and contamination problems across Derry, Strabane, Castlederg, Newtownstewart, Eglinton, Strathfoyle, Claudy and rural routes.
Download the 2026 calendar
Open the official 2026 Bin Collection Calendar and identify the route/week pattern for your address. If the PDF is unclear, use the Recycling app or contact the waste team.
Save black and blue weeks separately
Black general waste and blue mixed recycling are fortnightly on alternate weeks. Do not put both out unless your route/calendar specifically shows it.
Check brown service type
Some households use a large brown wheelie bin for mixed food and garden waste according to schedule; areas without it use food caddies.
Use the app or household reminder
Use the Derry Strabane Recycling app for repeat reminders, or save the next bin in the planner below for your household.
Share the bin note
For flats, shared homes, student houses or multi-family properties, create a simple note: “This week: black / blue / brown / caddy — check route first.”
Derry City & Strabane bin collection calendar 2026: how to use it properly
People searching “Derry Council bin collection”, “Derry Strabane bin calendar”, “what bin is it this week Derry” and “Strabane bin collection schedule 2026” usually need route clarity, not just a PDF link.
| Resident need | What to do | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Download 2026 calendar | Open the official Bin Collection Calendar 2026 PDF. | The calendar is route/week based; match it to your area before setting reminders. |
| Use app reminders | Download the Derry Strabane Recycling app. | Best for repeat users who need weekly reminders and local waste updates. |
| Black bin week | Check alternate fortnightly black-bin weeks. | Black bin is general waste only, not recyclable or food/garden waste. |
| Blue bin week | Check alternate fortnightly blue-bin weeks. | Blue bin will not be emptied if it contains unacceptable refuse. |
| Brown wheelie/caddy | Check brown schedule or caddy guidance for your area. | Food waste must use compostable liners where required; plastic bags are not suitable. |
| Bank holiday / Easter / Christmas | Check council service updates and the calendar before putting bins out. | Easter 2026 collections were scheduled as normal, but festive periods can have changes. |
Practical reminder: the PDF calendar is useful for planning, but the app is better for daily use because residents can check reminders without reopening a long PDF each week.
Derry & Strabane Bin Reminder Planner: save what goes out next
This mini-tool stores a reminder in your browser only. It does not submit personal data and does not replace the official Derry Strabane Recycling app or 2026 calendar.
My next Derry & Strabane bin reminder
First check the official calendar or app. Then save your next collection note here so your household knows what to put out.
No reminder saved yet. Check the official calendar or app, then save your next bin note here.
Tonight’s bin checklist
Repeat-visit idea: bookmark this page and share the planner in your household, landlord, student house or flats WhatsApp group.
Derry & Strabane item route helper: black, blue, brown, bulky waste or recycling centre?
Use this quick helper for common household items. It is not a full official database, but it prevents the most common blue-bin and brown-bin contamination mistakes.
Choose an item
Result: Select an item to see the likely Derry & Strabane route.
Hard rule
Blue bins are for accepted mixed recycling only. Brown bins/caddies are for food and garden-related compostable material. Black bins are the fallback for general non-recyclable waste, but bulky items and electricals need another route.
Derry & Strabane bin types: black, blue, brown wheelie bin and brown food caddy
The right container matters. A missed bin or rejected bin is often caused by wrong contents, raised lids, overload, contamination or an unauthorised larger/additional bin.
| Container | Use for | Do not use for |
|---|---|---|
| Black wheelie bin | General non-recyclable household waste that is not allowed in the blue or brown bins. | Accepted recycling, food/garden waste, electricals, batteries, bulky items and hazardous waste. |
| Blue wheelie bin | Mixed recycling: paper, cardboard, tins/cans, aerosols, plastic bottles, cartons, plastic containers, glass bottles/jars and metal lids. | Plastic bags, nappies, batteries, food waste, polystyrene, general rubbish, duvets/quilts, TVs, monitors and microwaves. |
| Brown wheelie bin | Mixed food and garden waste where your household has this service. | Plastic bags, non-compostable rubbish, bulky waste, glass, metal and general landfill waste. |
| Brown food caddy | Weekly food waste collection in areas without the large brown wheelie bin or as locally instructed. | Plastic bags, packaging, liquids, oils and non-food items. |
Blue bin recycling in Derry & Strabane: what goes in and what causes rejection?
