Find Your Bin Day and Sort Every Container Correctly
Use this guide to check East Lothian Council collection dates, put containers out at the right time, sort recycling boxes and bags, and avoid missed-collection mistakes.
It focuses on what residents actually need: postcode lookup, green bin waste, food caddy, blue box, white bag, glass box, brown garden waste permit, bulky uplift and recycling centre rules.
Quick answer: Open East Lothian Council’s official collection date checker, enter your postcode and use the result for your exact property. Containers should be at the kerbside by 7am on the scheduled day, and a collection is not classed as missed until after 4pm.
East Lothian uses a container system: green bin for non-recyclable waste, white weighted bag for plastics/metals/cartons, green or black box for glass, blue box or bag for paper/card/cardboard, silver caddy for food waste and brown bin for paid garden waste only.
I Want To…
Choose the task first. This page is built as a practical help desk, not a long block of generic council-bin text.
Check my bin day
Use the official postcode checker for your exact property and container date.
Sort my waste
Check whether the item belongs in the green bin, white bag, boxes, caddy, brown bin or centre.
Fix a missed collection
Check the 7am, 4pm, sticker, weight, access and contamination rules before reporting.
Book large items
Use bulky waste for eligible household items, or use a recycling centre when better.
Official Source Approach: East Lothian Rules Only
East Lothian’s containers are not the same as Edinburgh, Midlothian, West Lothian or another Scottish council. The safest workflow is simple: official checker for dates, official container guide for sorting, official forms for missed collections, permits and bulky uplifts.
Calendar-first
The collection checker asks for a postcode and tells you when your containers are due. Use that result as the final answer for your property.
Container-specific
Sort into the council-provided container: green bin, white weighted bag, green/black box, blue box/bag, food caddy or brown garden bin.
Problem-solving
Most failed collections come from wrong day, late presentation, wrong items, heavy bins, missing brown sticker, blocked access or items not listed on a booking.
Set Up Your East Lothian Bin Routine in 3 Minutes
Do this once when you move home, share a flat, start a brown bin permit, manage a rental property or stop trusting an old calendar screenshot.
Check the exact property
Enter your postcode on the official East Lothian collection checker. Do not copy a neighbour’s date or another block’s collection point.
Save each container separately
Write down green bin, recycling boxes/bags, silver food caddy and brown garden waste dates as separate reminders.
Use a night-before reminder
Containers need to be at the kerbside by 7am. A morning reminder is risky if crews arrive early.
Check container condition
Keep lids closed where relevant, avoid overfilling, remove wrong items and make sure crews can reach the container safely.
Know the missed rule
Wait until after 4pm on the scheduled day before treating a collection as missed.
Collection Calendar Rules: Postcode Lookup, 7am Presentation and Seasonal Changes
The official checker is the final source for your date. The rules below help you avoid the common “it should have been today” and “they missed me” mistakes.
| Need | Do this | East Lothian rule | Avoid this mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find next collection | Enter your postcode in the collection date checker. | The result is property-specific and should be treated as the final date. | Using an old screenshot, a nearby street or another council’s calendar. |
| Put containers out | Present containers at the kerbside by 7am. | Collection vehicles can arrive early and routes may vary. | Waiting until morning after the crew has already passed. |
| Report a missed collection | Check after 4pm only, then report by the next working day. | Council CCTV may be checked to confirm correct presentation. | Reporting before 4pm or when the container was not out by 7am. |
| Holiday changes | Check seasonal waste arrangements and your calendar. | Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 1 January and 2 January can change arrangements. | Assuming normal collection happens during festive closures. |
| Address not showing | Use East Lothian waste services contact route. | New builds and shared addresses may need manual help. | Guessing from a similar postcode. |
East Lothian Container Guide: What Goes Where
This is the section most residents need before collection day. The green bin is not mixed recycling. East Lothian uses separate containers to keep materials clean.
Green bin
Use for non-recyclable household waste only. Keep out paper, card, glass, plastics, metals, cartons, food waste, batteries and garden waste.
Blue box / bag
Use for paper, card and cardboard. Flatten cardboard and remove inserts such as bubble wrap, polystyrene or plastic film.
White bag + glass box
White weighted bag is for plastics, metals and cartons. Green or black box is for glass bottles and jars.
Brown bin
Use only for permitted garden waste with a valid sticker. Food waste belongs in the silver caddy, not the brown garden bin.
Sorting Helper: Bin, Box, Bag, Caddy, Bulky Uplift or Recycling Centre?
