Ontario, Canada, has finished moving household recycling from a municipal responsibility to a producer responsibility. This guide summarises pages from Ontario’s regulator, the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), on the transition and on the amendments to the Blue Box Regulation finalised in September 2025. It covers Ontario only and is not a description of UK, Irish or other Canadian provincial rules. It is general information for households and small businesses, not legal advice, and residents should check their own community’s collection details.

The transition to producer responsibility

RPRA says that as of 1 January 2026 Ontario’s Blue Box Program has completed the transition to full producer responsibility for packaging, paper products and packaging-like products, and municipalities are no longer responsible for operating or funding the programme. The Blue Box Regulation was made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, and requires producers to operate and pay for the collection, reuse and recycling of Blue Box materials. The transition of municipalities and First Nation communities began on 1 July 2023.

The legacy programme operated by Stewardship Ontario wound up on 31 December 2025. RPRA says a producer responsibility organisation called Circular Materials operates the collection system on behalf of producers, and directs people with questions about collection in their community to that organisation’s website.

What producers must now do

The 2025 amendments, described in RPRA’s December 2025 summary, changed several requirements that affect what residents see:

• Producers must make “best efforts” to meet their management requirements for the 2026 and 2027 performance years. Before the amendments they were required to meet a set amount from 2026.
• The requirements for paper, glass, metal, rigid plastics and beverage containers are unchanged until 2032, when recovery percentages will rise to 85% for paper and glass, 75% for metal, 60% for rigid plastics and 80% for beverage containers.
• The planned expansion of public-space bins has been removed. Producers must maintain the existing public space bins in communities that were served under the legacy programme.
• From 2026, up to 15% of a producer’s management requirement can be met through energy from waste in each material category, where residue is used as fuel in limited circumstances. Before, producers could not count this.
• From 2026, producers are responsible only for beverage containers supplied to residential consumers. Beverage container producers may deduct what is collected from a business or institution where they are not required to provide Blue Box collection.

New homes, flats and drop-off depots

RPRA says that from 2026 producers must collect from new residences “as soon as is practicable”. Before the amendments the regulation set no timeline for newly built homes. The amendments change the definition of a residence to a building with five or fewer residential units, and the definition of a facility to a building that contains six or more dwelling units.

The amendments clarify that a resident who can use a municipal garbage depot must also be able to use the Blue Box depot to drop off Blue Box material. Collected material must be processed by a registered processor within three months of collection.

What residents and landlords should know

Under the amendments, producers must publish promotion and education material on a website in French and English, and provide it in print “upon request”, limited to once a year. Collection questions in a community go to Circular Materials, as RPRA directs. For general questions about the regulation, RPRA points to its Blue Box Program page, which also covers materials, roles, key dates and FAQs.

Why this differs from other countries

The Ontario model makes producers pay for household recycling collection under a provincial regulation. In England, councils have collected household recycling, with new requirements from 31 March 2026 described in the guide to household recycling collections in England, and England’s packaging producer charges are covered in the guide to extended producer responsibility for packaging. Rules differ between countries and provinces, so a comparison is for context rather than a substitute for local guidance.

FAQs

Who is responsible for Blue Box collection in Ontario now?

Producers of packaging, paper and packaging-like products, which RPRA says are financially responsible and accountable. Circular Materials operates the system on their behalf.

Did municipalities stop collecting recycling?

RPRA says municipalities are no longer responsible for operating or funding the programme. For collection questions in a community, RPRA directs people to Circular Materials.

Does this apply outside Ontario?

No. It concerns Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation only.

The bottom line

Ontario completed its move to a producer-run Blue Box programme on 1 January 2026, with producers financially responsible and Circular Materials operating the system. The 2025 amendments extend a “best efforts” standard for 2026 and 2027, allow limited energy from waste to count, and require new residences to be served as soon as practicable. Residents should check local collection details with their community and Circular Materials. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Ontario completes transition to producer-run Blue Box program” (January 2026)
• Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Changes to the Blue Box Regulation: Details on management requirements, energy from waste, changes to collection, and other key amendments” (December 2025)
• Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, “Blue Box”
• GOV.UK, “Simpler recycling: household recycling in England” (household collection requirements from 31 March 2026)

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California has a statewide mandatory organic waste collection rule under Senate Bill 1383, which affects how households, apartment blocks and businesses sort food scraps, yard trimmings and paper. This guide summarises CalRecycle’s pages on the programme, collection requirements, enforcement and complaints. It covers California only and does not describe UK, Irish or other US state rules, which are covered elsewhere on this site. It is general information, not legal advice; local programme rules vary and the local jurisdiction’s guidance should be checked.

What SB 1383 does

CalRecycle says California passed SB 1383 (Lara, 2016) to reduce methane and other short-lived climate pollutants, because food and other organic waste rotting in landfills emits methane. The law set targets for 2025 of 75% less organic waste sent to landfills and 20% of unsold, still-edible food sent to food recovery organisations. CalRecycle describes organic waste as including food, green material, landscape and pruning waste, organic textiles and carpets, lumber, wood, paper products, printing and writing paper, manure, biosolids, digestate and sludges.

What local governments must provide

Under the collection requirements, a “jurisdiction” is a city, county, city and county or special district that provides solid waste collection services. CalRecycle says jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses, unless they hold an exemption or waiver for low population or high elevation, or instead require people to separate organics, recyclables and landfill waste that they haul to disposal facilities themselves. Jurisdictions choose which collection services suit their communities, but SB 1383 requires consistent bin colours and labels across California. They must educate residents and businesses electronically, in print or through direct outreach, and must monitor contamination and give feedback.

