Rubbish
Grey-lidded rubbish wheelie bin
All councils
Birmingham bin collection dates
- Add your dates to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar
- Get an email the evening before
- Print an A4 sheet for the fridge
Bins in Birmingham
These are the containers used in Birmingham. Which ones a home has depends on its address.
Household Collection
Recycling
Recycling wheelie bin which has a blue lid
Food
Container details
The container pictures and words are Birmingham City Council's own. This may not be every container it uses.
Greyed-out bin icons are placeholders where the container type or colour is not confirmed.
- Rubbish: Homes suitable for wheelie bins
- Recycling: Most households, those with one recycling wheelie bin
- Your rubbish bin
- Your recycling bin | About your recycling and rubbish bins | Birmingham City Council
Container descriptions checked 18 September 2026; list of collections built from Birmingham City Council's own service names 22 September 2026.
Order, book and apply
- Your recycling binBirmingham City Council
- When and where to put your bins outBirmingham City Council
- Garden waste collectionsBirmingham City Council
- Get rid of a bulky itemBirmingham City Council
- Recycling centres and tipsBirmingham City Council
- Get help putting your bins outBirmingham City Council
Links checked 17 September 2026.
Missed bin or a problem
Tell Birmingham City Council first - it can only fix what it knows about.
- Report a missed binA bin that wasn't emptied on the day.
- Make a complaint to Birmingham City CouncilIf reporting it didn't fix it.
Complaint didn't work either? Ask your councillors
If you've already reported the problem and used the council's complaints process, your metropolitan district councillors can take up a repeated problem or a wider service failure. Find and write to my metropolitan district councillors on Birmingham City Council.
WriteToThem is an independent mySociety service. You'll enter your postcode there before choosing who to contact.
Complaint routes verified 6 September 2026.
How Birmingham compares
- Recycled or composted
- 20%of household waste, 2024 to 2025
- Rubbish not recycled
- 666 kgper household a year
- Cost of collections
- £98per household a year. Similar councils: £74
- Value for money
- 1 out of 10 Limited confidence. An independently constructed WhenIsBins rating, not an official government rating.
Official figures for England, 2024 to 2025.
Local bins and recycling news
AI-generated summary, reviewed before publication. Checked 18 September 2026.
Birmingham’s council leader said on 4 September 2026 that a proposal to end the long-running bin strike could be signed off in late September or early October. Roger Harmer said checks, cabinet approval and Unite’s approval were still needed before there was a deal.
Separately, a summer trial in parts of north Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield introduced new containers alongside plans for fortnightly rubbish and recycling collections and weekly food-waste pickups. Residents raised concerns about storage space and confusing delivery arrangements. The council said it was adjusting the pilot after receiving feedback from residents.