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We operate a 4 bin waste collection and recycling service for the majority of residents in Fife. Below is a brief outline of the services we provide.
You can check your bin collection dates online
Bin material changes
We have changed some of the items to put in your bins, See the changes to your bins below or download our Fife Recycling Guide attached to this page.
Green bin changes
The following items are no longer recycled in the green and should go into the landfill (blue) bin.
- Polystyrene
- Plastic bags and films
- Plastic wrappers (e.g. biscuit/crisp bags)
Grey bin changes
Drinks and food cartons are now recycled in the green bin.
You can recycle most paper and cardboard items in the grey bin including:
- Newspapers
- Greeting cards
- Catalogues
- Envelopes
- Cardboard boxes, cardboard tubes and other cardboard containers
No thanks:
| Any bags not made from paper or cardboard | Put in your blue bin |
| General waste | Put in your blue bin |
| Cartons (food & waste) | Put in your green bin |
| Food | Remove from packaging and put in your brown bin. |
| Nappies | Put in your blue bin |
| Padded envelopes | Put in your blue bin |
| Polystyrene | Put in your blue bin |
| Tissues / paper towels | Put in your blue bin |
You can recycle plastic and cans in the green bin including:
Plastics
- Bottles,
- food and drink pots,
- tubs and trays of all colours
Metals
- Food cans
- Drink cans
- Foil trays
- Metal lids
No thanks:
| General waste | Put in your blue bin |
| Plastic bags & film | Put in your blue bin |
| Polystyrene | Put in your blue bin |
| Hard plastics (e.g. CD boxes, coat hangers and plant pots) | Put in your blue bin |
| Full carrier bags | Put in your blue bin |
| Electrical items | These can be recycled at a recycling centre |
| Food | Please remove food from packaging and put food in your brown bin |
| Nappies | Nappies cannot be recycled, please put in your blue bin |
| Paint/varnish tins and pots | Put in your blue bin |
| Cling film | Put in your blue bin |
| Foil lined sweet or crisp wrappers | Put in your blue bin |
| Glass | Glass can be recycled at a recycling point |
| Textiles, clothing, shoes and bags | If in good condition please donate to charity shops. Otherwise put in your blue bin |
| Toys | If in good condition please donate to charity shops. Otherwise put in your blue bin |
| Tools (e.g. saws) | Please recycle metal tools in the scrap metal skip at a recycling centre |
| E-cigarettes | E-cigarettes can be recycled at a recycling centre. Please put cartridges in your blue bin or check for recycling services with your e-cigarette brand |
You can recycle food and garden waste in the brown bin including:
Garden waste
- Grass cuttings
- flowers and plants
- twigs and small branches
Food waste
- Fruit and vegetables
- Poultry
- Meat
- Fish
- Plate scraping
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
No thanks:
| General waste | Put in your blue bin |
| Plastic bags or liners | Put in your blue bin |
| Compostable plastics such as Vegware | Put in your blue bin |
| Animal waste | Animal waste cannot be recycled, please put in your blue bin |
| Pet bedding/sawdust | Pet bedding/sawdust cannot be recycled, please put in your blue bin |
| Liquids | Too much liquid can cause harm to our composting process. Please put in your blue bin |
| Invasive plants (i.e. Japanese Knotweed) | Invasive plants can cause harm to the compost we produce. Please put in your blue bin |
| Soil turf or compost | These cannot be recycled in your brown bin. Please take to a recycling centre |
| Rubble or stones | Take to a recycling centre |
| Nappies | Nappies cannot be recycled, please put in your blue bin |
| Timber | Take to a recycling centre |
| Packaged food (food still in jars or packets) | Please remove food from packaging before putting in the brown bin and recycle the packaging in recycling bins |
Your blue bin is for landfill (household waste)
All of the waste in the blue landfill bin will be sent to local landfill sites where it is buried under the ground. As a result, and if possible, only waste that cannot be recycled should be put in your blue landfill bin.
Back To TopIn multi-occupancy properties we aim to provide waste and recycling bins whenever possible. This can be difficult due to space restrictions and the number of bins needed for the block.
Collection frequencies for landfill waste will vary at each site. This will depend on the number of bins provided and the number of properties in the block. This may vary from several times per week through to fortnightly collections. If you do not know your waste arrangements, please speak to your landlord, factor or call our Recycling Helpline on 03451 55 00 22.
If recycling bins are not provided you can still recycle. Use Recycling Points to recycle your plastics, cans, paper, cardboard, glass and textiles.
Back To TopA property may be on a sack collection if:
- They do not have space to store a landfill bin on their property
- We cannot access their house due to the width of street, vehicle restrictions etc.
In these circumstances we may provide a sack collection to the resident. Sack collections are normally collected weekly. However, we are unable to provide a recycling service alongside this.
We deliver 50 sacks every six months equating to a use of two sacks per week. We will only uplift Fife Council branded sacks from the collection point.
Back To TopThe waste and recycling service provided to rural properties will vary. This will depend on their ease of access, condition of access road and ability to store bins at road end.
We provide up to a 3 bin service to rural properties including:
- Landfill (household) waste collection – emptied fortnightly
- Plastics and cans collection – emptied monthly
- Paper and cardboard collection – emptied monthly
We do not provide a food and garden waste collection to rural properties as it is not cost effective to do so.
You can check your bin collection calendar online at online.fifedirect.org.uk/bincalendar
Back To TopOther information to note:
- Bins should be out by 6am on collection day and left out until 9pm or when emptied
- Bin lids should be closed, or we may not empty the bin
- We will not collect any extra bags, boxes or other waste placed at the side of the bin
Assisted collections
We can help if you are unable to put your bin out for collection and have no-one to help you. You may be able to get an assisted collection service if you are elderly or disabled. This is also known as 'take out and return'.
To request a 'take out and return' call the Recycling Helpline on 03451 55 00 22.
Household clinical waste collection
Some clinical waste needs separate disposal in an incinerator. Your GP or NHS practitioner will tell you this.
Contact NHS Fife to clarify if your medical waste needs treatment in this way.
If you have previously reported a damaged bin, or requested a new bin(s) and there hasn’t been a repair/delivery within the given time scales, then please contact Fife Council via:
- Web Chat (Click the red button on the right of this page)
- Email Fife.Council@fife.gov.uk
- Complete a Bin General Enquiries form
- If you have no online access, telephone 03451 55 00 22
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