What households and small buildings must do

For single-family homes and multifamily complexes of fewer than five units, CalRecycle says residents must take part in their local organics curbside collection programme and sort their organic waste into the correct containers. Some jurisdictions allow residents to haul their own organic waste to disposal facilities, and CalRecycle tells residents to contact their local programme for its rules.

Apartment blocks of five or more units

Multifamily complexes of five or more units must either take part in the jurisdiction’s organics collection or self-haul organic waste to a composting facility, community composting programme or other collection activity. The owner or manager must provide organic waste collection for employees and tenants, provide an adequate number, size and location of correctly labelled or coloured containers, educate employees and tenants annually on sorting, and give new tenants information within 14 days of occupation. Tenants must sort correctly or self-haul according to local rules.

Businesses and public bodies

Businesses must either take part in the collection service or self-haul, and must place organic waste and recycling containers in all areas with disposal containers for customers, except restrooms. A container is not needed for materials a facility does not generate. They must also inspect organic waste containers for contamination, inform employees when containers are contaminated, and educate employees, contractors, tenants and customers annually and within 14 days for new tenants. If a business already uses containers with the right colours, indoor containers do not need replacing until they no longer work or until 1 January 2036, whichever comes first.

Public schools and school districts, state agencies, special districts and federal facilities fall outside a jurisdiction’s authority. They must subscribe to a collection service the jurisdiction provides, contract independently, or self-haul.

Enforcement and complaints

CalRecycle says the regulations require both jurisdictions and the State to enforce. Jurisdictions must run an inspection and enforcement programme for organic waste generators, while CalRecycle evaluates jurisdictions and oversees organic waste generators outside jurisdiction oversight, such as state and federal facilities. Members of the public can file complaints with CalRecycle about missing signage or labelling on bins, lack of education materials, no bin inspections, no edible food recovery, and no blue or green waste bin collection service or a missing bin. CalRecycle says it will make reasonable efforts to protect complainants’ confidentiality, but contact details may be given to local jurisdictions or law enforcement for investigation, and it may need to release information in response to records requests.

FAQs

Does SB 1383 ban putting food in the trash?

CalRecycle describes a requirement to take part in organics collection and sort waste correctly, with local programmes setting the specific rules. Residents should check their local programme.

Does the law require a green bin in every home?

Jurisdictions must provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses unless they have a waiver or exemption, or choose to require sorting of material that people haul to disposal facilities themselves.

Where do I complain about missing bins?

CalRecycle has a recycling services and edible food collection complaints form for issues such as a missing blue or green bin or missing signage.

The bottom line

California’s SB 1383 requires jurisdictions to provide organic waste collection to all residents and businesses, and requires residents, apartment complexes of five or more units and businesses to take part or self-haul. Owners and managers must provide labelled bins and education, and complaints about missing service can go to CalRecycle. Rules differ from UK and Irish schemes, and local programmes set the details. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• CalRecycle, “California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Strategy”
• CalRecycle, “Statewide Mandatory Organic Waste Collection”
• CalRecycle, “Enforcement of Organics Waste Collection, Processing, and Diversion from Landfills”
• CalRecycle, “Recycling Services and Edible Food Collection Complaints”

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Household battery collection points at shops take the small sealed batteries used in torches and phones, but a car battery is treated differently under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009. This guide summarises the regulations, GOV.UK’s retailer and producer guidance (the producer page was last updated on 11 May 2026) and where the rules stop. It concerns the United Kingdom, with one exception noted below, and is general information, not legal advice on a particular battery or business. Household battery take-back is covered in the guide to household batteries.

Three kinds of battery in the regulations

The regulations divide batteries into three groups. A portable battery is sealed, can be hand-carried by an average person without difficulty, and is neither automotive nor industrial. An automotive battery is a battery used for automotive starter, lighting or ignition power. An industrial battery is one designed exclusively for industrial or professional use, used as the power source for propulsion in an electric vehicle, or unsealed and not automotive. GOV.UK says the automotive group is sometimes referred to as starter, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries.

What shops do not have to do

GOV.UK’s page on retailer and distributor responsibilities says a business that sells or supplies 32kg or more of portable batteries a year must offer free take-back, with a collection point at every premises from which it supplies batteries, including online sellers. It says the take-back covers any sealed battery that can be carried without difficulty by an average person. It states plainly that the retailer does not need to take back car and motorbike batteries or batteries from industrial equipment.

A garage or motor factor is therefore not legally bound by that rule to accept a customer’s old car battery. GOV.UK also says that a business transporting batteries itself, for example to a recycling plant, needs a waste carrier certificate and must follow the law on moving and transferring hazardous waste.

Who must collect waste car batteries

Regulation 36 places the duty on producers of automotive batteries. A producer must collect waste automotive batteries free of charge and within a reasonable time from a final holder of automotive batteries when asked, and must publish how final holders can request collection, in a manner reasonably likely to reach them. GOV.UK’s producer page repeats this and gives examples of final holders: garages, scrapyards, end-of-life vehicle treatment sites and local council waste collection sites.

A producer is a business with a UK presence that is the first in its selling chain, including importers, to make batteries available for supply or sale on the UK market. Producers of automotive batteries must register with the Office for Product Safety and Standards within 28 days of first placing them on the market, and must report total tonnage, chemistry and brand name by 31 March of the following year. GOV.UK says the batteries collected must go to an approved battery treatment operator or approved battery exporter for treatment and recycling.

