Check Your Lichfield Council Bin Collection Schedule, Dates and Calendar
Need your Lichfield bin day, black bin week, blue bin and blue bag week, rural purple bin dates, missed bin report, garden waste subscription, bulky waste booking or Lichfield tip information? Start with the official online bin calendar, then use this resident-first guide to avoid missed collections, contaminated recycling, winter garden-waste confusion and wrong-bin weeks.
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Find Your Lichfield Bin Collection Day
Enter your postcode here to keep it handy, then open Lichfield District Council’s official online bin calendar. The official page asks for your postcode and address before showing local refuse and recycling collection dates.
How do I check Lichfield Council bin collection dates?
Use Lichfield District Council’s official online bin calendar. Enter your postcode, select your exact address and check which containers are due. Most households have a black bin for non-recyclable household waste, a blue bin for glass, cans and plastics, and a blue bag for paper and card. Rural properties may have a purple bin instead of a blue bag. Put bins and bags at the kerbside by 6am on collection day.
Official Lichfield District Council Sources Used for This 2026 Bin Collection Guide
This page uses official Lichfield District Council waste pages and Staffordshire County Council recycling-centre information. Dates and charges can change, so use the official links before taking action.
Official bin calendar
The online bin calendar is the safest way to check black bin, blue bin, blue bag, purple bin and garden waste collection dates for your address.
Bin and bag rules
Lichfield provides household collections across Lichfield District and Tamworth Borough, using alternate weeks for black waste and recycling.
Missed-bin timing
The council asks residents to check back after crews return to depot, no later than 5:30pm, before reporting a missed bin.
Garden waste 2026
The optional 2026 garden waste service costs £42.50 per bin and gives fortnightly collections up to 23 times, excluding Christmas and New Year.
Lichfield Bin Collection Calendar 2026: Check Your Dates by Postcode
Your correct Lichfield bin collection date depends on your exact property, not only your town, village or postcode district.
Use the official calendar if you live in Lichfield, Burntwood, Fradley, Alrewas, Shenstone, Armitage, Handsacre, Whittington, Hammerwich, Fazeley edge, rural Lichfield District or a new-build estate. Streets near council boundaries can easily be confused with Tamworth, Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire or East Staffordshire waste services.
Open the official online bin calendar
Use Lichfield District Council’s bin calendar, not a copied image or old Christmas calendar.
Enter your full postcode
Use the full postcode and then choose your exact address from the list. This avoids confusion on roads where collection points differ.
Check which container is due
One week may be black bin week, and the next week may be blue bin plus blue bag or purple bin week. Garden waste only appears if subscribed.
Put bins and bags out by 6am
Place them at the kerbside or your usual collection point by 6am on collection day, with bin lids closed and recycling loose where required.
Resident tip: if you live in a rural area and have a purple bin instead of a blue bag, do not assume the same recycling pattern as an urban street. Check the calendar carefully.
Lichfield Bin Collection Pattern: Black Bin One Week, Blue Bin and Blue Bag the Next
Most Lichfield District households use an alternate weekly waste and recycling pattern.
| Container | What it is for | Typical timing | Key reminder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bin | Household waste that cannot be recycled. | Every two weeks, alternate to recycling. | No side waste; lid must be shut. |
| Blue bin | Glass, cans, plastic bottles, tubs, pots, trays and similar containers. | Every two weeks with blue bag or purple bin. | Recycling should be clean and loose, not bagged. |
| Blue bag | Paper and cardboard. | Collected with the blue bin. | Do not put paper/card in plastic carrier bags. |
| Purple bin | Rural alternative for paper/card in some areas. | May alternate with blue bin in rural areas. | Check your address calendar before putting it out. |
| Garden bin | Optional paid garden waste service. | Fortnightly, up to 23 collections in 2026. | Subscription and sticker required. |
Simple memory: black bin is for non-recyclable household rubbish. Blue bin is for containers. Blue bag or purple bin is for paper and card. Garden waste needs a paid subscription.
Lichfield Black Bin, Blue Bin, Blue Bag, Purple Bin and Garden Bin Explained
The biggest mistake is mixing paper/card, containers and general waste. Keep each stream separate to prevent rejected loads.
Black bin
Non-recyclable household wasteThe black bin is for household rubbish that cannot be recycled. Food waste remains in this route until the new food waste service is rolled out.
- Non-recyclable household rubbish
- Bagged black-bin waste
- No side waste
- No batteries, vapes or electricals
Blue bin
Glass, cans and plasticsThe blue bin is for clean container recycling, not paper or card.
- Plastic bottles, tubs, pots and trays
- Aluminium foil, food trays and cans
- Glass bottles and jars with lids
- Aerosol cans and roll-ons
Blue bag / purple bin
Paper and cardboardMost homes use a blue bag for paper and card. Some rural homes may use a purple bin instead.
