Camden Refuse Collection: Bin Days, Missed Bins & Waste
Camden does not have one simple borough-wide “bin day”. A terraced house in Hampstead, a converted house in Kentish Town, a flat above a shop on Tottenham Court Road and a large estate can all use different collection arrangements.
This guide shows you how to find the correct address-level service, understand recycling and weekly food waste, report a missed collection within the two-working-day limit, follow street-level time bands, deal with garden waste, nappies, bulky furniture, electricals, clinical waste and use Regis Road correctly.
Camden Bin Days: The Important Answer First
Do not use a generic Camden-wide frequency as your final answer. Camden Council specifically says that some houses have rubbish collected every two weeks. Houses and flats above shops have property/street-specific collection information, while estates and communal properties follow their own arrangements.
How to Find Your Exact Camden Refuse Collection Day
Camden’s property service is the correct starting point because it can show the services attached to a particular address and lets residents add collection information to a digital calendar.
Open Camden’s checker
Start with the council’s official collection-day page.
Enter your address
Use the exact house or flat rather than another property on the same road.
Read each service
Check rubbish, recycling, food and subscribed garden waste separately.
Add to calendar
Where available, use the property’s “Add to my calendar” function so changes are easier to track.
Camden Collection Rules Depend Heavily on Property Type
House or converted house
Typically uses bins, boxes or bags at street level. Recycling and food services can be available separately, and some houses have fortnightly rubbish.
Standard presentation is by 7am.
Estate or block
Usually uses communal rubbish and recycling containers rather than household kerbside bins.
Food recycling may use a communal food-waste bin.
Flat above a shop
Often uses clear recycling bags and orange rubbish bags and can have very specific street collection times.
Camden delivers the normal bag supply every six months, in April and October.
Time-banded street
Waste must be placed outside only during short specified time windows. Putting bags out early can create litter, pavement obstruction and enforcement risk.
Camden Property-Type Collection Checker
Is Camden Refuse Collected Weekly or Fortnightly?
Recycling
Camden describes household recycling as a regular weekly recycling collection for the relevant household service.
Food waste
Food recycling is collected weekly from eligible households and communal food bins.
General rubbish
Check your address. Some Camden houses are on a fortnightly rubbish service.
Main Camden Household Waste Streams
Mixed Recycling
Plastic packaging, paper, cardboard, metal and household glass bottles/jars using the container supplied for your property.
Food Waste
Separate weekly collection for food scraps at eligible homes and communal properties.
General Rubbish
Non-recyclable household rubbish. Frequency depends on the property service; some houses are fortnightly.
Garden Waste
Optional paid service for houses and houses divided into flats, using approved white reusable bags or a brown bin.
What Goes in Camden Household Recycling?
| Material | Camden recycling? | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic bottles | Yes | Empty, rinse and put bottle lid back on. |
| Plastic pots and tubs | Yes | Remove film lids and food residue. |
| Plastic carrier bags | Accepted empty and untied | Do not use them to hide mixed recycling. |
| Paper | Yes | Use clean, dry paper. |
| Cardboard | Yes | Flatten or fold boxes. |
| Tins and cans | Yes | Empty and rinse. |
| Aerosols | Yes, suitable empty household aerosols | Ensure empty. |
| Aluminium foil | Yes | Remove food contamination. |
| Glass bottles and jars | Yes | Rinse and remove lids so glass and metal can be separated. |
Camden Food Waste Collection
Food does not need to occupy the general rubbish bin when the property is eligible for Camden’s weekly food recycling service.
Food accepted
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat, fish and bones
- Eggs and eggshells
- Dairy products
- Bread and pastries
- Pasta and rice
- Beans
- Tea bags
- Coffee grounds
- Cooked leftovers
Keep out
- Garden waste
- Cooking liquids
- Oil
- Food packaging
- Non-food waste
- Black plastic bin bags
What Goes in Camden General Rubbish?
