Scottish Borders Council Bin Collection Schedule 2026
Need to know whether your grey-lidded rubbish bin or blue-lidded recycling bin is due next? Scottish Borders Council now has an address-level calendar that can show your exact collection dates and produce a downloadable calendar for the year.
This guide also covers the parts generic bin-day pages often get wrong: food waste is available only in six towns, glass does not belong in the blue-lidded kerbside recycling bin, ordinary public holidays do not alter collections, and there is no standard household garden-waste wheelie-bin collection.
Quick Answer: What Bin Is Collected This Week?
Scottish Borders does not use one district-wide collection date. Open the council’s new calendar, enter your postcode, select your exact address and read the collection shown for your property. You can also download a calendar of your collection dates for the calendar year.
Three Scottish Borders Bin Facts Worth Checking Before Trusting a Search Result
Several third-party collection pages simplify the Borders service too aggressively. These three distinctions can prevent the most common mistakes.
“Everyone has weekly food collection”
No. The current weekly household food service is limited to Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Peebles, Selkirk and Tweedbank.
“Glass goes in the blue-lidded bin”
No. Glass bottles and jars need a community recycling point or suitable Community Recycling Centre.
“Bank holidays move the bin day”
Not normally. Scottish Borders says other public holidays do not change collections. Special changes can apply at Christmas and New Year.
How to Check Your Exact Scottish Borders Bin Collection Date
The council’s new collection calendar is the most useful starting point because it works at property level rather than giving only a general town timetable.
Open the new calendar
Use Scottish Borders Council’s official bin collection calendar.
Enter your postcode
Search the postcode for the household whose collections you need.
Choose the exact address
Select your own house or flat rather than copying another property on the road.
Download the calendar
Navigate using the arrows or date menu, then download your collection calendar if you want the full-year view.
Scottish Borders Household Bin Collection Schedule 2026
| Service | Container | Standard capacity | Frequency | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General waste | Grey-lidded wheeled bin | 180 litres | Every 2 weeks | All households using normal kerbside bins |
| Mixed recycling | Blue-lidded wheeled bin | 240 litres | Every 2 weeks | All households using normal kerbside bins |
| Food waste | Small brown outdoor bin + silver kitchen caddy | Small caddy system | Weekly | Six designated towns only |
| Glass | Recycling point / CRC | Not a kerbside blue-bin material | Take when required | Community facilities |
| Garden waste | Home compost / CRC | No standard household garden bin | Take when required | Community Recycling Centre / home composting |
Scottish Borders Bin Colours: What Each Route Is For
Grey-Lidded Bin
Non-recyclable household waste such as nappies, polystyrene, crisp packets, cold bagged ash and pet waste.
Blue-Lidded Recycling
Paper, cardboard, cans, foil, cartons, plastic bottles, accepted plastic tubs and a wide range of plastic bags and wrappers.
Brown Food Bin
Weekly cooked and uncooked food-waste collection in the six council food-waste service towns.
Glass Route
Glass bottles and jars must use a local glass recycling point or appropriate Community Recycling Centre—not the blue-lidded kerbside bin.
What Can Go in the Blue-Lidded Recycling Bin?
Accepted kerbside recycling
- Aerosol cans
- Clean aluminium foil and foil trays
- Cardboard boxes
- Cardboard packaging and tubes
- Food and drinks cans
- Food and drink cartons
- Catalogues, magazines and newspapers
- Envelopes and scrap paper
- Plastic drinks and toiletry bottles
- Margarine, yoghurt and similar plastic tubs
- Carrier bags other than black bags
- Bread and fruit/vegetable wrappers
- Cling film and bubble wrap
Keep these out
- Glass bottles and jars
- Clothing and shoes
- Polystyrene
- Garden waste
- Food contamination
- Black rubbish bags
Glass Bottles and Jars: Do Not Put Them in the Blue-Lidded Bin
This is one of the most important Scottish Borders-specific recycling differences. Some online guides incorrectly describe glass as part of the blue-bin stream.
