Check Your Moray Council Bin Day, Calendar and Recycling Containers
Need your Moray bin collection day, annual calendar, green bin date, blue paper and card bin, purple cans and plastics bin, brown garden waste permit, glass box or bag, food caddy help, missed bin route or recycling centre information? Use this updated guide to open the official Moray Council bin finder and solve the most common collection problems before reporting.
Moray containers at a glance
Moray separates waste into several streams, so check the container before reporting a missed bin.
What do you need today?
Start with the exact task. Moray waste help is split between the bin finder, service status, missed bin reports, replacement containers, brown bin permits, bulky uplifts and recycling centres.
Find Your Moray Bin Collection Day
Type your street or postcode note here, then open the official Moray Council Bin Day Finder. The council tool asks for a street name or postcode, then lets you select your street and house name or number to view, download or print your annual collection calendar.
How do I check my Moray Council bin day?
Use Moray Council’s official Bin Day Finder, enter your street name or postcode, select your street and property, then view or download the annual collection calendar. Green household waste and recycling containers are collected every three weeks. Brown bins are collected fortnightly, but a valid garden waste permit is needed if the brown bin contains garden waste. Brown bins used only for food waste do not need a garden waste permit.
Official Moray Waste Sources Used for This Guide
This updated Moray Council bin day guide uses official Moray Council pages, online forms and service-status information. It does not invent collection dates or assume a nearby street has the same schedule.
Bin Day Finder
The official finder lets residents search by street name or postcode, select a property, and view, download or print the annual collection calendar.
Domestic collection rules
Moray lists green household waste and recycling containers as three-weekly collections, with brown bins collected fortnightly.
Garden permit 2026/27
The annual garden waste permit is listed at £54 per brown bin for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Service status
Moray publishes live service-status updates for bin collection and recycling centre disruption, including weather, roadworks or temporary site closures.
Moray Bin Day Calendar: Search by Street or Postcode, Then Save Your Annual Calendar
The most reliable way to check a Moray bin collection day is to use the official Bin Day Finder for your exact address.
Moray covers Elgin, Forres, Buckie, Keith, Lossiemouth, Fochabers, Cullen, Burghead, Rothes, Aberlour, Dufftown, Findhorn, Kinloss, Lhanbryde, Mosstodloch, Portknockie, Speyside villages and rural routes. Collection days can vary by road, route number and container type, so do not rely on a neighbour’s calendar unless the official finder shows the same result for your property.
Open the official Bin Day Finder
Search using either your street name or postcode. If your postcode covers several properties, select the correct house name or number.
Download or screenshot the annual calendar
Moray recommends downloading or taking a screenshot of the calendar on a smartphone so it is available when you need it.
Check the route and container due
The calendar helps you confirm whether green waste, blue and purple recycling, glass, brown bin or other containers are due.
Check service status in bad weather
If snow, ice, high winds, roadworks or vehicle issues affect collections, use Moray’s service status page before reporting.
Local resident tip: if you are in a rural area, a private lane, a cul-de-sac or a property using communal bins, check access instructions carefully. The online calendar can be less straightforward for communal-bin properties.
Moray Council Bin Colours: Green, Blue, Purple, Brown and Glass Containers
Moray’s system works by separating paper and card, cans and plastics, glass, organic waste and residual waste. Putting the right material in the right container matters because contaminated recycling can be rejected.
| Container | Main use | Resident note |
|---|---|---|
| Green bin | All other household waste that cannot be recycled | Collected three-weekly. Moray normally services only one residual waste bin per household per collection. |
| Blue bin | Paper and card products | Keep paper and card dry. Flatten cardboard so the lid can close. |
| Purple bin | Cans and plastic bottles | Rinse containers and keep plastic bags out of recycling. |
| Glass box or bag | Glass bottles and jars | Some properties use an orange box, hessian bag or other issued container for glass. |
| Brown bin | Food waste and garden waste | Food waste is free. Garden waste needs a valid permit displayed on the brown bin. |
Important: Moray’s colours are not the same as every other Scottish council. If you have moved from another area, check Moray’s “What Goes Where” guidance before using old habits.