The ban on landfill and incineration

Regulation 56 says no person may dispose of waste industrial or automotive batteries in a landfill or by incineration, other than residues of batteries that have already been treated and recycled in accordance with the regulations. GOV.UK gives the same message: it is illegal to send waste industrial or vehicle and other automotive batteries for incineration or to landfill. Regulation 1(3) says regulation 56 does not extend to Scotland, so this particular prohibition is not part of the 2009 regulations there.

Putting a car battery in a household bin, a skip or a general rubbish load would run against that prohibition where it applies. The guide to waste collection paperwork explains what to keep when a carrier removes waste.

Industrial and electric vehicle batteries

The industrial group includes batteries used to power an electric vehicle. GOV.UK says industrial battery producers must register with the Office for Product Safety and Standards within 28 days and report tonnage, chemistry and brand by 31 March. They must take back waste industrial batteries free of charge from any end-user if they supplied that user with new batteries, if the batteries are the same chemistry as those they place on the market, or if they cannot be returned to another producer, and they must tell end-users how to return them. The waste batteries must go to an approved battery treatment operator or approved battery exporter.

Practical checks when booking a clearance

For a house or garage clearance, batteries from vehicles, mobility equipment or garden machinery are worth listing separately when asking for a quote, because the regulations treat car and industrial batteries differently from small household ones. A carrier that agrees to take them should be a registered waste carrier, as described in the guide to checking a waste carrier. Lithium-ion batteries have their own fire-risk rules, described in the guide to lithium-ion battery waste.

FAQs

Can I take a car battery to any shop that sells batteries?

Not as of right. GOV.UK says retailers do not need to take back car and motorbike batteries. Some may choose to.

Who pays for a producer to collect waste car batteries?

Regulation 36 says the producer must collect them free of charge from the final holder on request.

Is it illegal to put a car battery in landfill?

Regulation 56 prohibits disposal of waste automotive and industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration, though it does not extend to Scotland.

The bottom line

The free retailer take-back rule covers small sealed batteries, not car, motorbike or industrial batteries. For waste automotive batteries the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009 put the collection duty on producers, free of charge to the final holder, and prohibit landfill or incineration outside Scotland. Batteries should go to authorised treatment routes, not household bins. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• GOV.UK, “Battery waste: retailer and distributor responsibilities”
• Environment Agency, “Waste batteries: producer responsibility” (last updated 11 May 2026), GOV.UK
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, regulation 36: Collection: automotive batteries”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations 2009, regulation 56: Prohibition on disposing of waste automotive and industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration”

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Getting a skip permit is only the start of the legal requirements for a skip on a public road. Sections 139 and 140 of the Highways Act 1980 and the Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 set duties for the skip’s owner, which usually means the hire company, and give councils and police powers to order a skip moved. This guide covers England and Wales, where these provisions apply, and is general information, not legal advice. Permit rules themselves are covered in the guide to skip permits and the public highway.

Permission and its conditions

Section 139(1) says a builder’s skip must not be deposited on a highway without the permission of the highway authority. Section 139(11) defines a builder’s skip as a container designed to be carried on a road vehicle and placed on a highway or other land to store builders’ materials or to remove and dispose of builders’ rubble, waste, household and other rubbish or earth, so a skip for household clearance is within the definition.

Under section 139(2) the authority can grant permission unconditionally or with conditions. The section gives examples of what those conditions may cover: the siting of the skip, its dimensions, how it is coated with paint or other material to make it immediately visible to oncoming traffic, the care and disposal of its contents, how it is lighted or guarded, and its removal at the end of the period of permission. A permit may therefore contain requirements that go beyond the general duties below.

What the owner must secure

Where a skip is on a highway with permission, section 139(4) requires the owner to secure four things:

• that the skip is properly lighted during the hours of darkness and, where regulations require it, is marked in accordance with them;
• that the skip is clearly and indelibly marked with the owner’s name and a telephone number or address;
• that the skip is removed as soon as practicable after it has been filled; and
• that each condition of the permission is complied with.

Failure is an offence for the owner, punishable by a fine of up to level 3 on the standard scale. For a skip on hire for a period of a month or more, section 139(11) treats the person in possession under the hire agreement as the owner, so a customer on a long hire can carry these duties.

The marking regulations

The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984 apply to each end of every builder’s skip any part of which is on a highway other than a footway or verge. Each end must carry a marking of two plates of equal size and shape, complying with a British Standard for rear marking plates for vehicles (BS AU 152: 1970). The stippled areas are red fluorescent material and the other areas yellow reflex-reflecting material. The plates must be fixed as close to the outer edges as the skip’s construction allows, no more than 1.5 metres from the ground, and not on a lid or door unless a door is the only practical place.

The markings must be clean, efficient and clearly visible for a reasonable distance to road users, although this does not apply to a marking on a door while it must be open for loading or unloading.

Orders to move or reposition a skip

Section 140 applies even where the skip is there with permission. The highway authority or a constable in uniform can require the owner to remove or reposition the skip, and the owner must comply as soon as practicable or commit an offence. The authority or the police can also remove or reposition the skip themselves. If a skip is removed, they must notify the owner where practicable, and if the owner cannot be traced or does not recover it within a reasonable time, the skip and its contents may be disposed of. Reasonable expenses, including storage, may be recovered from the owner as a civil debt.

An owner is not guilty of a siting-condition offence if the failure results from the skip being repositioned under this section.

What a permit does not do

Section 139(10) says nothing in the section authorises the creation of a nuisance or a danger to users of a highway, and it does not make a highway authority liable for injury, damage or loss resulting from the presence of the skip. Insurance questions are covered in the guide to skip hire liability and insurance.