- Paper, newspapers and magazines
- Flattened cardboard boxes
- Loose shredded paper
- No cartons or dirty paper towels
Garden waste bin
Paid 2026 subscriptionThe garden waste bin is emptied only if you subscribe to the optional garden waste service.
- Fortnightly collections
- Up to 23 collections in 2026
- Not over Christmas and New Year
- Sticker needed after subscribing
Do not bag blue-bin recycling: Lichfield says filled plastic bin bags in recycling can cause loads to be rejected. Put clean recycling loose in the blue bin.
Missed Bin Collection Lichfield: Check After 5:30pm Before Reporting
If your Lichfield bin or bag was not emptied, check the official missed-streets page first.
Lichfield updates the missed-streets page after crews return to depot, no later than 5:30pm Monday to Friday. If your street is listed, leave the bin or bag out at the kerbside. The council aims to return the next working day, but in some cases it can take up to three working days.
Check whether your street is listed
Open the official “missed bin — we’re coming back” page before sending a report.
Wait until after 5:30pm
Crews may still be collecting, tipping mid-route or returning after blocked access, so do not report too early.
Check your own container
It must have been out by 6am, not too heavy, not frozen, not contaminated, and not tagged for wrong waste.
Report before midnight the next working day
If your street is not listed and your bin was presented correctly, use the missed-bin report form within the official reporting window.
Do not report as missed if: the bin was not out by 6am, contained the wrong waste, was too heavy, was frozen, had a contamination tag, or was put in the wrong place.
Lichfield Garden Waste Collection 2026: £42.50 Per Bin, Fortnightly Collections and Winter Break
The Lichfield garden waste service is optional and paid. Your garden bin will not be emptied unless you subscribe.
The 2026 garden waste service costs £42.50 per bin. It covers up to 23 fortnightly collections from late January or early February to mid-December, excluding the Christmas and New Year period. Once subscribed, your garden bin is emptied every two weeks on the same day as your blue bin or blue bag collection.
2026 charge
£42.50 per bin, regardless of when you join during the year.
Sticker delivery
Card payment subscribers should receive a sticker within 10 working days. Direct debit setup may take longer.
Collection timing
Collections are fortnightly, normally on the same day as the blue bin and blue bag.
Winter pause
Garden waste is suspended over the Christmas and New Year period. 2026 collections begin from the week of 26 January 2026.
Garden waste tip: do not wait until the bin is full and then subscribe at the last minute. Sticker delivery and direct debit setup can take working days, and the annual charge remains the same.
Lichfield Food Waste Collections 2026: Delayed Rollout and What Residents Should Do Now
Lichfield and Tamworth’s joint waste service planned to launch weekly food waste collections in March 2026, but the launch has been delayed because of delays to specialist food waste vehicles.
The council says it is hoping to launch in summer 2026. Once vehicle delivery is confirmed, caddies and information will be rolled out to households ahead of the service starting. Until your household receives official start instructions, continue following the current bin guidance and check the food waste page for updates.
What was planned?
Weekly food waste collection with kitchen caddies, outdoor caddies and resident guidance.
Why delayed?
Specialist food waste collection vehicles were delayed because many councils were introducing food waste collections at the same time.
What to do now?
Keep checking the council’s food waste page and wait for household caddy delivery or official instructions before changing your routine.
Lichfield Bulky Waste and Scrap Collections: Furniture, Fridges, Sofas and Metal Items
Large items should not be left beside normal bins or fly-tipped. Use reuse routes, the recycling centre, bulky collection or scrap metal booking.
Lichfield lets residents book bulky or scrap collections up to a month in advance. The main bulky page lists the first item at £20 and every extra item at £9, with up to four items on one bulky collection and up to two items on one scrap collection. Always check the live booking form before paying because the payment form may show the current charge at checkout.
Reuse first
If the item is still usable, try reuse, local give-away groups, Freegle or marketplace routes before paying for disposal.
Set-out rule
Leave items outside before 6am on collection day, in the same place you leave bins. The council cannot collect from inside your property.
Restrictions
Items must be movable by two people for bulky waste, and some glass, building waste, rubble, doors, sheds and large corner settees are not accepted.
Lichfield Household Recycling Centres: Lichfield, Burntwood and Nearby Staffordshire Tips
Use household recycling centres for waste that cannot go into your kerbside bins or bags.
Lichfield District Council links residents to Staffordshire County Council household waste recycling centres. Tips in or near the district include Lichfield Recycling Centre, Burntwood Recycling Centre, Rugeley, Cannock, Burton and Lower House Farm. Staffordshire County Council runs the sites and sets opening times, permits and charges for some non-household or DIY-type waste.
Lichfield Recycling Centre
Witley Drive, Trent Valley Road, Lichfield, WS13 6EU.
