Croydon Bin Collection Dates 2026: Check Day & Calendar
Croydon bin collection dates in 2026 depend on the exact property rather than the neighbourhood alone. This practical guide explains how to find the correct general-rubbish, blue-lid paper, grey or green-lid mixed-recycling, weekly food-waste and paid garden-waste dates; what each container accepts; when a missed collection can be reported; what replacement bins and bulky collections cost; and which Croydon recycling centre best fits the trip. Most resident questions are answered here, leaving the council website only for the final live address check, report, order or payment.
How to check your Croydon bin collection day
Open Croydon’s address search, enter the full postcode and select the exact house or flat. Save every date shown because rubbish, paper/card, mixed recycling, food and garden waste do not necessarily arrive together.
Do not copy a neighbour’s date without checking. Converted flats, purpose-built blocks, estates and flats above shops can use different rounds or collection points.
What is collected each week in Croydon?
Individual houses normally receive fortnightly general waste, alternate-week dry recycling and weekly food-waste collection. The exact sequence comes from the property lookup.
| Stream | Frequency | Presentation | Main rejection risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| General rubbish | Fortnightly | Tied black sacks inside the bin; lid closed. | Food, recycling, electricals, garden or DIY waste. |
| Paper/card | Fortnightly | Keep dry inside the blue-lid container. | Food-soiled, foil-lined or plastic-coated card. |
| Mixed containers | Fortnightly | Rinse containers, remove lids, squash bottles. | Film, bags, crisp packets, Pyrex or mirrors. |
| Food waste | Weekly | Locked outside caddy before 6am. | Ordinary plastic bags and packaging. |
Bank holidays: never assume the normal weekday remains unchanged. Recheck the downloadable address calendar around Easter, Christmas and New Year.
Check Croydon collection dates step by step
Open the live address checker
Use the council service rather than an old screenshot or shared calendar.
Open Croydon collection searchEnter the complete postcode
Select the exact property, including the correct flat or house number.
Read every stream separately
Save rubbish, paper/card, mixed recycling, food and garden dates individually.
Download the latest calendar
Keep the property-specific calendar where everyone in the household can see it.
Check special property instructions
Communal flats and shops can use different bins, points or times.
Put containers out before 6am
Keep them visible, accessible and at the property boundary.
Save a Croydon bin reminder
Enter one council-confirmed date. The tool stores it in this browser and projects planning dates; always recheck bank-holiday changes.
Build my reminder
My planning board
No date saved. Check the official address result first.
Planning aid only, not an official calendar.
What goes in each Croydon bin?
Croydon separates paper/card from glass, cans, cartons and rigid plastics. Keeping those streams apart avoids many rejected collections.
Blue-lid paper/card
- Paper, newspapers and magazines
- Card and flattened cardboard
- Envelopes and junk mail
- Shredded paper inside a paper bag
- Wrapping paper without foil
Keep out: cartons, receipts, foil-lined card, plastic-coated card and food-soiled boxes.
Grey/green-lid recycling
- Glass bottles and jars
- Tins, cans, aerosols and foil
- Plastic bottles, trays, pots and tubs
- Milk, soup, sauce and drink cartons
Keep out: drinking glasses, Pyrex, mirrors, bags, film, pouches and toothpaste tubes.
General rubbish
- Non-recyclable household waste
- Cold bagged ash
- Food-soiled card
- Plastic film, polystyrene and nappies
Keep out: food, recycling, batteries, electricals, garden, DIY and hazardous waste.
Food caddy
- Meat, fish and bones
- Fruit, vegetables and peelings
- Bread, pasta, rice and dairy
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
Keep out: packaging, ordinary plastic bags, oil and large amounts of liquid.
Batteries and textiles: household batteries go in an untied plastic bag and clean dry textiles or paired shoes in a tied bag, placed beside or on top of the recycling containers.
Which Croydon service should I use?
Result: Select an item.
Fast rule
- Dry paper/card: blue-lid stream.
- Rinsed containers: grey/green-lid stream.
- Food: weekly caddy.
- Electrical, DIY, bulky or hazardous: separate service.
Wait, correct the problem or report it?
Reporting starts at 10pm on the due date and closes after two working days. Different crews can collect different streams, so do not report early.
| Situation | Meaning | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Before 10pm | Another crew may still attend. | Leave the correct container outside. |
| Wrong date | Holiday or property calendar differs. | Use the exact-address result. |
| Late, hidden or blocked | Presentation/access issue. | Correct it for the next round. |
| Rubbish genuinely missed | Report within the window. | Croydon aims to collect by the end of the following weekend. |
| Recycling or food missed | Report within the window. | Accepted reports are normally rescheduled for the next working day. |
| Garden bin missed | Use the paid-service report route. | Accepted errors are stated to be rescheduled within 48 hours. |
Croydon replacement-bin fees
Croydon charges for many replacement containers. The address system only offers the type suitable for the property.
| Container | Published fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 55L paper/card box | £8.30 | For properties offered boxes. |
| 55L mixed-recycling box | £8.30 | For glass, plastic and cans. |
| 180L general rubbish bin | £40.40 | Larger bins require eligibility. |
| 240L paper/card bin | £34.20 | Where suitable for the property. |
| 240L mixed-recycling bin | £34.20 | Keep paper/card separate. |
| Food caddies | Free | Subject to stock and delivery. |
Larger rubbish bin
Households with five or more residents, or medical waste needs, can request assessment by calling 020 8726 6000.