The legislation database records that subsections 139(3) to (7) cease to have effect in part in London from 18 December 2013 by virtue of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2013, so the offence provisions for London boroughs may differ. Sizes and access for skip hire are in the guide to hiring a skip.

FAQs

Who is responsible for lighting the skip at night?

Section 139(4) makes the owner responsible for securing that the skip is properly lighted during the hours of darkness. A skip on hire for a month or more counts the hirer as the owner.

Can the council make me move a skip that has a permit?

Yes. Section 140 lets the highway authority or a uniformed constable require the owner to remove or reposition a skip even if it has permission.

Do these rules apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?

No. The sections are marked as applying to England and Wales.

The bottom line

In England and Wales, a skip placed on the road with permission must be lit at night, marked as the regulations require, labelled with the owner’s name and contact details, and removed soon after it is full. Councils and police can order a skip moved even after granting permission, and a permit does not remove the owner’s responsibility for danger or nuisance. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• legislation.gov.uk, “Highways Act 1980, section 139: Control of builders’ skips”
• legislation.gov.uk, “Highways Act 1980, section 140: Removal of builders’ skips”
• legislation.gov.uk, “The Builders’ Skips (Markings) Regulations 1984”

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Anyone hiring a rubbish removal firm in England can check its registration today, but the government plans to replace that registration system. This guide summarises Defra’s policy paper “Reforming the waste carrier, broker and dealer system” (published 22 August 2025) and the current GOV.UK registration page. It covers England only. The paper describes plans, not rules that apply now, and many details, including fees and volume thresholds, are still to be consulted on. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

The system today

GOV.UK says a business must register if it transports waste (a carrier), buys, sells or disposes of waste (a dealer) or arranges for someone else to do so (a broker), and that an unlimited fine is possible for not registering. Registration is usually free for a business that only transports waste it produces itself. Otherwise the fee is £191.02, and an upper tier registration must be renewed every 3 years for £130.25. Lower tier registrations do not need renewing. Details of how to check a carrier are in the guide to checking a waste carrier, and the tiers are explained in waste carrier licences explained.

Why the government wants change

Defra’s paper says the current registration system makes it hard for regulators to target high-risk waste operators. Enforcement options are limited, the Environment Agency can refuse or revoke a registration only if set criteria are met, and the system does not distinguish between small and large operators or the risk of the waste handled. As a result, the paper says, compliance and enforcement work has become reactive rather than proactive. The reforms are presented as a way to give stronger powers against waste crime and to join the regime up with other waste regulation.

New terms and permits

The paper says the terminology will be simplified to “waste controllers” and “waste transporters”. Transporters move waste between locations on the instruction of a controller, without input on its end destination or classification, and examples given include hauliers, contractors and delivery drivers. Controllers organise collection, transport or end destination, arrange recovery or disposal for others, or buy or sell waste, including brokers, dealers, consultants and waste sites. A “controller-transporter” does both, and the paper names skip companies and waste collection companies as examples.

Existing registrations are to be replaced by a “standard rules” environmental permit or a registered exemption. There will be three permit types: controller only, transporter only, and combined controller-transporter. Permits will be tiered by scale of operation and type of waste, with four levels of risk. Further detail is to come in a subsequent Environment Agency consultation.

What it means for householders and waste producers

The paper says waste producers remain subject to the waste duty of care and will not need a permit or registered exemption as long as they pass waste to a permitted waste site, a permitted controller or controller-transporter, or let a controller-permit holder make arrangements on their behalf. If waste is passed to an operator that holds only a transporter permit, the producer would need a registered exemption or a controller permit. Producers transporting their own waste, if it is not construction, demolition or hazardous waste and is under a certain volume, would need to register an exemption. A plumber taking away old radiators after fitting new ones is given as an example of someone removing third-party waste, who would need a lower-level permit.

Competence checks and advertising

Permit holders and nominated persons will have to show technical competence, either by individual assessment (an e-learning course plus an in-person test) or through a workplace-based route. Permits will require the operator to be a fit legal operator, and the regulator will be able to suspend or revoke permits, including where competence or behaviour is a repeated problem. Anyone applying in the first year of the new system will need to provide proof of competence within one year of go-live.

The paper says it will be a permit condition that permit numbers are displayed on advertising, and that numbers are available to regulators or local authorities on inspection of a vehicle. This is intended to help the Environment Agency identify incorrect or fraudulent numbers in advertising. The detail will be in the standard rules consultation.

Timing and transition

The paper gives no go-live date. It says that once the new system is live, existing upper tier registrants must apply for a permit, or register an exemption if applicable, when their registration comes up for renewal, creating a staggered approach over three years. Lower tier registrants who need an exemption or permit must apply within 12 months of go-live, after which lower tier registrations cease. New applicants must use the new system from go-live. The paper also says the duty of care legislation and code of practice will be amended to reflect the reforms and digital waste tracking, described in the guide to digital waste tracking.

FAQs

Do I need to do anything as a householder now?

Nothing changes from the policy paper alone. The current registration rules still apply, and the guide to checking a carrier explains how to search the public register.

Will fees rise under the new system?

The paper says charges will follow the environmental permitting charging framework, with an application fee and a subsistence fee for compliance monitoring, but the levels are to be consulted on separately.

Does this apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?

No. The paper applies to England and refers to working with the devolved governments to reduce the risk of differences between the nations.