Typical residual rubbish
- Clingfilm
- Cellophane
- Sanitary products
- Dog waste and cat litter
- Crisp packets
- Polystyrene
- Non-recycled nappies
- Carefully wrapped broken glass
Keep these out
- DIY rubble
- Plasterboard
- Electrical items
- Batteries
- Vapes
- Hazardous chemicals
- Large furniture
- Infectious clinical waste
What to Do on Collection Day
Standard houses: by 7am
The temporary summer 6am rule ended on 4 September 2026. Standard house collections are now back to the normal 7am presentation time.
Front of property
Containers should be as close as possible to the pavement and normally within one metre of the property entrance.
Street level
Standard crews cannot collect household bins from basements or carry them up steps.
Camden Time-Banded Waste Streets
On selected busy streets, residents and businesses are only allowed to place rubbish and recycling outside during short daily windows. Collections take place shortly after each band ends.
| Street / area | Current presentation windows |
|---|---|
| Fortess Road | 6:30–7am · 5:30–6pm · 9:30–10pm |
| Broadhurst Gardens | 6:30–7am · 4:30–5pm · 9:30–10pm |
| Cricklewood Broadway | 6:30–7am · 5:30–6pm · 9:30–10pm |
| Eversholt Street | 5:30–6am · 6:30–7pm · 9:30–10pm |
| Kilburn High Road | 6:30–7am · 5:30–6pm · 9:30–10pm |
| Leather Lane | 5:30–6am · 6:30–7pm |
| Regent’s Park Road | 6:30–7am · 3:30–4pm |
| South End Road | 6:30–7am · 8:30–9pm |
| Tottenham Court Road | 5:30–6am · 6:30–7pm |
| Fortune Green Road | 6:30–7am · 3:30–4pm · 7:30–8pm |
| Queen’s Crescent | 4–4:30pm |
| West End Lane | 6:30–7am · 4:30–5pm · 9:30–10pm |
Flats Above Shops: Bags, Not Normal Wheelie-Bin Rules
Camden has separate arrangements for many flats above commercial premises because there may be nowhere suitable to store household wheelie bins.
Clear recycling bags
Use the clear bags supplied for accepted household recycling.
Orange rubbish bags
Camden supplies specific orange bags for the general rubbish route at participating properties.
Six-month deliveries
Bags and service leaflets are normally delivered in April and October.
Camden Estates & Blocks With Communal Bins
Use labelled communal bins
Put normal household rubbish into the communal rubbish containers supplied for the block.
Communal recycling
Keep mixed recycling clean, dry and empty and use the dedicated communal recycling container.
Communal food recycling
Where a communal food bin is available, residents can use a green kitchen caddy lined with a compostable liner.
Camden Missed-Collection Checker
Camden Missed Bin: Report Within 2 Working Days
Report when
- The correct service was scheduled.
- Waste was in the right place.
- It was presented before the required time.
- Recycling/food was not contaminated.
- No valid rejection note explains the non-collection.
Current delay position
Camden currently warns that temporary driver shortages can delay some collection rounds.
Where recycling, rubbish or garden waste is missed, the council says the team will attempt collection the following day.
Contaminated Camden Recycling Will Be Left Behind
Common contamination
- Black bin bags
- Clothing and textiles
- Electrical items
- Batteries
- Food
- Nappies
- Polystyrene
- Dirty or greasy packaging
What happens next
At a house or converted house, the crew can leave a note or red tag explaining that the wrong material needs to be removed.
Correct the recycling before the next visit rather than immediately submitting a normal missed-bin report.
Camden Garden Waste Collection 2026
Residents in a house or house divided into flats can subscribe. Neighbours may also share a garden-waste collection.
Garden waste accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Weeds
- Dead flowers
- Garden prunings
- Leaves
- Bark
Keep out
- Soil
- Rubble
- Plant pots
- Stones
- Large tree cuttings
- Food waste
- General rubbish
Camden Nappy Collections: A Major 2026 Local Update
Camden has two separate nappy-help routes, which is more useful than simply telling families to fill their general rubbish bin.