Moray Green Bin Collection: Three-Weekly Household Waste and Extra Waste Rules
The green bin is for residual household waste that cannot be recycled through Moray’s other containers.
Because green bins are collected every three weeks, it is important to use blue, purple, glass and brown containers correctly. Food waste should go into the brown bin using the caddy route. Paper, card, cans, plastics and glass should be separated into the correct recycling containers. Moray’s waste guidance says residual waste bins are serviced three-weekly and normally only one residual bin will be serviced per household per collection.
Use for non-recyclable waste
The green bin should be the last container after you have separated paper, card, cans, plastics, glass, food waste and garden waste.
Do not use as an overflow route
Moray’s recycling guidance states the council does not collect excess waste through ordinary household collection.
Use recycling centres for larger amounts
Large amounts of recyclable or household waste may be better handled through a staffed recycling centre, subject to site rules.
Reduce smells and space pressure
Use the brown bin for food waste so the green bin does not fill too quickly between three-weekly collections.
Moray Blue and Purple Bins: Paper, Card, Cans and Plastic Bottles
Moray uses separate recycling containers to keep paper and card apart from cans and plastic bottles.
The blue bin is for paper and card products such as newspapers, magazines, envelopes, cardboard and clean paper-based packaging. The purple bin is for cans and plastic bottles, and Moray has also replaced some older-style recycling bins to improve recycling quality and reduce contamination.
Blue bin habits
Keep paper and card dry, flatten boxes, and avoid putting greasy or food-contaminated paper into dry recycling.
Purple bin habits
Rinse cans and bottles, empty containers, and do not put plastic bags, film, toys, oil tins or paint tins into the purple bin.
Do not mix streams
If paper and card are mixed with cans, bottles or food residue, the recycling quality falls and the load may become harder to process.
Check the annual calendar
Moray’s recycling containers are collected every three weeks, so missing a week can quickly create storage problems.
Moray Glass Collection: Bottles, Jars and Extra Glass During Busy Periods
Glass should be kept separate from the blue and purple bin streams.
Moray’s recycling FAQs say glass bottles and jars of any colour should go into the issued glass container, and metal lids can go into the purple recycling bin. Some households may have an orange box, hessian bag or another glass container depending on local arrangements and property type.
Accepted glass
Use the issued glass container for glass bottles and jars. Rinse containers where practical.
Do not put glass in blue or purple bins
Broken glass can contaminate other recycling streams and create handling problems.
Busy holiday weeks
Moray may provide additional glass bins at certain supermarkets during Christmas and New Year arrangements, so check official seasonal notices.
Recycling centre route
If you have extra glass after a party, house clear-out or festive period, check your nearest recycling point or staffed recycling centre.
Moray Brown Bin Collection: Food Waste, Garden Waste Permit and 2026/27 Charge
The brown bin is used for food waste and garden waste, but garden waste requires a valid paid permit.
For the 2026/27 permit year, Moray lists the annual garden waste permit charge as £54 per brown bin. The permit is valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and is not transferable between properties. A separate permit is needed for each additional brown bin containing garden waste. Brown bins containing only food waste do not need a garden waste permit.
| Brown bin use | Permit needed? | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Food waste only | No | Food waste collection is free. Use the kitchen caddy first, then transfer to the brown bin. |
| Garden waste | Yes | The permit sticker must be displayed on the brown bin containing garden waste. |
| Extra brown bin with garden waste | Yes | Each additional garden waste brown bin needs its own permit. |
| Christmas and New Year | Check seasonal notice | Moray says there are no brown bin collections over Christmas and New Year. |
Food waste accepted
Use your indoor kitchen caddy to collect food waste before transferring it to the brown bin for collection.
Garden alternatives
If you do not buy a permit, you can take garden waste to a household recycling centre free of charge where accepted, or compost at home.
Not transferable
Garden waste permits are linked to the property and are not transferable between addresses.
Order early
Moray encouraged early ordering before the March deadline so stickers could arrive in time for 1 April.