The bottom line

Defra’s policy paper says England will move from registering waste carriers, brokers and dealers to a system of standard-rules permits and registered exemptions, with background checks, technical competence tests and permit numbers on advertising. The plans have no go-live date yet, and fees and volume thresholds are still to be consulted on. Until then, registration under the current system still applies. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, “Reforming the waste carrier, broker and dealer system” (published 22 August 2025), GOV.UK
• GOV.UK, “Register or renew as a waste carrier, broker or dealer”

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Household bins in the Republic of Ireland are emptied by private companies that the household chooses. Citizens Information says food and garden waste must also be separated from other rubbish. This guide summarises Citizens Information’s pages on household waste disposal and on brown bins, which were edited on 12 August 2025 and 7 August 2026 respectively. It covers the Republic of Ireland only, and is general information, not advice on a particular contract or notice.

Choosing a private collector

Citizens Information says a household must choose a private company in its area to collect and get rid of the rubbish in its bins. The companies collect every week or two, depending on the type of waste, and some collect different types of waste on different days. The way waste is collected varies, so the collector should be asked, and the collector should provide a system for storing and collecting waste. That may be wheelie bins, bin bags with pre-paid tags or labels, or a communal bin system. In an apartment or a development with a management company, the household may have shared facilities and must be able to prove it has access to and uses them. A permit check for collectors is described in the guide to checking a waste collector in Ireland.

Separating rubbish at home

Citizens Information says collectors usually use a colour-coded system, for example brown bins for organic waste, green bins for recyclable waste and black bins for general waste, and some also offer glass recycling. Most household waste can be recycled, and items should be clean, dry and placed loosely in the recycling bin. General waste is what cannot be recycled or composted and must go to landfill. The page says there is a waste recovery levy of €10 per tonne and a landfill levy of €85 per tonne, paid by the collection company but often covered by the fees the household pays. Those figures are from the page as edited on 12 August 2025.

The brown bin

The brown bin is the food and garden waste bin. Citizens Information says the bin collection company must give the household a brown bin and arrange to collect it, and this applies to all households except those on offshore islands. A household whose company does not provide one should contact the waste management unit in its local authority. All food waste except cooking oils can go in the brown bin, including dairy, eggs, raw and cooked meat, fish and bones, together with garden waste such as leaves and grass clippings. Items with the seedling logo, certified as compostable, belong in the brown bin and never in the green recycling bin.

If a household asks for a brown bin collection, the company must collect garden waste at least monthly from 1 March to 31 October each year, according to Citizens Information.

The duty to separate food waste

Citizens Information says households must separate food and garden waste from other recycling and from general rubbish. A household that does not want to use a brown bin can compost at home or bring the waste to a civic amenity centre. The bin company must keep a record of customers who do not use the brown bin collection, and the local authority can access it. A household that chooses not to have organic waste collected has to write to its bin collector with details of how it manages its food waste. Breaking these rules can bring a fixed payment notice worth €75, and a fine on conviction of up to €2,500 issued by the local authority or An Garda Síochána.

What collection costs

Citizens Information says there are no flat-rate fees for household waste collections. A bin company either calculates the cost by weight or charges for each collection, called a per-lift charge, and some contracts combine the two. Fees and structures differ between companies, so the page recommends shopping around. The page adds that a household will pay lower bin charges if it recycles food and garden waste. Recycling centres, also called civic amenity sites, may charge a small entry fee or extra for items such as mattresses and carpets.

Bulky waste and offences

Bulky items such as carpets, furniture or fridges cannot be left out for the regular collection, according to Citizens Information. A household with a lot to dispose of can hire a skip from a private waste collection company or take bulky waste to civic amenity centres or landfill sites, and the local authority may offer bulky waste collections and advertise them when they happen. The page also says it is an offence to put household waste in street litter bins, for which the local authority may prosecute, and that it is illegal to burn household waste in a garden or home.

FAQs

Who collects household bins in Ireland?

Citizens Information says a household must choose a private company in its area to collect its bins.

Is my collector required to give me a brown bin?

Yes. Citizens Information says the bin collection company must give the household a brown bin and arrange to collect it, except for households on offshore islands.

What happens if I do not follow the food waste rules?

Citizens Information says a fixed payment notice of €75 may be issued, and a fine on conviction of up to €2,500.

The bottom line

In the Republic of Ireland, households choose a private collector, must separate food and garden waste, and are entitled to a brown bin from the collector. Collection is charged by weight or per lift, bulky items need a skip or civic amenity centre, and breaking the food waste rules can bring a €75 fixed payment notice. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• Citizens Information, “Household waste disposal” (page edited 12 August 2025)
• Citizens Information, “Brown bins and composting waste at home” (page edited 7 August 2026)

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Household waste rules differ between the nations of the UK, and Northern Ireland has its own arrangements. The nidirect guidance says the local council is responsible for collecting and disposing of waste, provides separate bins, and can arrange collection of bulky items, while dumping or burning waste where it is not allowed is a criminal offence. This guide summarises those nidirect pages as they stood in September 2026. It covers Northern Ireland only and is general information, not advice on a particular collection or dispute.

What the council collects and which bins you get

According to nidirect, the local council is responsible for collecting and disposing of waste in its area, and provides different bins for food waste, household waste and recycling. The council collects recycling and household waste from outside the home and gives the householder a special box or bin for recycling, a bin for household waste that goes to landfill, and a bin for garden and food waste. Nidirect says household waste goes to landfill, and that it is important to separate landfill waste from recycling and use the right bin to prevent contamination. Collection days are checked with the local council, which should also be contacted if a bin is missed.

Food waste and bin contamination

Nidirect says councils collect garden and food waste for recycling from households, and that food waste must go in the right bin and not in the landfill bin. It adds that councils can refuse to empty a landfill bin if food waste has been put in it. A lost or stolen bin should be reported to the council to get a replacement, which the council can charge for, and the council can advise on securing a bin against theft.

