We are rolling out new weekly food waste and fortnightly recycling and rubbish collections across Cornwall area by area. Find out about the changes.
The weekly kerbside household rubbish collection service is for domestic properties only. Businesses are not eligible to use this service and must set up a commercial waste collection service.
The following types of properties are also classed as businesses producing commercial waste and therefore should not put out waste for the household rubbish collection service:
- B&Bs, guest houses and hotels
- self-catering holiday lets
- private homes, annexes or caravans during any periods where they are being rented out to others as temporary holiday accommodation
Putting your rubbish out for collection
What you need to do:
- Put your rubbish out by 7am on your collection day
- Present your rubbish at your usual collection point - for most people, that's the boundary of their property nearest the road
- Present your rubbish in your new wheelie bin or protective sack if the new service has started in your area, with the lid closed
- Ensure all waste is contained within a rubbish bag or sack before placing it in your wheelie bin or protective sack
- Separate your food waste from your rubbish if the new service has started in your area
- Put only non-recyclable waste in your rubbish bin, recycle as much as you can using the coloured bags and box system
- Do not put any hazardous waste, batteries, electrical or electronic items in your rubbish bin
Find out when your collection day is
Broken glass and sharp objects
Our contractor's collection crews collect your rubbish by hand so please don't put anything into the bags that could cause them injury. Wrap broken glass securely, label it clearly as broken glass, and leave it next to your bags/bin. If the collection crew believes that your rubbish could cause them injury, they will not collect it.
Protecting your rubbish from animals and birds
It is every householder's responsibility to protect their own rubbish until it is collected.
We are currently rolling out a new food waste, recycling and rubbish collection service across Cornwall. We're giving every household a new bin or protective sack for their rubbish. This will help protect it from animals and birds, reduce street litter and Keep Cornwall Clean.
If the new service has not started in your area, please ensure your waste is protected by either presenting your rubbish bags in a traditional rubbish bin or wheelie bin, or cover your rubbish bags with a blanket, towel, carpet or tarpaulin.
Help with putting your rubbish out
We have an Assisted Collections service for householders who are unable to carry their rubbish to their collection point due to age, disability or medical condition and have no one else at home who can do it for them. This service is free of charge however you will need to confirm you meet the eligibility criteria to register.
Report a missed collection
If you think we've missed your rubbish and it was out for collection by 7.00 am on your scheduled day of collection, please visit our missed collection page to report this online.
How to dispose of other items
We can only collect normal household rubbish. Please see below how to dispose of other items using separate services. There may be a charge for some of these services.
If items are longer than 1m or over 25kg in weight or appear on our list of items we can't collect, you cannot put them into your normal household rubbish for collection. You can either book a Household Bulky Waste Collection or take it to one of our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs).
Please check the information on our Clinical Waste Bags and Sharps Bins page to see if you need to request a separate clinical waste collection.
- We can only collect clinical waste with your household rubbish if it is less than one third of a bag and is non-infectious; any other quantity or type of clinical waste must not be put into your normal household rubbish.
- Never place sharps (needles) in with your normal household rubbish. You must obtain a sharps bin from your pharmacist or healthcare provider and request a Clinical Waste Collection.
You have a few options for garden waste. You can:
- subscribe to our Garden Waste Collections service
- take it to one of our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs)
- compost garden waste at home
You must dispose of your hazardous waste safely. This includes things like:
- household batteries
- engine oil
- harmful chemicals
- liquid chemicals
- oils
- paints or thinners
We do not collect hazardous waste as part of your household rubbish collection. Our Household Waste and Recycling Centres accept some types of hazardous waste.
For further information please visit our Hazardous Waste page
- Please take WEEE to your local HWRC or book a Household Bulky Waste Collection
- Please take batteries to your local HWRC or a recycling point.
Further information on recycling WEEE and batteries can be found on our Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment including batteries page, as well as how to find other recycling points in shops and supermarkets in your local area.