Bins, recycling and street cleaning

The vast majority of our residents make sure their waste is disposed of responsibly, but fly tipping is still something we have to deal with. To make sure your waste doesn't end up being disposed of illegally, follow the advice in our tripping up the tippers campaign and on our Fly-tipping page. You could get a fine of up to £5,000 if your waste is found fly tipped.

Residents are also asked not to burn waste at home as this creates air pollution and causes a nuisance to your neighbours. Fires can quickly get out of control and the fire service is reporting an increase in call outs.

In West Suffolk, we recycled 35.9 per cent in 2022-23. Recycling for both residents and businesses is easy with our kerbside collections and 174 bring sites. To find out more about what you can recycle as part of our blue bin recycling collections why not take a look at our together we can get our recycling right leaflet? For more tips on reducing, reusing and recycling, the Suffolk Waste Partnership website Suffolk Recycles is packed with offers, tips and ideas.

Reduce waste

We’re asking residents to help cut down on the amount of waste they produce by:

• getting crafty - think of all the fun you can have reusing packaging to make junk models with your kids! Here's a few ideas for starters!
• getting your recycling right by only putting the right items in your recycling bin
• reducing food waste by following our #foodsavvy tips
• Suffolk recycling centres have reopened. You will need to book a time slot online to deposit waste at your local recycling centre. Please do not go to a recycling centre without a booking
• start composting at home by taking advantage of our great subsidised offers on our Suffolk Recycles - Home composting webpages

Garden Waste Collection Service

You can now sign up for the service that runs from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2026.

• For more information, visit our Garden waste collection page.
• You can check your garden waste bin collection day visiting Find my nearest.

Simpler Recycling

From 2026, every council in England will start to collect a core set of materials, this scheme is called ‘Simpler Recycling’. This means that more materials will be collected at the kerbside in your household bins, which aims to create a more environmentally conscious society where more items can be recycled and reused. For more information visit Suffolk Recycles - Simpler Recycling.

Dog waste and litter bins

Litter bins may also be used for dog waste. If no bin is available, please take your litter and waste home and place it in your black bin.

Bins for all new properties and annexes must be paid for

If you build the property yourself the charge is £34.50 per 240 litre bin. You can only purchase one black and one blue 240 litre bin. You can call Customer Services on 01284 757320 or email customer.services@westsuffolk.gov.uk and one of our advisors will be able to help you.

If you move into a house which has been built by a developer, please speak to their site office about the supply of bins.

If you are a developer, you are responsible for the supply of bins. The charge is £41.80+VAT per 240 litre bin. You should contact waste.support@westsuffolk.gov.uk to discuss further. Please note, only developers should use this email address.

Waste guide

The waste guide has been created for residents who would like a concise document about how to deal with unwanted items that are no longer needed. Landlords, housing associations and estate agents are strongly encouraged to include this document in their 'Residents welcome pack'. The document is designed to work both electronically and on paper too, so can be sent by email or printed out depending on the requirements. It meets the accessibility criteria to reach as many people as possible.

It includes information about:

• bring banks
• bulky waste collection service
• charity shops and recycling centres
• garden waste collection service
• presentation and storage of wheeled refuse bins
• recycling and general waste bins
• volunteering opportunities
• waste reduction campaigns

Help us to help you manage your waste

• on collection day place your bins at their collection point with the lid shut
• put your house number or name and street name on your bin, this helps to ensure that bins are not missed by our crews
• remember to put your bins out by 6.15am on collection day
• rinse and squash your cans and plastic bottles to save more room in your recycling bin
• store your bins on your own property on non-collection days
• take your bins back onto your property as soon as possible after collection
• waste should only be contained in your bins. Any additional waste needs to be in our WSC branded sacks or taken to a recycling centre

Please check the website for the latest updates on collections as these can be subject to updates.