Bulky items

Nidirect says that a householder who no longer needs an old sofa, cooker, washing machine or fridge is responsible for disposing of it safely, without harming the environment or human health. Local councils can arrange to collect and safely dispose of bulky household items, and the page lists the council contact points across Northern Ireland. Large items can also be taken to the council recycling centre. If a trader offers to collect and dispose of an appliance, nidirect says the householder must check the trader will dispose of it legally.

Giving waste to someone else

Nidirect says that if waste is handed to someone else for disposal, the householder must make sure they are authorised, and it lists the acceptable recipients: local council waste services, a council-authorised waste contractor, a licensed private waste operator or a registered waste carrier. Its waste crime page says everyone has a responsibility to manage their waste properly, called the waste duty of care, and that a registered waste carrier should always be used. It gives the DAERA list of registered waste carriers as the place to check. Carrier registration in Northern Ireland is explained in the guide to waste carrier registration in Northern Ireland.

Garden waste, composting and burning

Nidirect lists composting, the council’s food waste collection scheme and shredding small branches as ways to get rid of garden waste, and says councils also collect garden waste from the home and accept it at household recycling centres. It says that meat, fish, dairy products, cat or dog excrement, diseased plants and disposable nappies cannot be composted. For thinned pond plants, nidirect says to compost them or put them in the council’s garden waste collection bin and not to dump them in the wild.

On burning, nidirect says the council can investigate complaints about burning rubbish and advises asking the council about safe ways to dispose of waste. If burning is the most practical way to dispose of garden waste, its guidelines are to burn only dry material, not to burn household rubbish, rubber tyres or anything containing plastic, foam or paint and to avoid damp, still days and evenings. Rules for England are in the guide to garden bonfires and burning waste.

Fly-tipping and waste crime

Nidirect says fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of rubbish or bulky items on land where dumping is not allowed, and that anyone who sees it should report it to the local council. A witness should not touch the waste or disturb the site. Nidirect says dumping or burning waste where it is not allowed, or allowing others to do so, is a criminal offence, and the police and authorised officers of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs can stop, search and seize vehicles used or suspected of being used for illegal waste activities.

Nidirect says serious cases involving significant volumes, more than 20 cubic metres, or hazardous waste such as illegally dumped asbestos can be reported to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime Unit, while smaller volumes of non-hazardous fly-tipped waste and domestic burning should go to the local council. It gives penalties for waste crime of fines of up to £50,000 and six months’ imprisonment per charge, and, at Crown Court level, unlimited fines and up to five years’ imprisonment per charge. A separate guide on fly-tipping law is available: fly-tipping and the law.

FAQs

Can my council refuse to empty my bin in Northern Ireland?

Nidirect says councils can refuse to empty a landfill bin if food waste has been put in it.

Who can I give my bulky waste to?

Nidirect lists local council waste services, a council-authorised waste contractor, a licensed private waste operator or a registered waste carrier.

Who do I report small-scale fly-tipping to?

Nidirect says to report fly-tipping to the local council, and to send only serious cases, such as large volumes or hazardous waste, to the Environmental Crime Unit.

The bottom line

In Northern Ireland, councils collect household waste and recycling and provide separate bins. Food waste must go in the right bin, bulky items can be arranged through the council, waste must only be handed to authorised recipients, and dumping or burning waste where it is not allowed is a criminal offence with penalties set out by nidirect. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• nidirect, “Bins and waste collection”
• nidirect, “Disposal of bulky items”
• nidirect, “Disposal and composting of garden waste”
• nidirect, “Burning rubbish”
• nidirect, “Fly-tipping”
• nidirect, “Report waste crime”

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A flooded home creates a lot of waste quickly, some of it ordinary and some of it not. GOV.UK guidance on what to do after a flood says most things can be put in the bin unless they are polluted by sewage or chemicals, and that the local council can help with skips, extra collections and hazardous waste. This guide summarises that guidance and the Environment Agency’s rules for councils storing used sandbags. It applies to England only, because GOV.UK points to separate guidance for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it is general information, not advice on a particular property.

Before anything is thrown away

GOV.UK says that before starting to clear up, a householder should take photos of any damage and the flood water line, and speak to the insurance company about what can be moved and what can be thrown away. Renters are told that the landlord is responsible for repairs to the home if there is flood damage. GOV.UK also warns that flood water may contain sewage and hide rubbish, wreckage, uneven roads and pavements, or broken drain and manhole covers.

What can go in the bin

GOV.UK says most things can be put in the bin as long as they are not polluted by sewage or chemicals. For larger volumes, it says to contact the local council if skips or extra rubbish collections are needed. Ordinary council services for oversized items are explained in the guide to council bulky waste collections, and the rules on hiring a skip are in the guide to hiring a skip.

Items polluted by sewage or chemicals

For items that have been polluted, the guidance says to contact the environmental health department at the local council. The council will tell the householder how to dispose of them as hazardous waste. GOV.UK treats these items separately from the ordinary bin route. The general rules for sorting household waste are in the guide to general, recycling or hazardous waste, and disposal of leftover chemicals is covered in the guide to leftover paint and household chemicals.

Used sandbags

GOV.UK says that if sandbags have been used, the householder should check with the local council about how to dispose of them. Behind that advice sits Environment Agency regulatory position statement RPS 168, which applies in England. It is written for local authorities, and those acting for them, that set up temporary collection points to store waste sandbags used during a flood, coded 17 09 03* or 17 09 04 in the waste list. It does not change the legal requirement to hold an environmental permit for a waste operation. Instead, the Environment Agency says it will not normally take enforcement action if the activity fits the description and the conditions are met.