Correct route
Take household glass bottles and jars to an appropriate community glass-recycling point or Community Recycling Centre.
Why this matters
Putting glass into the kerbside recycling bin creates contamination and can result in the container being left unemptied.
Grey-Lidded General Waste Bin
The standard general-waste container is 180 litres and is normally collected every two weeks.
Typical general waste
- Nappies
- Polystyrene
- Crisp packets
- Pet waste
- Cold, dry and securely bagged ash
- Other non-recyclable household waste
Do not put these in
- Paper, card, cans or accepted plastics
- Paint
- Hot ash
- Loose hazardous dust
- Bulky items sticking out of the bin
- Excessively heavy material
Stove and Fireplace Ash: A Scottish Borders Safety Rule Worth Knowing
Leave it to cool
Set burnt material aside for several days rather than assuming it is safe after a few hours.
Alternatively wet it
Ash can be soaked and then left to dry fully.
Bag it securely
Cold ash and fine dusty debris should be sealed in a bag to protect collection staff.
Use general waste
Only then put the cold, dried and sealed ash into the grey-lidded bin.
Weekly Food Waste Collection: Only Six Scottish Borders Towns
The weekly household food collection is not a Borders-wide kerbside service.
Western / Central Borders
Weekly food waste operates in Galashiels, Peebles, Selkirk and Tweedbank.
Southern Borders
Hawick and Jedburgh are also included in the weekly food-waste collection service.
Outside those towns
Do not assume a weekly brown food-caddy service applies simply because a postcode is within Scottish Borders Council.
| Food item | Food caddy? |
|---|---|
| Dairy products | Yes |
| Meat and bones | Yes |
| Fish | Yes |
| Fruit and vegetables | Yes |
| Bread | Yes |
| Rice and pasta | Yes |
| Tea bags and coffee grounds | Yes |
| Egg shells | Yes |
| Packaging around food | No — remove packaging first |
2026 Change: Scottish Borders Stopped Providing Free Food-Caddy Liners
In January 2026 the council announced that free food-waste caddy liners would end once remaining stock was used up.
No liner required
Food waste can go directly into the indoor and outdoor caddies. The trade-off is that they may need more frequent cleaning.
Low-cost alternatives
Kitchen roll, newspaper, bread bags, cereal bags, salad bags and some thin reused plastic bags can be used.
Compostable liners
Residents can also purchase suitable compostable kitchen-caddy liners locally or online.
Scottish Borders Bin Presentation Rules: More Than Just “Out by 7am”
At the point by 7am
Late bins are not normally revisited. Present them at the designated collection point before the scheduled round reaches the property.
Handles face the road
Scottish Borders specifically asks residents to present the bin with its handles facing the roadway to help the collection crew.
Remove restraints
Remove stones, chains, padlocks, ropes, bungees and similar restraints from the lid or bin before collection.
Bin Left Full With a Hanger? It May Be Rejected, Not Missed
Scottish Borders uses bin hangers to tell residents when a container contains the wrong material or has another presentation problem.
| Problem | Likely result | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong recycling material | Bin may be left | Remove contamination and re-present on the next scheduled recycling day. |
| Wrong food-caddy material | Caddy may be left | Remove contamination; extra food waste can use general waste. |
| Loose ash / hoover dust | General bin may be rejected | Bag dusty material securely. |
| Loose glass / ceramics | Safety issue | Wrap safely before using an appropriate disposal route. |
| Bulky object sticking out | Container may not be emptied | Remove it and use a bulky uplift or CRC where appropriate. |
| Too heavy / overloaded | Container may not be lifted | Remove excess or dense material. |
Scottish Borders Missed-Bin & Rejection Helper
Known Missed Collection or Just Your Bin? Check This Before Reporting
Scottish Borders maintains a live missed-collections page showing areas the waste team already knows it could not complete.
Several homes missed
Check the council’s known missed-collections page before completing a form. If your area is already listed, follow the instructions there rather than duplicating reports.
