What goes in my bin?

Find out what items you can and cannot place in your green, grey or brown bin.

Grey bin

Once you have separated your recyclables, place the remaining household waste in the grey bin, including cling film and polystyrene.

The more you recycle, the less you will have to place in the grey bin, which is large enough to hold four or five full (but not packed) black bags or similar. 

Do not pack or stuff waste into the grey bin so the lid won't close.

The bin is emptied mechanically into the lorry. If the bin is packed, the rubbish won't fall out, so bin collectors will return the bin to you unemptied.

The bin collectors will not collect any extra waste left beside your grey bin.

Unwanted items in your grey bin

Your grey bin will not be collected if it contains the following items:

You may have concerns about the health and hygiene of the grey rubbish bin that will be collected fortnightly. However, there will be a little smell and no risk to public health if you:

  • double wrap food scraps and remains in plastic bags, 
  • double wrap nappies
  • store the bin out of direct sunlight

We need a larger bin

You may be eligible for a larger bin if there are one of the following:

  • six or more permanent residents in your household
  • a member of your household has a medical condition that results in the creation of additional waste

Please get in touch with us to discuss your eligibility for a larger bin.

What goes in my green bin

You should place your recyclables loosely in your green bin - not in bags.

See the Recycle for Norfolk website for further information about recycling.

Image showing what can be recycled, described in text following this image

  • food and drink cans, both aluminium and steel
  • glass - all bottles and jars
  • aluminium foil and trays, including takeaway and ready meal containers
  • plastic pots, yoghurt pots, containers for gravies and fresh sauces
  • plastic food tubs and trays, including margarine tubs and meat and vegetable trays
  • empty aerosol cans
  • plastic bottles, such as milk, drinks, bleach, shampoo
  • paper, including envelopes (including windowed), shredded paper and cardboard
  • food and drink cartons, including milk, juice, smoothie and soup containers - bottle tops can be left on

Unwanted items in your green bin  

The following things cannot go in your green bin:

  • blister packs
  • nappies
  • plastic and metal paint pots
  • plastic plant pots
  • soft plastic - polystyrene, bubble wrap, plastic sheets, carrier bags
  • sweets and crisp wrappers
  • textiles - clothing, carpet and shoes
  • toys
  • video tapes, CD’S and DVD’s
  • washing up bowls, cutlery and drainer trays
  • wood

Image showing what cannot be recycled, described in text preceding this image

What goes in my brown bin

Things that can go in your brown bin include:

  • grass cuttings, weeds, leaves
  • flowers, plants, vegetable tops
  • hedge clippings, twigs, bark
  • small branches
  • Christmas trees
  • shredded paper

Currently, you cannot dispose of kitchen waste, such as vegetable peelings and food waste, or animal bedding in your brown bin.  

We will not collect any additional garden waste placed alongside the brown bin. 

Please be careful not to fill the bin, so it is too heavy to move.