New 2026 nappy-recycling trial
A weekly recycling trial started for selected households from January 2026 in parts of:
- Primrose Hill
- Camden Town
- Regent’s Park
- Kentish Town South
- Camden Square
- Somers Town
- King’s Cross
How the trial works
Eligible households can order pink nappy recycling bags from Veolia.
The trial collection day is Friday.
Put only used nappies in the pink bags—no tissues, wipes, sanitary products or other bathroom waste.
Order a Camden Recycling Bin, Box, Bag or Food Caddy
Replace missing/damaged supplies
Use the property service to request recycling bins, boxes, bags and food-waste caddies.
Recently moved?
A new occupant can request the collection containers suitable for the property.
Rubbish bins take longer
Requests for a rubbish wheelie bin can take up to six weeks while Camden reviews, approves and delivers the correct container.
Help Putting Camden Recycling & Rubbish Out
Veolia can provide collection assistance for eligible residents at street-level properties.
Circumstances can include
- Disability
- Pregnancy
- Recent childbirth
- Illness
- Health condition
- Living alone and needing help
Property requirement
The main Veolia assistance route is for residents in houses or houses divided into flats whose waste is normally collected at street level.
Estate residents should speak with their caretaker, landlord, property manager or estate supervisor where appropriate.
Camden Bulky Waste Collection: Current Prices
Equivalent black-bag limits
Camden’s current pricing also covers:
- Up to 20 black bags for £25
- Up to 40 black bags for £50
- Up to 60 black bags for £75
Who may get free collections?
Camden residents can qualify for two free bulky collections each year if they are:
- Aged over 65, or
- Receiving 100% Council Tax Support.
Small Electricals, Large Appliances & Vapes
Small electricals
Items such as mobile phones, kettles and toasters can go to Regis Road or electrical recycling banks.
Kerbside electrical bags
Some houses and converted houses can order special bags so small electricals are collected on the normal recycling day.
Vapes
Disposable and rechargeable vapes must not go into rubbish or ordinary recycling because of their batteries.
Household Batteries
Camden battery bag
Some houses or houses divided into flats can order a small dedicated battery recycling bag for collection with the normal recycling service.
It covers common types including AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, button and end-of-life rechargeable household batteries.
Drop-off alternatives
Household batteries can also be taken to many supermarkets or Regis Road.
Car batteries require an appropriate hazardous/recycling route and must not use normal household bags.
Camden Clothes, Shoes & Textile Recycling
Reuse wearable items
Sell, give away or donate good-quality clothes and footwear rather than treating them as rubbish.
Oxfam clothing banks
Oxfam clothing banks remain a route for worn-out textiles while Regis Road’s textile service is unavailable.
House collection bags
Some houses and converted houses can order a textile recycling bag for collection with regular recycling.
Camden Clinical Waste Collection
Camden provides a free clinical-waste collection when a health professional such as a GP or nurse has recommended the service.
Clinical examples
- Surgical dressings
- Swabs
- Syringes
- Needles
- Other sharps
- Pharmaceutical products
- Relevant bodily secretion/excretion waste
How to arrange it
Contact Camden Veolia after your health professional recommends a clinical-waste service.
Do not simply put sharps or infectious healthcare waste in the general rubbish.
Hazardous Waste: Separate Collection Required
Examples
- Solvents
- Paints
- Poisons
- Oils
- Asbestos
Application detail
Camden’s hazardous-waste collection application requires the resident’s Council Tax number.
Never pour hazardous liquids into drains.
Camden Community Skip Events
Camden also runs temporary local community-skip events. Dates and locations change, but they can be a useful alternative for residents without convenient vehicle access to Regis Road.
Typical accepted material
- Black bags of household rubbish
- Household recycling
- Garden waste
- Bulky household waste
- Electrical items
- Clothes and textiles
- Household batteries
Typical exclusions
- Hazardous waste
- Medical waste
- Sharps
- Paints and oils
- Asbestos
- Gas bottles/cylinders
- Light bulbs
- DIY rubble and bricks
- Business waste
Regis Road Reuse & Recycling Centre
Camden’s main household reuse and recycling centre is in Kentish Town and provides a route for many materials that cannot use ordinary doorstep collections.