Moray Missed Bin Collection: What to Check Before Reporting
Moray’s missed-bin policy is more limited than many residents expect, so check the reason before reporting.
Moray’s household waste FAQs state that a missed bin can be reported, although the council’s policy says it will not normally return to service missed bins except in exceptional circumstances. During severe weather, Moray says it will try to return and collect missed bins within 24 hours where possible, but if this is not possible, residents should check service updates and follow council instructions.
Check the calendar
Confirm the correct container was due for your address. Green, blue, purple, glass and brown containers do not all follow the same household habit.
Check service status
Look for Moray service-status alerts covering bin collections, recycling centre closures, weather disruption or road access problems.
Check presentation issues
Wrong items, excess waste, late presentation, unsafe access, contamination or an unpermitted brown bin can all create collection problems.
Use the official online form
Moray’s online services include a waste form to report a missed bin. Use the official route so the report reaches the correct team.
Important: do not assume the council will return for every missed report. If the whole route is disrupted, Moray may publish updated instructions through service status rather than treating each household as a separate missed-bin case.
High Winds, Snow, Ice and Roadworks: Moray Bin Day Disruption Rules
Moray’s rural and coastal routes can be affected by weather, high winds, ice, snow, roadworks and mechanical breakdowns.
Moray publishes service-status updates when collections or recycling centres are disrupted. In high winds, secure containers where possible, avoid leaving bins where they can blow into roads, and bring containers back in promptly after collection. If crews cannot access a road because of resurfacing works, parked vehicles or weather conditions, the council may issue area-specific instructions.
Do this on a bad-weather collection day
Small preparation can stop your containers from blowing over or being missed because the route becomes unsafe.
Check status first
Use the Moray service status page before reporting a missed collection.
Put containers out safely
Use the usual collection point, but avoid blocking pavements, roads or drains.
Keep lids closed
Closed lids help reduce litter and wind-blown waste.
Bring bins back in
Remove empty containers quickly after collection to reduce street clutter and wind damage.
Moray Replacement Bin, Missing Box or Broken Recycling Container
If your Moray bin, box or bag is damaged, missing or broken, use the official replacement request form.
The online replacement form covers refuse and recycling containers, including blue bins for paper and cardboard, purple bins for cans and plastics, and glass containers. Use the correct reason, such as damaged, missing or broken, so the waste service can process the request correctly.
Blue bin issue
Request help if your paper and card bin is missing, cracked, broken or cannot be used safely.
Purple bin issue
Use the replacement form if your cans and plastics bin is damaged or missing.
Glass container issue
If your glass box or bag is missing, use the official container request route rather than using the wrong bin.
Assisted collection
Residents unable to place containers at the kerbside may be able to apply for assisted collection.
Moray Bulky Uplift: Cost, Waste Line and When to Use a Recycling Centre
Moray offers a bulky waste uplift service with limited availability, so call the Waste Line to check availability and make payment.
Moray’s bulky uplift information lists the Waste Line as 0300 123 4565 and the bulky uplift FAQ lists the cost as £40 per uplift. Before booking, check whether the item can be reused, donated or taken to a staffed recycling centre instead. Do not leave furniture, mattresses, white goods or bulky items outside without a confirmed collection.
Call to check availability
Use the Waste Line on 0300 123 4565 because bulky uplift availability is limited.
Cost listed as £40
Moray’s bulky uplift FAQ lists a bulky uplift at £40 per uplift. Confirm current payment before booking.
Reuse before disposal
If the item is usable, consider local reuse options before paying for disposal.
Do not fly-tip
Leaving bulky items on the street or beside bins without a booking can be treated as dumped waste.
Moray Recycling Centres: Elgin, Forres, Buckie, Keith and Dallachy
Moray’s household recycling centres and recycling points are the best route for larger amounts of household waste, extra recycling, garden waste, DIY materials and items that should not go in kerbside bins.
Moray lists recycling centre information for sites including Chanonry Recycling Centre in Elgin, Waterford Recycling Centre in Forres, Gollachy Recycling Centre in Buckie, Balloch Road Recycling Centre in Keith and Dallachy at Spey Bay. Site opening hours, booking requirements and temporary closures can change, so check official pages and service status before loading the car.
