Guildford Bin Collection Days & Recycling Guide

Find your bin day

Bin days in Guildford vary by street. Guildford Borough Council does not publish one borough-wide list. Use the council's Find your bin day page and enter your address. It shows your next rubbish, recycling and food collections, and your garden waste dates if you subscribe.

The council also publishes a 2026 bin calendar and recycling guide as PDFs on the same page. If you are a commercial waste customer, you check your dates by logging in to your MyGuildford account instead.

How the fortnightly cycle works

The council's 2026 calendar sets out two types of week:

• Recycling week: green recycling bin and outdoor food waste caddy.
• Rubbish week: black rubbish bin and outdoor food waste caddy.

So rubbish and recycling are each collected fortnightly, and food waste goes every week. The council's service guidelines say some flats with limited storage are collected weekly instead.

You can also leave textiles and small electrical items next to your bins. Put them in a carrier bag and keep textiles dry. Batteries must go in a clear plastic bag, never inside a bin.

Put bins out by 6.30am

Leave your bins at your collection point by 6.30am on collection day. This is usually the edge of your property nearest the road. The council says it will not empty bins that are not out in time.

Other rules from the council's guidelines:

• The lid must be fully closed.
• Only bins issued by Guildford Borough Council are emptied.
• Extra rubbish left beside the black bin is not taken.
• Extra recycling is taken if it is in a see-through plastic bag, or flattened and bundled card.
• Two-wheeled bins must not weigh more than 50kg.

What goes in each bin

Green recycling bin: paper, card, newspapers and magazines; glass bottles and jars; empty tins, cans and cartons; empty aerosols; clean foil and foil trays; plastic bottles, tubs, pots and trays; plastic carrier bags; plastic and metal lids.

Not in the green bin: black bags, polystyrene, hard plastics, cling film, bubble wrap, food, crisp packets, sweet wrappers, textiles, nappies, drinking glasses, crockery, Pyrex, paint tins, garden waste or wood.

Black rubbish bin: general waste that cannot go in the green bin. No paint cans, gas canisters, soil, rubble, building material, batteries, vapes or garden waste.

Food caddy: meat and fish including bones, dairy, fruit and vegetables, bread, rice, pasta, leftovers, tea bags and coffee grounds. No liquids, oil or packaging. Put all food in the outdoor caddy. The crew does not collect the small silver kitchen caddy.

If the wrong items are in a bin, the council treats it as contaminated and leaves it. You then have to remove the items and wait for your next collection. The council's what goes in your bins page has a search tool for individual items.

Missed bin

Check three things first. Was the bin out by 6.30am? Is there a label on it explaining why it was left? Has it been less than two days?

If it was a genuine miss, report it online within two days of the collection date. After two days you have to wait for your next collection day.

Garden waste

Garden waste is a paid subscription. As listed on 9 October 2026, it costs £75 per bin for the 2026/27 year, which runs from 23 March 2026 to 21 March 2027. Collections are fortnightly, with a two-week break over Christmas. You need a MyGuildford account to apply or renew. The council says no refunds are given if you cancel part-way through the year. Check the garden waste page for the current price before you pay.

Bulky waste

Large items such as furniture, white goods and appliances are collected through the Furniture Helpline, which works with the council. As listed on 9 October 2026, prices start at £49, with discounts for residents on means-tested benefits. Book through the link on the council's bulky waste page, or call 01420 489000 and leave a voicemail if you have no email address. Items must be outside, at the boundary of your property and visible from the road.

They do not take rubble, garden waste, paint, sheet glass, car batteries, oil tanks or pianos.

The tip: Guildford Community Recycling Centre

Surrey County Council's Guildford Community Recycling Centre is at Moorfield Road, Slyfield Green Industrial Estate, GU1 1RU. As listed on 9 October 2026, opening times are:

• Monday, Thursday and Friday: 8am to 4pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 9am to 4pm
• Tuesday and Wednesday: closed

You need to prove you are a Surrey resident. Check the county council's page before you travel, as hours and rules can change.

Help putting bins out

If you cannot move your bins and nobody in your home can do it for you, you can ask for an assisted collection. You will be asked to explain why you need it.

Bank holidays

The council says changes to collection days around bank holidays are shown in its annual calendar and on its website. Check your address on the bin day page in the week before a bank holiday.