Missed bins
Missed bins lookup tool
You can check why we were unable to empty your bin using our lookup tool – just enter your postcode in the search box.
Why your bin may not have been collected
Sometimes bins aren’t collected for reasons beyond our control, such as:
- Blocked access: Roadworks, parked vehicles or bad weather can prevent our trucks from getting through. In those cases we’ll usually try again later the same day or in the following days. There’s no need to report it immediately unless your bin hasn’t been collected after that.
- Vehicle breakdowns: Occasionally, collection may be delayed due to mechanical issues.
- Human error: Our crews collect over 1,000 bins a day, and very occasionally a bin may be missed by mistake.
Sometimes, bins aren’t collected because your bin might be:
- Contaminated: That means your bin has the wrong items on it.
- Too heavy for our worker and lorry system to handle it.
- Broken: The bin is too damaged for our lorry system to handle it. In this case, you need to request a new bin.
- With the lid not fully closed: That means that our workers won’t be able to handle it as it’s a health issue for them.
- The wrong one out: If by mistake you put a wrong bin out, we can’t collect that. And if you bought a bin any place that is not from us, it won’t be collected.
- Unapproved additional black bin: Unless you are authorised to have an additional black bin, you can only have one black bin.
What to check before reporting
- Was your bin out by 6:30am? Crews start early, and bins must be presented on time.
- Is it after 4pm? Your bin may still be due for collection if it’s earlier in the day.
- Is it the correct collection day and bin type? Use our bin day look-up tool to double-check.
- Do you use assisted collections? Make sure the bin was accessible from 6:30am.
Does your bin have a warning tag on it? If so, it may have not been collected due to one of the issues mentioned in the tag like: contamination, too heavy, broken, lid not fully closed, wrong bin out, unapproved additional black bin.
Unfortunately, we can’t return to empty bins that were missed for any of these reasons, as all crews and vehicles are fully allocated.
If you have extra waste, you can take it to the Raynesway household waste and recycling centre.
How to report a missed bin
If you’ve checked everything above and still think your bin was missed, you can report a missed bin online.
We aim to return within two working days, usually between Tuesday and Friday.