The blue wheelie bin is for mixed dry recycling. It will not be emptied if it contains unacceptable refuse, so this section answers the real “what goes in my blue bin?” intent.
| Accepted in blue bin | Examples | Resident caution |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Newspapers, magazines, brochures, catalogues, phone books, cards, envelopes, flyers, junk mail, office paper, disposable paper plates. | Keep loose and reasonably clean. |
| Cardboard / light card | Cardboard boxes, packaging, cereal boxes, kitchen/toilet roll ends. | Flatten where possible and keep dry. |
| Cans, tins and aerosols | Food/drink cans and empty aerosols such as hair spray or air freshener. | Wash out cans/tins and make sure aerosols are empty. |
| Plastic bottles and containers | Milk, juice, soft drink bottles, cleaning bottles, butter tubs, yogurt pots, food trays, takeaway containers, plastic egg cartons. | Wash out containers first. |
| Cartons | Drinks cartons, soup cartons and milk cartons. | Wash out before recycling. |
| Mixed glass and metal lids | Wine, beer and spirit bottles, jam jars, coffee jars, sauce bottles, perfume bottles, metal bottle tops and jar lids. | Glass bottles and jars should be empty and rinsed; lids can be left on. |
| Not suitable for blue bin | Why it matters | Better action |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic bags, nappies, food waste, polystyrene | These contaminate recycling and can cause the bin to be rejected. | Use black bin, brown bin/caddy or specialist route as appropriate. |
| Household batteries | Batteries are a fire and contamination risk. | Use a battery recycling route or recycling centre. |
| TVs, monitors, microwaves | Electricals are not blue-bin recycling. | Use recycling centre, bulky waste or specialist WEEE route. |
| Duvets and quilts | Textile/bulky bedding is not accepted in blue bins. | Use reuse, charity route, black bin if appropriate, or bulky/recycling centre route. |
Brown wheelie bin and brown food caddy: food and garden waste rules
Derry & Strabane households may have a large brown wheelie bin for mixed food and garden waste or brown food caddies depending on area and service type.
Large brown wheelie bin
Used for mixed food and garden waste according to the local brown-bin collection schedule.
Brown food caddy
Food caddy collections are weekly for areas that use caddies rather than the large brown wheelie bin service.
Food waste liners
Food waste should be tied in compostable liners where required. Do not use plastic bags.
Extra accepted brown material
Brown bins can include compostable garden waste, cold ashes, shredded paper, small amounts of pet waste in compostable liners, compostable animal bedding and wet card/paper that cannot go in the blue bin.
Brown-bin mistake to avoid: do not use the brown bin as a second black bin. Plastic bags, general rubbish, glass, metal, electricals and bulky waste can contaminate the compostable waste stream.
Black bin general waste: what it is for and how to reduce it
The black wheelie bin is for general, non-recyclable waste that cannot go in the blue bin or brown bin/caddy. Waste from the black bin typically goes to landfill, so use it as the last option after recycling and food/garden waste sorting.
| Black-bin situation | Best action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bin always full | Move accepted paper, cardboard, cans, glass, cartons and plastics into the blue bin; use brown bin/caddy for food/garden waste. | Most overflow problems are caused by recyclables and food waste taking black-bin space. |
| Bulky item | Use bulky waste booking or a recycling centre. | Large items should not be forced into or left beside the black bin. |
| Battery or electrical | Use a recycling centre or specialist recycling route. | These items are not suitable for household bins. |
| Raised lid / overloaded bin | Reduce waste and present correctly. | Council may not return for overloaded bins or bins with raised lids. |
Derry & Strabane missed bin collection: report within 1 day and check common reasons first
A missed bin is not always a council error. Derry City and Strabane guidance says missed bins must be reported within 1 day of the scheduled collection for the council to look into the matter. The council reserves the right not to return for bins that were not presented on time, had a raised lid, were overloaded or contaminated, or were unauthorised larger/additional bins.
