Enter your postcode to find your bin day and waste collection dates for all bin types in Belfast City Council.
About bin collections in Belfast City Council
Belfast City Council collects four separate bin streams on a fortnightly rota from around 140,000 households across the city. Collections are operated directly by the council — collection days vary by street, so enter your postcode below to find your exact schedule. Full service information is at belfastcity.gov.uk/bins.
The blue bin is collected fortnightly for mixed dry recycling: paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and rigid containers, metal cans, aerosols, and food and drink cartons — all clean and loose (not in plastic bags). The purple box is for glass bottles and jars only — rinsed and with lids removed — collected fortnightly. The brown bin collects food and garden waste together fortnightly: grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, and all cooked and uncooked food scraps; line the bin with compostable bags or newspaper. The black bin is for non-recyclable household waste — anything that cannot go in the other three containers — collected fortnightly.
Collections alternate in two-week cycles: the blue recycling bin is collected one fortnight, then the purple glass box, brown compost bin and black bin are all collected the following fortnight. If your bin is missed, report it by calling 028 9027 0230 or emailing wastecollections@belfastcity.gov.uk within 24 hours. Bank holiday collections may be rescheduled — revised dates are published at belfastcity.gov.uk/bins.
Belfast's Household Waste Recycling Centre is at Dargan Road Recycling Centre, Belfast, BT3 9JU. It accepts bulky waste, electricals, paint, garden waste, textiles and more. Visit belfastcity.gov.uk for opening hours.
Popular postcodes in Belfast City Council
Select a postcode below to go straight to your bin collection schedule.
Non-recyclable household waste — anything that cannot go in the blue, purple or brown bins. Collected fortnightly.
Recycling
Blue bin (240L)
Accepts
Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and rigid containers, metal cans, aerosols, and food and drink cartons. Clean and loose — not in plastic bags. Collected fortnightly.
Glass
Purple box (glass)
Accepts
Glass bottles and jars of all colours — rinsed and with lids removed. No window glass, Pyrex or ceramics. Collected fortnightly.
Garden Waste
Brown bin (food and garden, 240L)
Accepts
Grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, plants, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, and all cooked and uncooked food scraps. Line with compostable bags or newspaper. Collected fortnightly.
Useful information for Belfast City Council
Missed collection
Report within 24 hours by calling 028 9027 0230 or emailing wastecollections@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Bank holidays
Collections may be rescheduled on bank holidays. Revised dates are published at belfastcity.gov.uk/bins.
Recycling centre (HWRC)
Dargan Road Recycling Centre, Belfast, BT3 9JU. Accepts bulky waste, electricals, paint, garden waste, textiles and more. See belfastcity.gov.uk/bins for opening hours.
Select your area below to browse postcodes, or enter your postcode directly in the search above.
BT1Belfast City Centre
BT2Belfast South (part)
BT4East Belfast
BT5Castlereagh
BT6Ormeau & Ravenhill
BT7South Belfast
BT8Castlereagh South
BT9Malone & Stranmillis
BT10Finaghy
BT11West Belfast
BT12Falls & Shankill
BT13North Belfast (part)
BT14Ballysillan & Ardoyne
BT15North Belfast
BT17Dunmurry (part)
All Belfast City Council postcodes are supported. Enter yours above to find your bin day and waste collection dates for all bin types — WhenBin always fetches live data directly from the council website, so you get the most up-to-date schedule.
Frequently asked questions — Belfast City Council bin collections
Belfast City Council collects the following bin types: General Waste, Recycling, Glass, Garden Waste. Collection frequency: All four collections fortnightly. Blue (recycling) alternates with purple box (glass), brown (food/garden) and black (general) on a two-week cycle..
Black bin (240L). Accepts: Non-recyclable household waste — anything that cannot go in the blue, purple or brown bins. Collected fortnightly.
Blue bin (240L). Accepts: Paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and rigid containers, metal cans, aerosols, and food and drink cartons. Clean and loose — not in plastic bags. Collected fortnightly.
Purple box (glass). Accepts: Glass bottles and jars of all colours — rinsed and with lids removed. No window glass, Pyrex or ceramics. Collected fortnightly.
Brown bin (food and garden, 240L). Accepts: Grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, plants, fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, and all cooked and uncooked food scraps. Line with compostable bags or newspaper. Collected fortnightly.
Report within 24 hours by calling 028 9027 0230 or emailing wastecollections@belfastcity.gov.uk.
Collections may be rescheduled on bank holidays. Revised dates are published at belfastcity.gov.uk/bins.
Dargan Road Recycling Centre, Belfast, BT3 9JU. Accepts bulky waste, electricals, paint, garden waste, textiles and more. See belfastcity.gov.uk/bins for opening hours.
Collection frequency in Belfast City Council: All four collections fortnightly. Blue (recycling) alternates with purple box (glass), brown (food/garden) and black (general) on a two-week cycle.. Exact dates vary by address — enter your postcode on this page to see your personal bin day schedule.
Yes. WhenBin lets you look up your bin day for any Belfast City Council address instantly — just enter your postcode above. Data is fetched live from the council, so your collection dates are always up to date.