Typical materials
Scrap metal, unwanted furniture, electricals, oil, light bulbs and garden waste are among the household materials accepted through appropriate site bays.
Van or trailer?
A visit must be booked in advance if you are arriving in a van or with a trailer.
Need unloading help?
Site staff can assist visitors with a disability. Other visitors should be able to unload themselves, with at most one person helping them.
Paying Someone to Remove Waste? Check Their Licence
Camden’s fly-tipping guidance stresses that householders still need to take reasonable care when paying a private collector.
Ask for registration
Get the waste-carrier registration number.
Verify it
Check the registration against the Environment Agency public register.
Get a receipt
Keep proof of who collected the rubbish and what was paid.
Be suspicious of dumping prices
A very cheap no-paperwork cash quote can be a warning sign.
Official Camden Refuse & Recycling Shortcuts
Check Collection Day
Address-level rubbish and recycling dates.
Missed Collection
Report recycling, rubbish, food or garden waste within the two-working-day limit.
What Goes in the Bin?
Camden’s current household recycling and rubbish list.
Food Waste
Weekly food recycling rules, caddies and liner information.
Garden Waste
2026 subscriptions, containers and collection information.
Large Items
Bulky household waste pricing, bookings and reuse alternatives.
Waste and recycling telephone: 020 3567 8105
Online checking and reporting is usually the fastest route.
5 Pancras Square
London
N1C 4AG
General Camden enquiries: 020 7974 4444
Camden Refuse Collection FAQs
1. How do I find my exact Camden refuse collection day?
Use Camden Council’s official collection-day checker and select your exact address. Collection arrangements differ between houses, converted houses, flats above shops and estates, so a generic Camden timetable is not reliable enough for an individual home.
2. Is Camden rubbish collected weekly or fortnightly?
It depends on the property. Camden explicitly states that some houses have rubbish collected every two weeks. Other households and communal properties can have different arrangements, so check your exact address.
3. What time should I put my Camden bins out?
Standard houses should normally have bins, boxes or bags at the front of the property before 7am. Camden temporarily used a 6am summer deadline from 22 June to 4 September 2026, but that period has ended. Flats above shops and time-banded streets can have different fixed presentation times.
4. How long do I have to report a missed Camden collection?
Missed recycling, rubbish, food-waste and garden-waste collections must be reported within two working days after the scheduled collection day.
5. Does Camden collect food waste every week?
Yes for eligible households and communal food-waste services. Food such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, bones, bread, dairy, pasta, rice, tea bags and coffee grounds can use the food service. Most flats above shops do not yet have the standard food-waste collection.
6. How much is Camden garden waste collection in 2026?
Camden’s current service costs £75 for a 12-month subscription or £60 for a 9-month subscription. Eligible residents aged 65 or over, or receiving 100% Council Tax Support, may qualify for a discounted price through Veolia.
7. How much does Camden bulky waste collection cost?
The current charge is £25 for 1 to 5 items or up to 20 black bags, £50 for 6 to 10 items or up to 40 bags, and £75 for 11 to 15 items or up to 60 bags. Eligible residents over 65 or receiving 100% Council Tax Support can receive two free collections each year.
8. Can Camden collect used nappies separately?
Yes. Households with fortnightly rubbish can ask Veolia about a separate disposable-nappy collection. Camden is also running a 2026 weekly used-nappy recycling trial for selected households in areas including Primrose Hill, Camden Town, Regent’s Park, Kentish Town South, Camden Square, Somers Town and King’s Cross.
9. Where is Camden’s household recycling centre?
Regis Road Reuse and Recycling Centre is in Kentish Town, London NW5 3EW. It is normally open from 9am to 4pm every day and closes on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Vans and trailers require advance booking.
10. Can I take clothes and textiles to Regis Road right now?
Not currently. Camden says the North London Waste Authority is temporarily unable to accept clothes, shoes and textiles for recycling at Regis Road. Residents can use other routes such as Oxfam clothing banks, reuse organisations or Camden’s special household textile collection bags where available.