Three-weekly waste collections

Bin capacity

We know that some of the waste that goes into black bins could still be recycled. We will be encouraging residents to look at ways to slim their bin – reduce, reuse, recycle.

If you don't already, you would need to use your food waste caddy for all of your cooked and uncooked food waste. 

If you don't have either a kitchen or outdoor caddy, then please contact us about new, replacement or additional bins and we will deliver one to you. Caddies are free of charge.

If you can't fit all your rubbish in your bin

Make sure you are recycling as much of your waste as you can. Use your blue lidded bin for paper, card, glass, cans, plastics and plastic bags and wrappings.

Find out what goes in each bin.

Use your food waste caddy for all food waste including raw and cooked food. Home compost your garden waste or subscribe to the garden waste collection service.

Extra or larger bins

We would encourage you to see if you can slim the contents of your bin further, by reviewing what items you recycle and if more could be added to the recycling bin.

The size of your black bin should be adequate once you are using the new improved recycling service and the caddy for your food waste to their full potential.

Occasional extra recycling, for example at Christmas, can be put in clear recycling sacks or a cardboard box and left next to your blue lid recycling bin for collection.

If you are regularly recycling more than you can fit into your blue lidded recycling bin, you can request an additional bin

Find out more about new, replacement or additional bins.

Additional food caddies

Initially we would encourage you to reduce the amount of food you are throwing away and we have plenty of tips elsewhere on the website. 

If you cannot avoid recycling that much food, you can request an additional caddy on the new, replacement or additional bins page.

Extra-large bins

The extra-large bin policy will remain the same as it is at present.

You can have an extra-large bin if you have:

• 6 or more in the household
• 2 or more children in nappies full time
• a medical need not covered by clinical collection (such as incontinence pants)

Smaller bins in South Northamptonshire

Some properties in former South Northamptonshire have 180-litre black wheeled bins, rather than the standard 240-litre bins. 

Once the new system starts, we would encourage you to try to manage on a 180-litre wheeled bin. If this is not possible, then it could be swapped for the 240-litre wheeled bin.

Last updated 17 July 2026