Check Your Exact Cambridge Bin Day
Cambridge bin collection dates are not one citywide timetable. CB1, CB4, Cambridge city streets, flats, new-builds and South Cambridgeshire addresses can show different black, blue, green and food-waste dates.
Use this guide to read the official calendar result, prepare the correct bin, handle the 2026 food caddy rollout, report a missed bin at the right time and avoid common rejected-bin mistakes.
Independent guide. Use official links below for live lookup, reporting, booking, payment and final confirmation.Quick answer: what to do first
Start with the Greater Cambridge postcode/address lookup. Enter your full postcode, choose the exact property, then save the collection dates shown for black bin, blue bin, green bin and food waste.
Normally, bins should be out by 6am. If the official page shows a heat or service alert, follow the alert because collections can start earlier, such as 5am during hot-weather weeks.
Check your Cambridge bin day by exact address
The official result is address-level. Do not use only “CB1”, “CB4”, “Cambridge Park”, “Cambridge South” or a neighbour’s house as the final answer.
Open the official Greater Cambridge lookup
This is the safest route for live household bin dates and bin-related alerts. Cambridge City Council also routes residents to the shared waste service.
Enter the full postcode
Use the complete postcode, not only a district such as CB1 or CB4. If the tool says the postcode is invalid or not found, check the spelling or use the Royal Mail postcode finder linked from the official page.
Select the exact property
Choose the exact flat, house number, property name or building. Student blocks, converted houses, new-builds and flats above shops can have different arrangements.
Save the result
Screenshot the dates or use the print/calendar option if shown. Save the next black bin, blue bin, green bin and food-waste date separately.
Cambridge City, South Cambs, CB1 or CB4?
Search terms can be misleading. The important detail is the property address, because Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council use Greater Cambridge Shared Waste for household waste tasks.
Cambridge City
Use the shared waste lookup for Cambridge City streets. The city council bins page points residents to Greater Cambridge Shared Waste.
South Cambs
“Cambridge South” may mean South Cambridgeshire rather than southern Cambridge city streets. The postcode lookup resolves this.
CB1 and CB4
CB1 and CB4 are too broad for one bin day. Use the full postcode and exact property selection.
Cambridge Park
If this is part of an address, road or local search phrase, do not guess. Use the exact property result.
How to read the official calendar result
The official result can show several collection columns. The useful part is not just the date: it tells you which stream is due and whether a food-waste date is now active for your address.
| Official result area | What it means | Micro-step | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postcode field | Starts the live address lookup. | Use the full postcode and check for typing errors. | Using “CB1” or “CB4” only. |
| Address list | Shows matching properties for that postcode. | Select the exact flat, house number or property name. | Choosing a neighbour or similar building. |
| Black bin | General non-recyclable waste date. | Check lid is closed and the bin is not too heavy. | Putting batteries, electricals, rubble, soil or paint tins inside. |
| Blue bin | Mixed recycling date. | Keep recycling accepted and avoid black bin bags. | Putting batteries inside the bin or including dirty packaging. |
| Green bin | Garden waste and green-bin collection date. | Check whether food waste has moved to the separate caddy for your address. | Using compostable plastic bags in the green bin. |
| Food waste | Separate weekly food-waste date once service starts. | Put the outdoor caddy out weekly once your address is active. | Assuming every Cambridge address started on the same date. |
| Add dates to calendar | Lets you sync dates with a phone calendar. | For Android/Google Calendar, add the official URL through Google Calendar on desktop, then sync the phone. | Adding it on phone only, then wondering why it does not show. |
| Live alert | Temporary message such as early-start collection due to heat. | Follow the alert over normal routine. | Relying on the usual 6am rule during a live alert. |
What goes out this week?
