We are rolling out new weekly food waste and fortnightly recycling and rubbish collections across Cornwall area by area. If you live in the final rollout area, Mid West Cornwall, the new service will start in March 2025.
Here's an overview of how household rubbish, food waste, recycling, garden, bulky and clinical waste collection services work in Cornwall:
Waste Collections
If the new service has started in your area, we will collect your food waste weekly, your recycling and household rubbish fortnightly (on alternating weeks), and your garden waste fortnightly if you subscribe to our garden waste collection service.
If you live in Mid West Cornwall and the new service has not started in your area yet, we collect your household rubbish weekly, your recycling fortnightly and your garden waste fortnightly (if you have a subscription).
Collections usually take place from the boundary of your property. Collections start as early as 7am so please make sure that you put your food waste, recycling, rubbish and garden waste out before 7am on your collection days.
Rubbish Bins
If the new service has started in your area, we have provided you with either a wheelie bin or protective sack for your rubbish. Please ensure that all rubbish is contained within rubbish bags or sacks before placing into your wheelie bin or protective sack.
If you live in Mid West Cornwall and the new service has not started in your area yet, we have not provided households with containers for rubbish. You may have recieved your new containers already but please do not use these until we are ready to start the new service in your area. Until then, you can put your rubbish bags out in your own bin if you have one or in rubbish bags at your collection point. Please ensure that your bags are protected against seagulls and pests by using an old sheet or similar item to cover them.
Food Waste
If the new service has started in your area, we have provided you with a silver indoor food waste caddy and a green outdoor food waste caddy. We collect your food waste every week from the boundary of your property from the green caddy. If you want to line you caddies, you can do so with a compostable liner, however, you do not need to line them if you to not want to.
Find out how to use your food waste service
Recycling
We collect your recycling using three reusable bags and a recycling box. An orange bag for cardboard, blue bag for paper, red bag for plastic and metal packaging and a black box for glass and textiles.
If you live in a flat and share bins with your neighbours, this may be different for you. Please check with your property management organisation or caretaker for information about your recycling containers.
Find out what goes in each recycling containerOrder recycling bags and boxesOther services
Assisted collections
We offer an assisted collection service for people who can't put their rubbish and recycling out themselves.
Find out more about assisted collections
Garden waste
We provide a chargeable garden waste collection service to collect domestic garden waste every fortnight from your property.
Find out more or subscribe to our garden waste collections
Clinical waste
We provide a clinical waste collection service that is separate to your household rubbish collection service.
Find out more about organising a clinical waste collection
Bulky waste
We provide a chargeable bulky waste collection service for items that are too big for normal household rubbish and recycling collections.
Find out more about the bulky waste serviceFurther information
We have produced a helpful guide to all the services we offer.