Check before travelling
Moray’s service status page can show recycling centre closures caused by mechanical breakdowns or other disruption.
Accepted waste varies
Use the acceptable-waste page before taking wood, soil, rubble, green waste, electricals or bulky materials.
Van, pick-up or trailer
Residents disposing of household waste in a van, pick-up or trailer may need to present a completed Household Waste Declaration Form.
No commercial waste
Moray recycling centres are licensed for household waste, and commercial waste is not accepted through normal household recycling centre access.
Moray Bin Day Tips That Stop Missed Collections and Contamination
Most Moray bin problems come from using the wrong container, missing the three-weekly cycle, not checking service status, or placing garden waste in a brown bin without a permit.
Do this before collection day
This checklist helps with common searches like “Moray bin not collected”, “Elgin green bin day”, “Forres brown bin permit” and “Buckie recycling centre closed”.
Check your exact address
Use the Bin Day Finder, then save or screenshot the annual calendar.
Separate paper from plastics
Blue bin is for paper and card; purple bin is for cans and plastic bottles.
Keep glass separate
Use the issued glass box, bag or local glass recycling route.
Use food waste caddy
Food waste should go through the caddy and brown bin route.
Permit garden waste
Brown bins containing garden waste need a valid permit sticker.
Check status before reporting
Weather or route disruption may already be listed by Moray Council.
Moray Council Bin Day Official Links
Use these official pages before putting bins out, reporting missed waste, ordering a replacement container, buying a brown bin permit or visiting a recycling centre.
Related Council Bin Collection Guides
Use these internal guides if you are comparing Scottish bin systems, checking new-bin rules or looking for holiday collection changes.
Moray Council Bin Day FAQ
These answers cover the main searches behind this page: Moray bin day, Elgin bin calendar, Forres recycling, Buckie green bin, Keith recycling centre, brown bin permit, missed bin and bulky uplift.
Use Moray Council’s official Bin Day Finder. Enter your street name or postcode, select your street and property, then view, download or print your annual collection calendar.
Moray lists green household waste bins as collected every three weeks. Use the Bin Day Finder for your exact address because route dates vary.
Moray lists recycling containers as collected every three weeks. Blue bins are for paper and card, while purple bins are for cans and plastic bottles.
The blue bin is for paper and card products. Keep materials dry and flatten cardboard so the lid closes properly.
The purple bin is for cans and plastic bottles. Rinse containers and do not use it for plastic bags, toys, oil tins or paint tins.
You need a valid garden waste permit if the brown bin contains garden waste. Brown bins containing only food waste do not need a garden waste permit.
Moray lists the annual garden waste permit charge for 2026/27 as £54 per brown bin. It is valid from 1 April 2026 until 31 March 2027 and is not transferable between properties.
Yes, Moray provides an online missed-bin reporting route, but the council’s policy says it will not normally return to service missed bins except in exceptional circumstances. Check service status and the reason first.
Use Moray Council’s online replacement bin or box form for damaged, missing or broken refuse and recycling containers.
Moray’s bulky uplift FAQ lists the cost as £40 per uplift. Call the Waste Line on 0300 123 4565 to check availability and make payment.
Moray lists staffed recycling centres including Chanonry in Elgin, Waterford in Forres, Gollachy in Buckie, Balloch Road in Keith and Dallachy at Spey Bay. Always check opening times, accepted waste and service status before travelling.
Editorial note
This guide is written to help residents reach the correct official Moray Council waste service quickly. Always confirm your exact bin day, missed-bin eligibility, garden waste permit status, bulky uplift cost and recycling centre rules on official Moray Council pages before taking action.
Final summary: Use the Moray Bin Day Finder first. Search by street or postcode, select your property and save the annual calendar. Green household waste and recycling containers are collected every three weeks, brown bins are collected fortnightly, food waste in the brown bin is free, and garden waste in the brown bin requires a valid 2026/27 permit. Check service status during weather or road disruption, and use the official online forms for missed bins, replacement containers and assisted collection.