Refuse bin
Your green bin is for household rubbish that can't be recycled or composted.
✔ What can go in the bin?
Polystyrene
Drink and food cartons
Cling film and plastic wrapping
Crisp packets / sweet wrappers
Black plastic trays
Plastic bags / plastic pouches
Nappies and sanitary items
Bagged pet faeces and litter / beddingWE EMPTY ONE REFUSE BIN PER PROPERTY
For big, bulky items and large electrical items, you can book a bulky or electrical item collection. You can also take most items to the North Farm household waste and recycling centre.
✖ What cannot go in the bin?
- any garden waste (for example, grass cuttings, soil or turf)
- rubble, bricks and stones
- DIY waste
- paint or oil
- wood
- electrical items (book an electrical collection for those)
- cushions or pillows
- mattresses or furniture (book a large item collection for those)
- Vapes
What happens to the collected refuse?
The contents of your non-recyclable refuse bin are taken to the Energy from Waste plant at Allington, where it is used to make electricity.
Your questions about green bins answered
If your bin is too large or small you can ask for it to be changed.
Requests for a larger or smaller bin will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a decision made based on individual circumstances.
All requests must be emailed to depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk and include the following:
- your name, address (including postcode) and telephone number
- the type of bin you would like changed (for example, green refuse bin)
- how many people live at the property
- why you need a larger or smaller bin
Your request will be reviewed and a decision made. We will contact you if we need further information.
We will only pick up one household waste bin from a property.
Your general waste bin, the green household waste bin, is only for non-recyclable waste.
If your bin contains garden waste such as grass, leaves, prunings etc it will not be emptied.
If you don’t have room to store bins let us know and we can either provide smaller bins or hessian sacks for your recycling and garden waste.
Container sizes and capacity
| Container size | Height | Width | Depth | Average capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140L Wheeled bin | 1,050mm | 475mm | 545mm | 2-3 bags |
| 240L Wheeled bin | 1,063mm | 477mm | 713mm | 3-4 bags |
| 360L Wheeled bin | 1,098mm | 596mm | 878mm | 5-6 bags |
| 55L box | 352mm | 633mm | 384mm |
Different sizes
Smaller (140L) bins are available in both green and brown for single occupiers, couples or small families.
Larger (360L) green bins are available if you:
- have six or more people living permanently at your address
- have two or more babies of the same age (for example, twins or triplets) using disposable nappies
- have a medical condition which produces additional rubbish
Requesting a larger or smaller bin
If your bin is too large or small you can ask for it to be changed.
Requests for a larger or smaller bin will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a decision made based on individual circumstances.
All requests must be emailed to depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk and include the following:
- your name, address (including postcode) and telephone number
- the type of bin you would like changed (for example, green refuse bin)
- how many people live at the property
- why you need a larger or smaller bin
Your request will be reviewed and a decision made. We will contact you if we need further information.
If you ask for a larger (360L) bin, we may do a waste audit to make sure you need it.