Use this before collection day. It is a practical guide, not a replacement for the official A-Z rules.
Missed Collection Diagnosis: Wait, Fix or Report?
Before reporting, check the cause. East Lothian says containers must be at the kerbside from 7am until 4pm, and collections are not classed as missed until after 4pm.
| Collection type | If correctly presented | Catch-up expectation |
|---|---|---|
| Non-recyclable waste | Green bin out by 7am, lid closed, correct day, not too heavy. | Reported missed collections are aimed to be caught up within two working days. |
| Recycling and food waste | Only council-provided containers, correct items, food caddy with council liners only. | Reported missed collections are aimed to be caught up within two working days. |
| Garden waste | Valid permit sticker, correct garden waste, lid closed, not too heavy. | Handled as soon as possible, but no specific guaranteed timescale. |
Brown Garden Waste Bin: £40 Permit, Sticker and One-Bin Limit
The brown bin is a paid fortnightly garden waste service. The bin must have a valid permit sticker, the right contents and must not be too heavy.
Permit cost
East Lothian lists the garden waste permit cost as £40. No concessions are available, so all residents pay the full charge.
Sticker matters
The sticker shows the registered address, permit number, expiry date, collection day and week. Crews check it matches the property.
One brown bin limit
East Lothian lists a strict limit of one brown bin per household so garden waste routes can be completed.
| Yes in brown bin | No in brown bin | If it is not collected |
|---|---|---|
| Grass cuttings, hedge clippings, leaves, bark, flowers, plants, weeds, twigs and small branches. | Food scraps, kitchen waste, soil, turf, wood, plant pots, polystyrene, stones, bricks, rubble, plastic bags, pet waste and animal bedding. | Check sticker, weight, wrong items and whether material is stuck. Loosen stuck garden waste and present it next time. |
Bulky Waste Collection: Charges, Accepted Items and Failed-Uplift Warnings
Use bulky waste collection for eligible large household items. Check the list before booking, because crews only collect the items listed on your order.
| Bulky rule | East Lothian guidance | Resident action |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | £5 for each individual item uplifted. Booking fees are non-refundable if cancelled. | List every item accurately before confirming. |
| Accepted examples | Beds, carpets, cookers, ovens, dishwashers, fridges/freezers, mattresses, sofas, armchairs, large tables, wardrobes and washing machines. | Fridges and freezers must be emptied, clean and defrosted. |
| Not collected | Black bags, garden waste, building materials, rubble, soil, bikes, gas bottles, tyres, paint, small electricals, trampolines, glass and hazardous items. | Use recycling centre or specialist disposal route instead. |
| Presentation | Items must be safely and tidily at the kerbside by 7am. | Do not place items between parked cars, in gardens, driveways, garages, sheds or communal bin stores. |
Recycling Centres: Dunbar, Kinwegar and North Berwick
Use recycling centres for extra materials, bulky items, garden waste without a permit, and items that do not fit the kerbside system. Bring proof that you live in East Lothian and check restrictions before travelling.
Dunbar Recycling Centre
Spott Road Industrial Estate, Dunbar, EH42 1RS. Open seven days a week 8:30am to 5:00pm. Vans and trailers must prebook.
Kinwegar Recycling Centre
A199 Haddington Road, Wallyford, EH21 8JU. Open seven days a week 8:30am to 5:00pm. Vans and trailers must prebook.
North Berwick Recycling Centre
Heugh Brae, North Berwick, EH39 5PS. Open seven days a week 8:30am to 5:00pm. Vans and trailers must prebook.
| Before you go | Why it matters | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Van or trailer | Vans and vehicles towing trailers must prebook and are accepted between 10am and 11:45am only. | Book online, bring booking confirmation and photo ID. |
| Household waste only | Centres do not accept business or commercial waste. | Use licensed commercial disposal for business waste. |
| Restricted items | Hazardous items, paint, asbestos, tyres and plasterboard-type issues can need special guidance. | Read “know before you go” before loading the vehicle. |
| Unload yourself | Plan only what you can safely lift and unload. | Bring help where needed and sort materials before arriving. |
Assisted Collections and Replacement Containers
If age, illness or disability means you cannot present containers and nobody in the household can help, check East Lothian’s assisted collection route. For missing or damaged bins, boxes, bags, caddies or liners, use the order/fix route.
Assisted collection
Available for householders who cannot present containers because of disability, age or ill health and have no one at home who can assist.