No recycling bin
Temporarily separate paper/card and container recycling into different untied carrier bags.
No food caddy
Food can temporarily go in tied bags with general rubbish.
Croydon garden-waste price and rules
The optional service costs £90.10 a year and empties a registered brown bin every two weeks. It is for households with individual bins, not shared communal-bin properties.
Accepted
Grass, leaves, flowers, weeds, hedge trimmings, twigs and suitable small branches.
Not accepted
Soil, rubble, food, plastic pots, bags, large trunks, treated wood or side waste.
Collection pattern
Every two weeks; the day can differ from rubbish and recycling.
Alternative
Home composting or a household recycling centre may suit occasional users.
Croydon bulky-waste price and booking rules
The service takes up to six booked household items that no more than two workers can safely handle.
| Booking | Price/rule | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 items | £40.40 | List every item. |
| 4–6 items | £65.30 | Six is the maximum. |
| Bagged/boxed material | Each bag or box counts as one item. | Secure it and keep it safely liftable. |
| Collection problem | Report after 10pm within two working days. | Use the order link or call 020 8726 6200. |
Different property arrangements
Purpose-built flats
General waste may be weekly or fortnightly; recycling and food can be weekly. Follow communal labels.
Flats above shops
Night collections generally operate from 8pm to 5am and recycling arrangements can differ.
Assisted collection
Available where no household member can move bins. Containers must be visible; no keys, codes or fobs.
Shared blocks
Assisted collection is not provided; contact the managing agent, caretaker or cleaner.
Factory Lane, Fishers Farm and Purley Oaks
Choose by location, hours and access route. Gates may close early enough to clear queues before closing time.
Factory Lane, CR0 3RL
- Mon–Sat: 7:30am–4:30pm
- Sun: 8:30am–4pm
- Pedestrian access available
- Approach from the south via Roman Way/A236
| Centre | Hours | Travel note |
|---|---|---|
| Factory Lane, CR0 3RL | Mon–Sat 7:30am–4:30pm; Sun 8:30am–4pm | Approach via Roman Way. |
| Fishers Farm, CR0 0LB | Mon–Fri 8am–4pm; Sat 9am–2pm; Sun 9am–1pm | North Downs Road, New Addington. |
| Purley Oaks, CR8 2BG | Daily 8am–3:30pm | Queue from Brighton Road north of the site. |
Clinical, sharps, electrical and fly-tipping routes
Sharps boxes
Request collection when full to the line. Leave visible from 6am on the notified date.
Hazardous clinical waste
Arrange through the GP or healthcare provider. Croydon directly collects sharps boxes only.
Hygiene waste
Nappies, pads and non-infectious hygiene waste go in a black sack inside general rubbish.
Electricals
Use retailer take-back or a household reuse and recycling centre, never a normal bin.
See the recycling system in action
Waste and recycling changes in Croydon
This visual overview explains the split between paper/card, mixed containers, food waste and general rubbish. Use current written rules and the 2026 address calendar for final details.
Croydon situations that often cause confusion
Thornton Heath and Norbury
Parked vehicles can hide bins, so keep them visible without blocking pedestrians.
Purley, Coulsdon and Kenley
Private roads and converted properties can differ from nearby houses.
New Addington
Fishers Farm may be closest, but weekend hours are shorter.
Boundary roads
Confirm the property is actually in Croydon rather than a neighbouring borough.
Communal stores
Flatten cardboard and never block access doors or fire routes.
Repeated misses
Save dates, photos and report references before escalating a complaint.
Live Croydon waste links
Checked 27 June 2026: exact dates, fees, delays and opening hours can change. Use the official service only for the final live action.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my Croydon bin collection date?
Use the council address checker, enter the full postcode and select the exact property. Save each waste-stream date separately.
What time should bins go out?
Before 6am, visible at the property edge where it meets the public highway.
How often is general rubbish collected?
Individual houses normally receive fortnightly general-waste collection; flats can differ.
Which bin takes paper and cardboard?
The blue-lid wheeled bin or paper/card box.
Which bin takes glass, plastic, cans and cartons?
The grey or green-lid mixed-recycling bin or box.
When can I report a missed bin?
From 10pm on the due date and within two working days.
How much are replacement bins?
Published charges are £8.30 for a 55L box, £34.20 for a 240L recycling bin and £40.40 for a 180L rubbish bin. Food caddies are free.
How much is garden waste?
£90.10 a year for fortnightly collections.
How much is bulky collection?
£40.40 for one to three items and £65.30 for four to six.
What are the recycling-centre hours?
Factory Lane, Fishers Farm and Purley Oaks have different hours; check the comparison above and live site before travel.