Household Refuse Collections

What can I put in my bin or rubbish bags?

We only collect normal household refuse. This includes things like kitchen waste, cardboard and plastic. However should you have a bulkier item, firstly see if it can fit into your bin. If not, the item must fit into a suitable waste bag, tied up securely and presented neatly beside your bin for collection.

Your household waste should be put into suitable waste bags, securely tied and put in your bin. If your bin is full, we will collect two extra bin bags. Please make sure your bin bags are securely tied and put them next to your bin ready for collection.

What about the things I can't put in my rubbish bins?

If you need to throw away bulky items like fridges, furniture and mattresses, we will collect them for free. We cannot collect bulky items on our normal collection rounds. Find out about our bulky waste collection service.

Cut down on your refuse by recycling! 

You can help us cut down the amount of waste we put in landfill sites by recycling. Southwark now offer a range of schemes to make recycling easier than ever before. Find out how to recycle.

Household refuse collection service

What you can expect from your household refuse collection service

• Your collection will be done on the same day each week
• The contents of your bin and any extra household refuse will be collected
• Our refuse collectors will put your bin back within the boundary of your property after emptying it
• Our refuse collectors will make every effort to avoid dropping refuse as they collect it
• Our refuse collectors will be polite and helpful
• Every effort will be made to empty your bin without damaging it but if it is damaged, we'll replace it for free

Check household refuse collection days

Find out your collection day using the street service search.

Please note that there may be more than one collection day for your household, in which case the street will come up more than once. Different sections of some roads may be collected from on different days, especially longer roads in the borough such as Old Kent Road. Please be sure to read the information carefully. 

If you have problems using the street service search, please call 020 7525 2000, or email environment@southwark.gov.uk.

Missed collections

We collect household refuse from Monday to Saturday, between 6am and 6pm. If you think your bin has been missed out, please report your missed collection online or call us on 020 7525 2000.

You can make sure your refuse is collected by

• Putting your refuse into your bin the night before your collection
• Putting your bin where the collectors will see it and be able to get to it
• Putting only normal household refuse in the bin. Bin bags with other refuse in will not be emptied into the refuse collection vehicle

Assisted refuse collections

If you are required to move your refuse bin or bags out for collection but a physical problem prevents you from doing this, please contact us on 020 7525 2000 or email environment@southwark.gov.uk.

An officer will contact you to arrange a meeting at your home to set up a system so that you won't be required to move your refuse.

Bin bags

Residents who live on certain housing estates in Southwark do not have wheelie bins because there is not enough space to store them. Your area housing office has arranged for some estates to have a bin bag collection made available. We will collect the bin bags of residents living on estates where this service is on offer. If you live on an estate that has this collection service and you would like some bin bags, please call your area housing office.

If you don't live on one of these estates but you don't have a wheelie bin, we may still collect your bin bags. In this case, we do not provide bin bags. To find out if we can collect bin bags from you, please call your area housing office. If you have arranged with your area housing office to receive bin bags, we will deliver them to you.

How often are the bin bags delivered and how many do we get?

We deliver bin bags four times a year. How many bin bags you get depends on how many have been allocated per property by your area housing office.

Who should we call if a delivery is missed?

Please call us on 020 7525 2000, 24 hours a day, or email environment@southwark.gov.uk.

Identity fraud

Please be aware that to protect yourself from identity fraud you should not throw away or recycle entire bills, receipts, credit or debit card slips, bank statements or even unwanted post in your name. Destroy unwanted documents, preferably by using a shredder or deleting your name, before placing them out for recycling. If you are taking part in Southwark Council's 'Tag It To Bag It' competition, please note that you do not need to put your name on your tag, only your address. Here you can find more information on identity fraud.

Contact us

To find out more about household refuse collections, or to make a complaint about the noise made by the refuse collectors or refuse spillage made during a collection, please contact us.

Waste management team
Tel: 020 7525 2000
environment@southwark.gov.uk 
Manor Place Depot
30-34 Penrose Street
London
SE17 3DW