Order or fix containers
East Lothian can repair or replace lids, axles and wheels on green and brown bins, and residents can order containers and liners through the official route.
Phone or Email Help: What to Say Before Contacting Waste Services
Use this if the online route is not possible, your address is missing, your bulky items were not collected, or you need help with replacement bins or permits.
Contact details used by East Lothian waste pages
Email: wasteservices@eastlothian.gov.uk
Phone: 01875 824 305
Common East Lothian Collection Mistakes That Waste Time
These are the small errors that cause most avoidable problems. Fix them before the collection day, not after the crew has passed.
Saying “bin day” only
East Lothian uses several containers. Say green bin, white bag, glass box, blue box, food caddy or brown garden bin.
Reporting too early
A collection is not classed as missed until after 4pm on the scheduled day.
Brown bin without sticker
Crews only collect permitted brown bins with a valid sticker and correct garden waste.
Bagging wrong recycling
Use council-provided containers and keep the material streams separate.
Bulky extras after booking
Crews collect only items listed on your order. You cannot change the request after confirmation.
Using a van without booking
Vans and trailers at recycling centres need prebooking and are accepted only during the listed access window.
Local Tips for Musselburgh, Haddington, Dunbar, North Berwick, Tranent and Prestonpans
Local layout matters. Tight streets, coastal wind, parked vehicles and shared closes can affect whether containers are safe, visible and accessible.
Secure light recycling
Coastal wind can scatter paper, card and plastics. Use covers properly and flatten cardboard before putting it out.
Think about access
On dense streets, parked cars can block crews. Put containers where they are visible but not blocking pedestrians.
Flats need shared notes
For shared closes, send a simple message: “Tomorrow: food caddy + recycling boxes by 7am.”
Loosen garden waste
Wet grass and compacted clippings can stick inside the brown bin. Loosen material before collection day.
Handle big cardboard early
Remove packaging inserts, flatten cardboard and keep it dry. Use the recycling centre route for large overflow.
Use official dates only
This guide explains the process, but your exact date must come from East Lothian’s postcode checker.
Official East Lothian Council Links for Final Action
Use these only when you need to verify, report, book, apply or contact the council. The explanation is above; these links are for final action.
Collection date checker
Enter postcode to find out when your containers will be collected.
What goes in containers
Official sorting guidance for bins, boxes, bags and caddies.
Missed collections
Check 7am, 4pm, lid, sticker, access, weight and report rules.
Garden waste permit
Permit sticker, £40 cost, address rules and accepted garden waste.
Bulky waste
Accepted items, refused items, £5 item charge and booking rules.
Van and trailer booking
Book before using a van or trailer at East Lothian recycling centres.
East Lothian Council Bin Collection FAQs
How do I check my East Lothian Council bin collection date?
Use East Lothian Council’s official collection date checker and enter your postcode. Use the result for your exact property because collection dates can vary by container type and address.
What time should East Lothian containers be put out?
Containers should be placed at the kerbside by 7am on the correct collection day. Put them out the night before only where it is safe and does not block pavements or access.
When is an East Lothian collection classed as missed?
A collection is not classed as missed until after 4pm on the scheduled collection day. Check that the container was out by 7am, on the right day, with correct contents and access clear.
What goes in the East Lothian green bin?
The green bin is for non-recyclable household waste only. Do not use it for paper, cardboard, glass, plastics, metals, cartons, food waste, batteries or garden waste.
What goes in East Lothian recycling boxes and bags?
The white weighted bag is for plastics, metals and cartons; the green or black box is for glass bottles and jars; and the blue box or bag is for paper, card and cardboard.
What goes in the silver food waste caddy?
Cooked and uncooked food waste should go in the food caddy using East Lothian Council-provided liners. Do not put other packaging into the food caddy.
How much is the East Lothian brown bin garden waste permit?
East Lothian lists the garden waste permit cost as £40. The brown bin needs a valid permit sticker and correct garden waste contents to be collected.
What goes in the brown garden waste bin?
Grass cuttings, hedge clippings, leaves, bark, flowers, plants, weeds, twigs and small branches can go in the brown bin when a valid permit sticker is displayed.
How much is East Lothian bulky waste collection?
East Lothian lists a £5 charge for each individual bulky item uplifted. Items must be listed on the booking and placed safely at the kerbside by 7am.
Where are East Lothian recycling centres?
East Lothian lists recycling centres at Dunbar, Kinwegar and North Berwick. Vans and vehicles towing trailers must prebook and are accepted during the listed access window.