Burntwood Recycling Centre
Ring Road, Chase Terrace, Lichfield, WS7 3JQ.
Nearby alternatives
Rugeley, Cannock, Burton and Lower House Farm may be useful depending on where you live.
Check charges
Staffordshire charges for certain non-household waste, including some DIY or garden-work waste types.
Order a New, Extra or Replacement Bin or Bag in Lichfield
If your black bin, blue bin, blue bag, purple bin or garden bin is missing, damaged, stolen or not enough for your household, use the official order form.
Lichfield says extra blue recycling bins are free. A replacement lost or stolen black bin is listed at £24. Replacement lost or stolen blue, garden or purple bins and blue bags are listed as no charge. Broken bins or bags can be replaced if the council can collect the damaged container.
Extra blue bin
If your blue recycling bin regularly overflows, you can order a second blue bin for free.
Extra black bin capacity
You can apply for extra black bin capacity if household size or medical packaging need meets the council criteria.
New home
If you have just moved into a new property, use the official order route rather than buying an unofficial bin.
Damaged bin
Use the bin as normal and put it out on your usual collection day while waiting for a swap.
Lichfield Bin Collection Tips Residents Learn the Hard Way
Most collection problems are avoidable if you check the official calendar, keep recycling streams separate and present bins early.
High-value checks before bin night
Use these checks when you do not want to wait another fortnight.
The 6am rule
Put bins and bags out by 6am. Collection times can change, and early rounds are common on busy routes.
Blue bin is not paper
Keep paper and card in the blue bag or purple bin, not mixed into the blue wheelie bin.
No recycling bags
Do not put filled plastic bags into the blue bin because crews cannot see what is inside.
No black-bin side waste
For health and safety, Lichfield says it can only collect rubbish inside your black bin.
Garden sticker visible
After subscribing, make sure your garden waste sticker is visible on the bin.
Batteries and vapes
Never put batteries or vapes in household bins. They can ignite when compacted.
Official Lichfield District Council Bin Collection Links
Use these official pages before reporting, ordering, subscribing, booking or travelling.
Related Council Bin Collection Guides Near Lichfield and Staffordshire
Use these internal guides if you are moving home, comparing neighbouring council rules, checking Christmas changes or looking for broader UK council bin collection help.
Lichfield Council Bin Collection FAQ
These answers cover the main Lichfield bin collection searches: bin day, black bin, blue bin, blue bag, purple bin, garden waste, missed bins, bulky items and recycling centres.
Use Lichfield District Council’s official online bin calendar. Enter your postcode, choose your exact address and check the collection dates shown for your property.
Bins and bags should be out by 6am on collection day at the kerbside or usual collection point.
Most households have black bin waste one week and blue bin plus blue bag recycling the next week. Rural properties may have a purple bin instead of a blue bag.
The blue bin is for clean plastic containers, aluminium foil, food trays, cans, glass bottles and jars, aerosol cans and roll-ons. Do not put recycling inside plastic bin bags.
The blue bag or purple bin is for clean paper and card, including newspapers, magazines, flattened cardboard, envelopes and loose shredded paper.
The black bin is for household rubbish that cannot be recycled and, until the new food waste service begins, food waste. The lid must shut and the council does not collect side waste.
The 2026 garden waste service costs £42.50 per bin and provides fortnightly collections up to 23 times, excluding the Christmas and New Year period.
Garden waste collections for 2026 begin from the week of 26 January 2026. Check the online bin calendar for your exact address date.
Check the missed-streets page after 5:30pm on collection day. If your street is not listed and your bin was correctly presented, report no earlier than 5:30pm and no later than midnight on the following working day.
The council planned a March 2026 food waste launch, but the rollout was delayed because of specialist vehicle delivery delays. The council says it is hoping to launch in summer 2026 and will provide updates.
Local or nearby options include Lichfield Recycling Centre at Witley Drive, Trent Valley Road, WS13 6EU and Burntwood Recycling Centre at Ring Road, Chase Terrace, WS7 3JQ. Check Staffordshire County Council before travelling.
The main bulky and scrap collections page lists the first item at £20 and each extra item at £9. Check the live booking form before paying because charges can be reviewed.
Editorial note
This independent guide helps residents reach the correct Lichfield District Council waste service quickly. Always confirm your exact collection date, missed-bin report window, garden waste subscription, bulky collection charge, new-bin charge, food waste rollout and recycling-centre opening hours on the official Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire County Council websites before taking action.
Final summary: Use the official online bin calendar first. Put bins and bags out by 6am. For most homes, black bin waste is collected one week and the blue bin plus blue bag is collected the next week. Garden waste is optional, costs £42.50 per bin in 2026 and starts from the week of 26 January 2026. If a bin is missed, check after 5:30pm and report only if your street is not already listed and your container was presented correctly.