| Problem | Likely reason | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong week | Black and blue bins run fortnightly on alternate weeks. | Check the 2026 calendar/app before reporting. |
| Raised lid or overloaded bin | Bin may be rejected for safety or service rules. | Reduce contents and present correctly next collection. |
| Blue bin rejected | Plastic bags, nappies, food waste, batteries, polystyrene or electricals may be inside. | Remove contamination before the next blue-bin collection. |
| Brown bin/caddy not emptied | Wrong brown schedule, wrong liner, plastic bags or contamination. | Check brown service type and compostable liner rules. |
| Bin too hard to move | Council guidance says it is unreasonable to expect collectors to move a bin that cannot be easily moved. | Make sure the bin is safely movable and not blocked. |
| Genuine missed collection | Crew may have missed the property or route issue occurred. | Report within 1 day using the problem form or waste contact route. |
Missed Bin Diagnosis Tool: report, wait, fix contamination or check the calendar?
This helps residents avoid weak missed-bin reports and gives a practical next step before using the official form.
Choose what happened
Result: Select a situation to get the next step.
Reporting rule
Use the official problem form quickly. Missed bins should be reported within 1 day, and the council may not return if the issue was late presentation, raised lid, overload, contamination or unauthorised bin size.
Derry & Strabane bulky waste collection: booking, accepted items and kerbside rules
Bulky waste is for large household items. Only the specific items booked will be collected, and the official form asks residents to list each item separately with a maximum of 6 items per booking.
| Bulky waste rule | Official guidance | Resident caution |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted examples | Bulky furniture, wardrobes, chests of drawers, bedside lockers, sofas, carpets, lino, TVs, white goods, large toys, bikes and mattresses. | Only items listed on the booking are collected. |
| Not accepted | General waste bags, glass furniture/mirrors, building materials, concrete, wood, tiles, fencing, sheds, wooden flooring, bathroom suites, kitchen units, tyres, trees, paint tins and recyclable materials. | Use recycling centre, specialist disposal or reuse route instead. |
| Collection point | Items must be left at the kerbside collection point before 7am on the confirmed collection day. | Do not leave extra unbooked items. |
| Changes to booking | Contact Refuse & Bulky via email or call 02871374107 with your relevant details. | Do not assume the crew will take amended items unless the booking was updated. |
| Reuse first | Council notes local charity shops may be interested in good-condition items. | Donation or reuse can be better than disposal. |
Order a bin or caddy in Derry & Strabane: common 2026 household prices
The council’s My Bins page lists household bin and caddy prices, with collected and delivered options. Always check the live page before ordering because prices can change.
| Item | Collected price | Delivered price / note |
|---|---|---|
| 7 litre food caddy | £7.00 | £12.00 |
| 23 litre food caddy | £10.00 | £15.00 |
| 23L and 7L food caddy | £15.00 | £20.00 |
| 120 litre black/blue bin | £28.00 | £33.00 |
| 240 litre black/blue/brown bin | £33.00 | £39.00 |
| 240 litre black + blue combined discount | £55.00 | £60.00 |
| 240 litre black/blue/brown combo | £80.00 | £90.00 |
| 360 litre bins | Listed but requires prior approval/authorisation. | House visit or doctor’s approval may be required. |
Derry & Strabane recycling centres: opening times, booking and van rules
The district has multiple recycling centres. Large vans must book appointments at Pennyburn, Strathfoyle and Strahans Road. Cars and small vans must book to access Glendermott Road and Eglinton during daytime hours; large vans/trailers are not permitted at those sites.