Only your bin missed
Report it if your bin was at the designated point from 7am, was scheduled for that day, contained the correct material, was correctly presented and was not too heavy.
Extra Recycling Is Allowed — Extra General Waste Normally Is Not
Extra recycling
If the blue-lidded recycling bin is full, Scottish Borders will collect additional recycling placed beside it.
- Use bags, but not black bags.
- Flatten large cardboard boxes.
- Keep cardboard dry where possible.
Extra grey-bin rubbish
Ordinary general-waste side bags are not part of the standard service. Take excess waste to a Community Recycling Centre or ask the council about a larger bin if a qualifying ongoing need exists.
Larger, Missing, Damaged and Replacement Bins
Missing bin
Check nearby properties and the street first. If it remains missing, request a replacement through the council.
Damaged bin
A new or replacement household bin can be requested when the existing container has been damaged.
New home with no bins
Households moving into a property without the required bins can request containers.
Assisted Collections for Age, Mobility or Disability
Scottish Borders can assess temporary or long-term help where no household member is able to move bins to the normal collection point.
Who may need an assessment
The service is intended for situations where age, mobility or disability means nobody in the household can reasonably move the containers.
The council visits the property
Assessment considers available garden/storage space, the route between the property and collection point and the resident’s individual abilities or restrictions.
Some Scottish Borders Households Use Council Bags Instead of Wheelie Bins
Where an assessment shows that a normal wheeled bin is unsuitable, the council can provide specific waste and recycling kerbside bags.
Annual supply
Approved households receive an annual quantity with broadly the equivalent capacity of the wheeled-bin service.
What the bags are for
They are for normal everyday household general waste or recycling—not clear-outs, garden waste or unusually large amounts of rubbish.
Flats and Communal Bin Areas
Scottish Borders can provide communal containers where several households share a collection point because individual bins are impractical due to space restrictions or other local circumstances.
Scottish Borders Garden Waste: There Is No Standard Paid Garden Bin Service
This is another point generic UK bin guides can get wrong. Scottish Borders’ household kerbside service does not currently list a regular separate garden-waste wheelie bin.
Home compost
Grass, leaves and suitable garden material can be composted at home where residents have appropriate space.
Community Recycling Centre
Garden waste can be taken to an appropriate Scottish Borders Community Recycling Centre.
Scottish Borders Bulky Household Uplifts: 2026 Prices & Rules
Since 26 May the service separates upholstered domestic seating from non-upholstered bulky household items. If your booking contains both categories, two bookings—and two charges—are required.
| Booking type | Quantity | 2026 charge |
|---|---|---|
| Upholstered seating | Up to 3 items | £47.50 |
| Upholstered seating | Up to 4 items | £63.00 |
| Non-upholstered items | Up to 4 items | £48.50 |
| Non-upholstered items | Up to 5 items | £60.50 |
Examples the service collects
- Beds and mattresses
- Chairs and sofas
- Cookers
- Fridges and freezers when clean, empty and defrosted
- Tables and wardrobes
- Tumble driers
- Televisions
- Washing machines
- Lightweight radiators
- Small garden tools
Examples it will not collect
- Asbestos and hazardous liquids
- Building rubble
- Car batteries
- Garden sheds
- Garden waste
- Gas bottles
- General bagged rubbish
- Glass
- Paint
- Pianos and safes
- Tyres
Scottish Borders Community Recycling Centres
The council operates seven Community Recycling Centres for waste produced by domestic properties. Use the directory to choose the nearest site and confirm its current opening days before travelling.
Summer / winter hours
Site schedules change seasonally. The 2026 summer schedule runs through 27 September, with winter schedules beginning 28 September 2026.
Large vehicle or trailer
Book a slot before visiting with a trailer or large vehicle. Same-day bookings can be possible if made before the published cut-off.
Upholstered seating
Since October 2024, upholstered domestic seating follows additional site controls and should be checked before travel.