The conditions are that the operator must:

• store all waste sandbags in a secure place that the public cannot access;
• carry out a visual and smell assessment to help decide whether they may be hazardous waste, for example because of contamination with oil or fuels;
• keep sandbags that may be contaminated in secure containers, or an area with impermeable pavement and sealed drainage;
• use a registered waste carrier to move them to a permitted site for recovery or disposal;
• keep records for 2 years showing compliance.

Waste sandbags must not be stored for longer than 3 months before being sent to a permitted site. The statement adds that the activity must not cause, or be likely to cause, pollution or harm to human health, and must not cause a risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals, or a nuisance through noise or odours. An operator that can no longer comply must stop the activity and tell the Environment Agency immediately. The Environment Agency says it intends to review the statement by 30 September 2026, so the current version should be checked.

If there is no insurance

GOV.UK says that a household without insurance can contact the local council if emergency housing is needed because of flooding, and the council may be able to tell the household about grants or charities that can help with repairs. For information and advice, GOV.UK gives Floodline as a 24-hour service on 0345 988 1188.

FAQs

Can flood-damaged furniture go in my normal bin?

GOV.UK says most things can be put in the bin as long as they are not polluted by sewage or chemicals. Items that are polluted should be raised with the council’s environmental health department.

Who do I ask about skips after a flood?

GOV.UK says to contact the local council if skips or extra rubbish collections are needed.

What should I do with used sandbags?

GOV.UK says to check with the local council about how to dispose of them.

The bottom line

After a flood in England, GOV.UK says to photograph the damage and speak to the insurer before throwing anything away, that most items can go in the bin unless polluted by sewage or chemicals, and that the council can arrange skips, extra collections and hazardous waste disposal. Councils storing waste sandbags follow Environment Agency RPS 168 conditions. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• GOV.UK, “What to do after a flood”
• Environment Agency, “Temporary storage of waste sandbags after a flood: RPS 168” (updated 9 February 2024)

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A bin store is a building regulation matter as well as a council collection one. Requirement H6 of the Building Regulations requires adequate provision for the storage of solid waste and adequate means of access for it, and Approved Document H gives statutory guidance on how to meet it. This guide summarises that guidance for England, based on the 2015 edition of the document, and applies to new buildings, extensions and material changes of use in England only, since GOV.UK describes Approved Document H as a building regulation for England.

What Requirement H6 says

Requirement H6 has two parts. Under H6(1), adequate provision must be made for storage of solid waste. Under H6(2), adequate means of access must be provided for people in the building to the place of storage, and from the place of storage to a collection point where one has been specified by the waste collection authority under section 46 or 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, or to a street where no collection point has been specified. Approved Document H says H6 applies to the erection or extension of a building and to all material changes of use described in Regulation 5. In the Secretary of State’s view, as Approved Document H puts it, the requirement will be met if the storage is designed and sited so as not to be prejudicial to health or local amenity, is of sufficient area for the number and size of receptacles the authority requires, and is accessible for use and for removal to the collection point.

The council role in setting requirements

Approved Document H says the efficacy of a refuse storage system depends on its capacity and the ease of removal in relation to the collection service the waste collection authority provides. It says the authority has powers under sections 46 and 47 to specify the type and number of receptacles and where waste should be placed for collection, and that consultation should take place with the authority to determine its requirements. Those powers are explained in the guide to bin notices and receptacles.

Capacity and number of containers for homes

For domestic developments the guidance says space should be provided for containers for separated waste, with recyclable waste stored apart from waste that cannot be recycled, with a combined capacity of 0.25 cubic metres per dwelling, or another capacity agreed with the authority. Where collections are less frequent than weekly, the allowance should be increased. In low-rise developments, meaning houses, bungalows and flats up to the fourth floor, each dwelling should have or have access to a location where at least two movable individual or communal containers meeting the authority’s requirements can be stored. Where each dwelling has its own storage area, 1.2 m by 1.2 m should be sufficient.

In multi-storey developments, dwellings up to the fourth floor may each have their own container or share one. Dwellings above the fourth storey may share a single container for non-recyclable waste fed by chute, with separate storage for recyclable waste, or storage compounds or rooms may be provided.

Siting and carrying distances

The guidance says storage areas and chutes should be sited so that the distance householders must carry refuse does not usually exceed 30 m, excluding vertical distance, and containers should be within 25 m of the collection point specified by the authority. Unless it is completely unavoidable, containers should be able to reach the collection point without going through a building, other than a porch, garage, car port or other open covered space, and this applies only to new buildings. For containers up to 250 litres, steps should be avoided and should not exceed three, and slopes should not exceed 1 in 12. External storage should be away from windows and ventilators, preferably in shade or under shelter, and should not interfere with pedestrian or vehicle access to buildings.

Enclosures and design

Where an enclosure, compound or store room is provided, the guidance says it should allow room for filling and emptying and a clear space of 150 mm around the containers. Communal enclosures should be at least 2 m high, and individual enclosures should be high enough for the lid to open. An enclosure should be permanently ventilated at the top and bottom and have a paved impervious floor. Any room or compound for open storage should be secure against vermin unless waste is in secure containers with close-fitting lids.

Keeping access clear

Approved Document H refers to section 23 of the Building Act 1984, under which it is unlawful for any person, except with the consent of the building control authority, to close or obstruct the means of access by which refuse is removed from a building. A person who contravenes it is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. Bins in shared homes are also dealt with in the guide to bins and rubbish in shared houses.

FAQs

Does H6 tell me how many bins I must own?

