Household waste

Houses and flats at street level

We usually give you a green wheelie bin for your general household waste if you live in a house or flat at street level. 

You must make sure it is:

• collected from the front of the property
• is easy for collection crews to access

Flats in houses not at street level

You need to use our weekly doorstep collection service if you live in a flat that's not at street level. 

Flats above shops

Leave your tied black rubbish bags beside a public litter bin by the shop by 6am on your collection day. 

Flats and apartments in estates

We provide communal bins for use by all residents who live in flats in an apartment or estate. 

You can put assorted waste from your home into your green bin or black bag including the following:

• Cellophane, clingfilm and plastic wrapping
• polystyrene packaging
• sweet wrappers and crisp packets
• tissues, nappies and sanitary items

You can also put food waste in it unless you get a food waste collection. 

If throwing out broken glass or sharp objects, wrap them securely in cardboard or another rigid material. 

Once fully wrapped place in a black bag. Unbroken glass items, such as bottles and jars, should be put in your recycling bin.

Do not put any of these items into your green bin or black bag:

• recycling, like cardboard and unbroken glass
• garden waste, like branches and leaves
• hazardous, clinical and electrical waste, like asbestos, sharps and any item with a plug
• large waste items (bulky waste) like fridges, furniture and mattresses which we can collect for a charge

Find out about ways to reduce your household waste rubbish and recycle more.

If you're producing too much household waste for your bin most of it can be recycled or reused. 

General household rubbish that goes to landfill is bad for the environment and more expensive to process than recycling.

Take the one bag a week challenge and you'll be doing your bit for the planet. 

It's simple, just put out 1 bag or less of household waste and as much recycling as you like!

Find out more and ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. 

Do not put unwanted clothing, textiles or shoes in with your general household rubbish, or your recycling.

Instead you can take them to:

• a local textile recycling bank
• the Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre or other recycling centre
• a charity shop

Find out what to do with:

• hazardous, clinical and electrical waste
• large waste items (bulky waste) such as fridges, furniture and mattresses which we can collect for a charge