Use the official calendar date and this bin-colour decoder together. The rules below prevent most contamination and missed-bin problems.
| Bin / stream | Use it for | Do not put in | Helpful action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bin | General household non-recyclable and non-compostable waste, disposable nappies, polystyrene and cooled bagged ash. | Batteries, electricals, rubble, bricks, soil, very heavy items, paint tins or loose ash. | Close the lid, keep it movable and use special routes for heavy/electrical/hazardous items. |
| Blue bin | Paper, cardboard, cartons, clean plastic bottles/pots/tubs/trays, tins, cans, foil, aerosols, glass bottles/jars and accepted bags/wrappers. | Food, liquids, nappies, dirty packaging, Pyrex, flat glass, textiles, black bin bags or batteries inside the bin. | Keep recycling loose or in transparent bags only where allowed. Batteries go separately on a bin lid. |
| Green bin | Garden waste, untreated wood, straw, sawdust and green-bin food waste only until your separate food caddy service starts. | Plastic bags, biodegradable/corn-starch bags, cat/dog waste, soil, stones, turf, treated wood, rubble or loose ash. | After your food caddy service starts, stop using the green bin for ordinary food waste except limited overflow instructions. |
| Food caddy | Weekly food waste once your address is active in the 2026 rollout. | Packaging, liquids, milk, oil, liquid fat or anything that is not food waste. | Keep lids closed, do not overfill liners and put the outdoor caddy out every week. |
| Batteries | Small household batteries in a small tied bag placed loosely on top of a wheelie-bin lid, or supermarket battery recycling. | Inside any bin, recycling container or rubbish sack. | Use clear separation because batteries can cause fires in lorries and waste sites. |
Tap the stream shown on your calendar
2026 weekly food waste rollout
Food waste is the biggest 2026 change for Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire households. The service is being introduced in phases, so your start date depends on your address.
Before your start date
Check the official “In my area” or bin calendar result. You should receive advance information and your collection dates should show on the official calendar.
When your caddies arrive
Houses with their own bins receive an indoor kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor animal-proof caddy. Put the outdoor caddy next to other bins on collection day.
Flats and shared bins
Flats may have a shared food-waste bin in the bin store or a separate communal location where bin-store space is limited.
| Food-waste situation | What to do | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Service not started yet | Follow the existing guidance for your address and check the official calendar/start-date information. | Do not assume all Cambridge households start on the same week. |
| Service has started | Use the outdoor food caddy every week for food waste. | Stop putting ordinary food waste in the green bin once your weekly service starts. |
| Caddy delivery delayed | Check the official food-waste page and request-bin route if your service is active and caddy help is needed. | The official page notes caddy delivery can take longer than normal during rollout periods. |
| Lost or damaged outdoor caddy | Use the request-bin route after the service has started in your area. | The official food-waste page says replacement outdoor caddy delivery is arranged within 10 days. |
| Missed outdoor caddy at a house | Report it, but do not expect a return visit for a missed outdoor caddy. | If you run out of space, the official guidance gives black-bin or green-bin overflow options with conditions. |
| Missed shared food-waste bin at flats | Use the flats missed-bin form. | The official guidance says shared food-waste bins at flats will be returned to if missed. |
What goes in the food caddy?
Once your weekly food-waste collection starts, use this quick list before mixing packaging or liquids into the caddy.
Use the caddy for
- All uneaten food and plate scrapings.
- Raw, cooked and mouldy food.
- Fruit, vegetables and peelings.
- Meat, fish and bones.
- Dairy, cheese, eggs and eggshells.
- Bread, cakes, pastries, rice and pasta.
- Tea bags, coffee grounds and kitchen roll.
Keep out of the caddy
- Packaging of any kind.
- Compostable plates, cups or food-service packaging.
- Milk or other liquids.
- Oil or liquid fat.
- Anything that is not food waste.
- Overfilled liners that split or spill.
- Food waste hidden inside opaque bags if crews cannot see what is inside.
Missed bin collection: report at the right time
The missed-bin route has a strict timing window. Reporting too early or too late can waste time and leave the bin until the next scheduled collection.
Wait until 3:30pm on collection day
The official page says you can only report from 3:30pm because crews may still be running or collecting in a different order.
Check the reason first
Make sure the bin or sack was out by 6am, access was clear, the bin was correctly used, and no crew issue was recorded such as contamination, heavy bin, excessive waste or frozen contents.
Report by 3:30pm next weekday
If it was genuinely missed, report before the next weekday deadline. If accepted, crews aim to return within 3 working days after the scheduled collection.
Leave the bin out
If you report a genuine missed collection, leave the bin accessible. If an advice card was left, fix the problem and wait for the next scheduled collection.
