Household recycling and bin collections

Every household has regular collections for recycling and general rubbish. To find out what night your collection is, and what materials to put out each week, simply enter your house name or postcode below, and then select your address from the list that will appear.

If you are experiencing issues with the search, please click here

Missed collection? If your waste and/or recycling hasn't been collected please contact your Parish Constables directly. They can be contacted at www.gov.gg/parishes. Alternatively, all items, including general refuse (i.e. black bags) can be taken to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue, for opening times go to www.gov.gg/wasteopeningtimes.

COVID-19: For the most up to date information including how to dispose of LFTS, face coverings, and what to do with your waste if you test positive, please go to https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/household-waste

• What colour bag is being collected this week?

  • The recycling icon at the top of every page in this website will show you which colour bag to put out for collection. To find out what night to put out your materials as well as which colour bags, use the address look up feature on this page.

• Which materials are collected kerbside?

  • Food waste - in the sealable, kerbside caddy provided. 
  • Clear Bag - Paper and cardboard
  • Blue Bag - Tins and cans; plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays; foil; and milk and juice cartons
  • Glass bag (reusable) - bottle and jars, any colour.  No Pyrex dishes or drinking glasses, but those items can be taken to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue.
  • General refuse - black bags etc.

• Is there a limit on how many bags of rubbish I can put out?

  • No. You can put out as many as you wish, provided each one has the appropriate payment sticker and it is the correct night for your collection. Please ensure all bags are tied securely.

• Does it matter what colour bag I use for general rubbish?

  • No. You can use any colour bag, provided it is a proper, suitable waste bag. 
  • However, black bags tend to be 90 litres in size, so if you use a 50 litre black sack it may be more difficult for the collection team to identify that it has the correct sticker on - and therefore more chance of a missed collections. We'd therefore recommend using black bags for 90 litre containers and white for other sizes - but other colours are acceptable. 

• Where can I get recycling bags?

  • Rolls of blue bags, clear bags, and food waste caddy liners are available, free of charge, from most local supermarkets. Just ask at the tills or customer service desk for a new roll. Vouchers are no longer required. 

• Where can I get replacement caddies and glass bags? 

  • Caddies and glass bags are available to collect from the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue, the Green Waste Site at Chouet (for opening times go to www.gov.gg/wasteopeningtimes)  or from your Parish Constables Office (for opening times go to www.gov.gg/parishes).

• Can I purchase payment stickers online? 

  • Yes, the stickers are available to order online in packs of four through Guernsey Post and Manor Farm Foods. Please go to the Guernsey Post or Manor Farm Foods websites for more information.

• What can't go in the kerbside recycling containers?

  • General household waste must still be put out in black bags or dustbins. Any items contaminated with food (e.g. chip papers, take-away pizza boxes) should also not be included with your recycling.

• What happens after my recycling is collected?

  • Blue and clear bags are taken to a local sorting facility where they are opened and the contents sorted into different materials. These are then baled, exported, and processed ready to be used to manufacture new products.
  • Food waste and glass are taken to the Waste Transfer Station at Longue Hougue, where it is pre-processed ready for export. Glass is recycled, to produce new glass products. Food waste is processed in the UK, to produce electricity and compost. 

• What if my recycling or waste is not taken away?

  • We have to ensure everything we collect can be processed efficiently. So if you put out the wrong coloured bag on the wrong week, or with the wrong materials in, then your bin man may not take it. If it is left, there will be an explanatory sticker affixed to your bag. Please take your recycling back in and  re-sort the materials ready for your next collection.
  • Alternatively, all items, including general refuse (i.e. black bags) can be taken to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue, for opening times go to www.gov.gg/wasteopeningtimes. 
  • If you think the bag has simply been missed, please contact your parish constables office. They can be contacted at www.gov.gg/parishes.

• I don't have space for lots of bins, so how can I recycle?

  • The kerbside service should make recycling easier and more convenient, but we appreciate it is more difficult for some islanders. If you can't do everything, just recycling some items can help to make a difference. For advice on how to start, please contact us. 

• What if I forget to put my recycling out?

  • Either keep it until the next blue or clear bag collection or glass collection, or alternatively all items, including general refuse (i.e. black bags) can be taken to the Household Waste & Recycling Centre at Longue Hougue, for opening times go to www.gov.gg/wasteopeningtimes. 

• Is there a limit on how many recycling bags I can put out?

  • No. You can put out as many as you need, provided materials are put out in the right bag on the correct night. Please do not overfill bags and please ensure all bags are tied securely. 

• What about carrier bags and other thin plastics?

  • The main issue with these often lower grade plastics is they can get caught up in the automated machines used to sort plastics, causing breakdowns. We therefore cannot accept them in the recycling collections, but some supermarkets have facilities to collect carrier bags, so they can be recycled separately.

• Why can't we recycle black plastic?

  • We do not currently have a market for recycling black plastic. And we are not alone - councils throughout the UK have a similar issue. It also causes problems with sorting the 'good' plastics, so processors want us to keep this out.

• Do you offer a subsidy for real nappies?

  • Yes we do, we offer a £35 subsidy per child towards the purchase of real nappies, which can be redeemed by completing the following form:  Real Nappy Application Form [167kb].

• Covid & Waste 

  • For the most up to date information including how to dispose of LFTS, face coverings, and what to do with your waste if you test positive, please go to https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/household-waste

We value feedback from our customers and are keen to know how we can improve our services.  If you would like to provide feedback to us, both positive and constructive, then please contact us via the details provided here.  We also conduct surveys throughout the year at key Island events and at our waste and recycling sites, offering the facility to complete these surveys online or in paper form.

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