| Centre | Address / opening headline | Resident caution |
|---|---|---|
| Pennyburn Recycling Centre | 7 Pennyburn Industrial Estate, BT48 0LU. Monday–Friday 8am–7:50pm, Saturday 8am–5:50pm, Sunday 1pm–4:50pm. | Large vans must book. |
| Strahans Road Recycling Centre | Strahans Rd, Strabane BT82 9SG. Monday–Friday 8am–7:50pm, Saturday 8am–5:50pm, Sunday 1pm–4:50pm. | Large vans must book. |
| Strathfoyle Recycling Centre | Temple Road, BT47 6TW. Monday–Friday 8am–7:50pm, Saturday 8am–6pm, Sunday 1pm–4:50pm. | Large vans must book. |
| Eglinton Recycling Centre | 15 Killylane Road, Eglinton, BT47 3DW. Monday 12pm–6:50pm; Tuesday–Friday 11:30am–6:50pm; closed weekends. | No trailer access; cars/small vans must book during daytime hours. |
| Glendermott Road Recycling Centre | 37 Glendermott Road, BT47 6BG. Tuesday–Friday 9:30am–4:50pm; Saturday 9:30am–4:20pm; closed Monday/Sunday. | No trailer access; cars/small vans must book during daytime hours. |
| Other centres | Claudy, Donemana, Newtownstewart, Park, Plumbridge and Spamount have separate opening patterns. | Always check live opening times before travelling. |
Booking help: if you have difficulty booking online, the recycling centre booking page lists 02871376590 as the help number.
Official Derry City & Strabane bin collection links
Use these official links for live actions. This guide explains the process, but official pages control calendars, reports, bookings, bin orders and recycling centre rules.
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 report-a-problem form, waste helpline or refuse/bulky contact route so the correct service team receives the issue.
For repeated problems
Keep a simple log: date, bin type, route/week, time presented, contamination note and whether neighbours were affected.
For flats and shared properties
Agree who checks the app/calendar, who presents bins and who removes wrong items from blue or brown bins before collection day.
Derry City & Strabane bin collection FAQs
Use the official Derry Strabane Recycles Collection Calendar 2026 PDF or the Derry Strabane Recycling app. Match the calendar to your local route before saving reminders.
No. Black general waste and blue mixed recycling operate fortnightly on alternate weeks. Check the 2026 calendar or app to confirm whether it is black-bin or blue-bin week.
Yes. The brown food caddy collection is weekly. Some areas also use a large brown wheelie bin for mixed food and garden waste according to the local brown-bin schedule.
The blue bin accepts paper, cardboard, tins, cans, empty aerosols, plastic bottles, cartons, plastic containers, glass bottles and jars, and metal bottle tops or jar lids. Items should be empty and rinsed where needed.
Do not put plastic bags, nappies, food waste, polystyrene, general rubbish, household batteries, duvets, quilts, TVs, computer monitors or microwaves in the blue bin. A contaminated blue bin may not be emptied.
Brown bins and caddies are for food waste and compostable brown-bin material. Food waste should be tied in compostable liners where required. Brown wheelie bins can also include garden waste and other accepted compostable items.
Report a missed bin within 1 day of the scheduled collection. Check first that it was the right week, the correct bin was presented, the lid was not raised, the bin was not overloaded and the contents were not contaminated.
Use the official bulky waste collections page or call 02871374107. Only specific booked items are collected, items must be at the kerbside collection point before 7am, and the online form notes a maximum of 6 items per booking.
Major sites include Pennyburn, Strahans Road and Strathfoyle, with other sites such as Eglinton, Glendermott Road, Claudy, Donemana, Newtownstewart, Park and Plumbridge. Check opening times and booking rules before travelling.
The official contact page lists the direct waste and recycling helpline as 028 71 374 107. Derry and Strabane council office contact numbers are also shown on the official site.