Snow, Ice and Winter Bin Collections
Rural roads, steep streets and heavy snow can affect Borders collections even when a normal calendar date is shown.
Put the bin on an open road
During severe conditions, present wheeled bins on roads that are open to traffic where this forms part of your normal safe collection arrangement.
Clear snow around the bin
Help staff move the container safely to the rear of the collection vehicle.
If the round is missed
Leave the container presented unless this creates an obstruction. The council will try to collect it before the next scheduled date.
If recovery is impossible
On the next normal collection the council can accept resulting extra bagged waste. Recycling cannot be placed in black bags.
Do Scottish Borders Bin Days Change on Public Holidays?
Normal public holidays
The council states that there are no changes to collections on other public holidays throughout the year.
Christmas and New Year
Festive public holidays can change the normal timetable. Scottish Borders publishes the specific arrangements in advance.
Use the Current Web Calendar — Not Old Scottish Borders App Advice
Scottish Borders previously trialled a ReCollect-based waste and recycling app with collection reminders and recycling tools. The council later marked that trial as ended and says the app is no longer available.
Has Scottish Borders Cut Bin Services in the 2026/27 Budget?
Official Scottish Borders Waste & Recycling Shortcuts
Collection Calendar
Search the exact property and download the household calendar.
Known Missed Collections
See whether the council already knows your route was not completed.
Report / Request
Missed bins, bin requests, assistance and household waste enquiries.
What Goes in Each Bin?
Check recycling, general waste and food-waste materials.
Bulky Uplift
Check available household bulky collection dates and charges.
Recycling Centres
Find the nearest household Community Recycling Centre and current opening hours.
Council Headquarters
Newtown St Boswells
Melrose
TD6 0SA
Telephone: 0300 100 1800
Scottish Borders Council Bin Collection FAQs
1. How do I check my Scottish Borders bin collection date?
Use Scottish Borders Council’s online collection calendar. Enter your postcode, select your exact property and view the scheduled collections. The calendar also offers a download option for your collection dates for the calendar year.
2. What time must Scottish Borders bins be put out?
Bins and approved kerbside bags should be at the designated collection point by 7am. The council will not normally return for containers that were presented late.
3. How often are general waste and recycling collected?
The standard 180-litre grey-lidded general-waste bin and 240-litre blue-lidded recycling bin are each collected every two weeks.
4. Does every Scottish Borders household have weekly food waste?
No. The current weekly food-waste collection is available only in Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Peebles, Selkirk and Tweedbank. Households outside those areas should check their exact address service before assuming they have a food caddy collection.
5. Can glass bottles and jars go in the blue-lidded recycling bin?
No. Scottish Borders asks residents to recycle glass bottles and jars separately at an appropriate recycling point or Community Recycling Centre.
6. Can I leave extra recycling beside my blue-lidded bin?
Yes. Extra recycling can be presented in bags other than black bags beside the recycling bin. Large cardboard boxes can also be flattened and placed beside it. Keep cardboard dry where practical.
7. What should I do when Scottish Borders misses my bin?
First check the council’s known missed-collections page. If your area is not listed and only your correctly presented bin was missed, use the official missed-bin reporting service. The bin should have been at the collection point by 7am with the correct contents and presentation.
8. Do Scottish Borders bin days change on bank holidays?
Ordinary public holidays do not normally change collection days. Christmas and New Year can have special arrangements, which the council publishes in advance.
9. Does Scottish Borders have a household garden-waste bin service?
There is no standard separate kerbside garden-waste wheelie-bin service listed in the normal Scottish Borders household service. Suitable garden waste can be home composted or taken to an appropriate Community Recycling Centre.
10. How much does a Scottish Borders bulky uplift cost in 2026?
Current charges differ by waste type. Upholstered seating costs £47.50 for up to three items or £63 for up to four. Non-upholstered items cost £48.50 for up to four items or £60.50 for up to five. Mixed upholstered and non-upholstered loads require separate bookings.