Can I report it now?
Common Cambridge sorting mistakes
These are the mistakes most likely to cause a rejected bin, contamination or safety problem.
| Item or problem | Best route | Why it matters | Before collection day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batteries | Small tied bag on top of a wheelie-bin lid, or supermarket battery point. | Batteries can cause fires in lorries and waste sites. | Never put batteries inside any bin. |
| Mobile/laptop batteries | Household Recycling Centre or specialist route. | Do not treat larger device batteries like normal small household batteries. | Separate them before bin day. |
| Black bin bags in recycling | Avoid inside blue bin. | They hide contents and can be rejected as contamination. | Use loose recycling or transparent sacks where allowed. |
| Dirty packaging or food in blue bin | Clean before recycling or use the right waste route. | Food and liquids contaminate recycling. | Rinse containers and empty liquids. |
| Compostable plastic bags in green bin | Do not use in green bin. | They do not break down quickly enough and can lead to refusal. | Use paper or newspaper for green-bin food waste before caddy service starts. |
| Soil, stones, rubble, bricks | Household Recycling Centre / special route. | They can make bins too heavy and are not normal household bin waste. | Do not hide them under lighter waste. |
| Extra rubbish or garden waste beside bin | Use extra recycling guidance, extra green permit or recycling centre. | Extra rubbish or garden waste may not be collected. | Plan overflow before collection morning. |
| Bins too heavy or overfilled | Remove heavy items and close lids. | Heavy bins may trigger vehicle systems or be unsafe to move. | Check lid and weight the evening before. |
Flats, bin stores and managing agents
Flats are not always the same as houses. A shared bin store may have different access, contamination, bulky waste and food-caddy arrangements.
Shared bins
Use the correct shared bin and do not block access. If bins are overloaded or contaminated, crews may not empty them.
Not all flats have green bins
Official flats guidance says some flats do not have green bins. Follow the flats guidance and 2026 food-waste rollout instructions for your building.
Do not dump beside bins
Bulky or additional waste left outside allocated bins can be classed as fly-tipping and will not be collected.
Help putting bins out
Assisted collection is for residents who cannot put bins at the normal collection point because of disability or mobility issues and nobody else at the property can do it.
Use this when
- You have a disability or mobility problem.
- No other resident can put the bin out for you.
- There is a safe agreed collection point crews can reach.
- You can keep gates unlocked if needed.
Prepare before applying
- Your exact address and contact details.
- Why moving bins is difficult.
- Where the bins can be collected from.
- Any private road, gate or access issue.
- Eligibility evidence if requested.
Bulky waste, replacement bins and extra green bins
These are separate from your normal bin day. Check the official page before paying because fees, eligibility and item counts can change.
| Need | Official 2026 detail | What to check before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Standard bulky waste | Up to 3 items cost £40; items 4 to 9 are £6.50 each. Maximum 9 items per booking. | Large objects can count as multiple items, such as a 3-seater sofa counting as 3 items. |
| Hazardous electrical collection | £32.50 per item because collection and processing are separate. | Use the hazardous/electrical route, not the standard bulky route. |
| Bulky collection placement | Items should be ready by 6am at the edge of the property where it meets the public highway. | Crews cannot enter the property and will not take unbooked extras. |
| Replacement lost blue, green or black bin | Lost bin replacement is listed at £31.50 per bin. | If the bin was recorded as damaged or lost during emptying, it may be replaced free. |
| Additional blue bins | Up to four blue bins are allowed. Third and fourth bins cost £31.50 each; collection has no extra charge. | Extra recycling in a transparent sack may be enough if you do not need another bin. |
| Additional green-bin permit | £50 per bin per year for the 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026 permit year. | The permit is fixed-price for the permit year; there are no concessions or pro-rata discount. |
| Permit sticker | Sticker may take up to 14 days to arrive and must be visible on the bin. | Do not leave the extra green bin out before the sticker is displayed. |
| Food waste outdoor caddy | Replacement lost or damaged outdoor food caddy is free after collections have started in your area. | Indoor kitchen caddies are not replaced/provided as extra items through the same route. |
Bank holidays, Christmas and live alerts
Do not assume every bank holiday changes collection day. Cambridge has used different patterns depending on the holiday, and live alerts can temporarily change start times.