No. The authority specifies receptacles under sections 46 and 47, and H6 requires adequate storage for the number and size it requires.

How far can the bin store be from the collection point?

Approved Document H says containers should be within 25 m of the collection point, and storage should be sited so the carry distance does not usually exceed 30 m.

Can I block the route bins are taken along?

Section 23(3) of the Building Act 1984 makes it unlawful to close or obstruct the means of access by which refuse is removed from a building without the building control authority’s consent.

The bottom line

In England, Building Regulations Requirement H6 requires adequate storage for solid waste and adequate access to a collection point. Approved Document H sets out the guidance for new homes and conversions, including 0.25 cubic metres of container capacity per dwelling, a carry distance not usually above 30 m and enclosure design. Closing or obstructing refuse access without consent is unlawful. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• GOV.UK, “Drainage and waste disposal: Approved Document H” (Building Regulations guidance for England)
• MHCLG, “Approved Document H: Drainage and waste disposal” (2015 edition, H6 Solid waste storage)
• legislation.gov.uk, “Building Act 1984, section 23: Provision of facilities for refuse”

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Plant waste from a garden is usually straightforward, but not when it is a listed invasive plant. Government guidance for England and Wales lists 36 species of special concern, including giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam and floating pennywort, and separate England guidance covers how to dispose of invasive non-native plant material. This guide summarises both as they stood in September 2026. It separates what applies in England and Wales from what applies in England only, and is general information, not advice on a particular site.

Which plants are listed

The Defra and APHA guidance says 36 species of invasive alien plants are listed as species of special concern because of their invasiveness and ability to establish in several nations across Europe, including the UK. It applies to England and Wales. The widely spread species in England and Wales include American skunk cabbage, Chilean rhubarb, curly waterweed, floating pennywort, giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Nuttall’s waterweed and parrot’s feather.

What the listing restricts

Listed plants must not be imported, kept, bred, transported, sold, or grown, cultivated or permitted to reproduce. This extends to live parts that might grow, such as seeds or cuttings. The guidance says that if a listed plant is already growing on land, including a private garden, Defra does not consider it intentionally kept or cultivated and there is no offence. However, an owner cannot intentionally plant listed species or cause existing plants to spread, should treat or dispose of them where possible, and should not intentionally allow them to spread outside the land.

Moving plant material

Transport is where garden waste rules and the listing meet. The guidance says a live listed plant, or anything from which it can reproduce, can be transported outside the land only if it is being taken to a facility for destruction, or the person holds a licence from Natural England, a licence from Natural Resources Wales or a permit from the Animal and Plant Health Agency. A disposal contractor should be asked to confirm where the material goes, as covered in the guide to the waste duty of care.

Ponds and aquatic plants

The guidance says invasive aquatic plants can damage ponds, waterways and the environment, and that dumping aquatic plants in the wild might be an offence. Even tiny plant fragments can cause significant problems, so care is needed when maintaining a pond and disposing of waste water. Any listed aquatic plant should be removed and disposed of safely.

Disposal routes in England

Separate England guidance from Natural England, Defra and the Environment Agency covers invasive non-native plants more widely. It says plant waste can go to a landfill site holding an environmental permit that allows it, and that burying on site without a permit requires following the conditions in regulatory position statement RPS 178. Burning the plant material where it grows needs a burning waste in the open exemption (D7), and the guidance says an individual should contact the local council to check that burning is allowed. The guide to garden bonfires and burning waste gives the wider rules.

To dispose of material off site, the guidance says the householder must use a registered waste carrier and send it to an authorised landfill or suitable disposal site. Soil or plant material contaminated with invasive plants may be classified as controlled waste because seeds, rhizomes, corms or fragments can regrow. Most non-native plants cannot be composted because they are usually persistent, survive the composting process and usually infest areas where the compost is used, so the guide to home composting and council green waste does not apply to them. Soil contaminated with persistent chemicals, including herbicides that do not break down, is usually hazardous waste. In most cases a specialist contractor is needed, and using a site that is not permitted to accept waste can lead to a fine or prison. Before hiring anyone, a householder should check the carrier as described in the guide to checking a waste carrier.

Penalties and reporting

For listed species, the guidance says penalties may include a warning, a notice such as a compliance or restoration notice, a fine or imprisonment for a maximum of 3 months for a summary offence or 2 years for an indictable offence. A person with a permit or licence who commits an offence may lose it and be barred from obtaining another for up to 5 years. Plants that are not widely spread should be reported on iRecord so they can be eradicated. The related rules for knotweed are in the guide to Japanese knotweed and waste.

FAQs

Can I put pulled Himalayan balsam in my garden waste bin?

The guidance says listed plants can be transported outside the land only to a facility for destruction unless a licence or permit applies, so the disposal route should be confirmed first, not assumed.

Am I committing an offence if a listed plant grows on my land?

The guidance says Defra does not consider a plant already growing there to be intentionally kept or cultivated, but an owner must not intentionally cause it to spread.

Can I compost invasive non-native plants?

The England guidance says most cannot be composted because they are usually persistent and survive the composting process.

The bottom line

Listed invasive plants such as giant hogweed and Himalayan balsam can be transported off land in England and Wales only to a facility for destruction unless a licence or permit applies. In England, disposal needs a permitted site and a registered waste carrier, and most non-native plants cannot be composted. Penalties can include fines and imprisonment. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources

This guide draws on the following primary sources, current as of 25 September 2026:

• GOV.UK, “Invasive non-native (alien) plant species: rules in England and Wales” (updated 18 November 2024)
• GOV.UK, “How to stop invasive non-native plants from spreading” (England, updated 12 February 2026)

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