Easter 2026
For Easter 2026, the official notice says only Good Friday 3 April collections changed, moving four days early to Monday 30 March. Other Easter collection days stayed the same.
Christmas / New Year
The Christmas 2025 notice showed some collections moving early or late and green bins switching to monthly winter collections. Recheck the live calendar each December.
Heat or service alerts
If the official lookup shows an early-start alert, put bins out the night before. The live alert overrides your normal routine.
Abandoned bins and street problems
If a bin has been left out for many days, it may be a street-care issue rather than a collection-date issue.
Check with neighbours
Before reporting, check whether the bin belongs to a nearby property, especially on streets with flats or HMOs.
Take a photo
A photo can help identify the bin and location if a report is needed.
14-day rule
The official abandoned-bin page says a residential bin left out for 14 days or more after collection may be considered abandoned.
Official links after you know your task
Use these official pages for live lookup, final report submission, booking, payment, forms, PDFs or confirmation. The main rules are explained above so the page does not become only a list of outbound links.
Check collection dates
Use this for exact address dates, print view, calendar sync and live alerts.
Open bin-day lookupCheck bin contents
Use this before putting a confusing item in blue, black, green or food-waste collections.
Open recycling A-ZFood waste rollout
Use this for your caddy start date, delivery updates, caddy rules and official PDF leaflets.
Open food-waste pageReport missed bin
Use this only after the 3:30pm window opens and your bin meets the official criteria.
Open missed-bin pageFlats and shared bins
Use this for bin stores, communal bins, managing-agent issues and flats missed-bin reports.
Open flats guidanceBulky waste
Use this for furniture, white goods, hazardous electrical items, fees and booking.
Open bulky waste bookingCambridge bin collection FAQs
How do I check my Cambridge bin collection date for 2026?
Use the official Greater Cambridge bin-day lookup, enter your full postcode, choose your exact address, then save the black bin, blue bin, green bin and food-waste dates shown for your property.
Is CB1 or CB4 enough to know my bin day?
No. CB1 and CB4 are too broad for a reliable collection date. Use the full postcode and exact address in the official lookup.
Who handles bin collection in Cambridge City?
Greater Cambridge Shared Waste manages household waste and recycling services for Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council.
What does Cambridge South mean for bin collection?
It may mean southern Cambridge city streets or South Cambridgeshire. The official postcode lookup is the safest way to avoid choosing the wrong council area or schedule.
What time should bins be out in Cambridge?
Normally, bins should be out by 6am on collection day. If the official page shows an early-start alert, put bins out the night before and follow the alert.
When can I report a missed bin collection?
You can report a missed bin from 3:30pm on the collection day until 3:30pm the next weekday, provided the bin was correctly presented and no issue was recorded by the crew.
Will Greater Cambridge return for a missed food waste caddy?
For a house outdoor caddy, the official guidance says crews will not return to empty it, but reporting helps improve the service. For a missed shared food-waste bin at flats, use the flats missed-bin form because crews can return for those.
What goes in the blue bin in Cambridge?
The blue bin is for mixed recycling such as paper, cardboard, cartons, plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays, tins, cans, foil, aerosols and glass bottles or jars. Batteries must not go inside.
Do flats in Cambridge have the same collection rules as houses?
Not always. Flats may share bins in a bin store or outside bin area, and not all flats have green bins. Use the flats guidance and the exact address lookup.
How much does bulky waste collection cost in Cambridge?
Official Greater Cambridge guidance lists standard bulky collection at £40 for up to 3 items, then £6.50 per item from item 4 to item 9, with a maximum of 9 items per booking.
Final collection-night checklist
- Check the official postcode lookup for your exact address, not only CB1, CB4, Cambridge South or a nearby road.
- Confirm which stream is due: black bin, blue bin, green bin or food waste.
- Put bins out by 6am, or the night before if a live alert says collections are starting earlier.
- Keep lids closed, access clear and batteries separate.
- Use the 3:30pm missed-bin rule before reporting a genuine miss.
- For flats, report shared-bin problems through the flats route and contact the managing agent if bins were rejected for contamination, overload or blocked access.