Bins and recycling
Dorset Council empties them. This is the short version, with links to the council for your own address.
Type your postcode there. Bins out by 6am on the day, not before 6pm the night before. Side waste is not collected.
Rubbish
Council pageEvery fortnight. Black 140 litre wheelie bin.
Bag and box properties put out two authorised blue sacks a fortnight instead.
Yes
Nappies, plastic film and polystyrene, broken glass wrapped up, cold ashes, pet waste, sanitary waste, tissues, foil wrapping paper, glittery cards.
No
Garden waste, hot ashes, anything hazardous, building waste, electricals.
Recycling
Council pageEvery fortnight, the other week. 240 litre black bin with a green lid.
Or two lidded boxes. Household batteries go in a small bag on top of the lid.
Yes
Paper and card, cartons, foil trays and sheets, takeaway cups, hard plastics of any colour (bottles, pots, tubs, trays, lids), tins, cans, empty aerosols. Cartons and foil were added in September 2024.
No
Carrier bags or plastic film, bubble wrap, crisp packets, polystyrene, glass, tissues, greaseproof paper, nappies, textiles, plant pots, toys, blister packs, toothpaste tubes, wipes, batteries, electricals, food, garden waste, wood.
Glass
Council pageEvery fortnight. The separate 40 litre glass box.
Extra glass can go in any sturdy box one person can lift.
Yes
Bottles and jars, lids can stay on. Cosmetic jars, perfume bottles.
No
Broken glass (wrap it, rubbish bin), light bulbs, Pyrex, window glass.
Food waste
Council pageEvery week. Small 7 litre caddy indoors, 23 litre bin outside.
Line the caddy with newspaper or a compostable liner.
Yes
All food, cooked or not. Meat, bones, dairy, tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells.
No
Plastic bags, packaging, garden waste, liquids or oil.
Garden waste
A paid subscription, collected fortnightly in a black bin with a brown lid or in compostable paper sacks. The 2026/27 price depends on the month you start. No collections from Christmas Day to about 10 January.
| Start month | Price |
|---|---|
| April | £74 |
| May | £69.50 |
| June | £67 |
| July | £64 |
| August | £58.50 |
| September | £53.50 |
| October | £49.50 |
| November | £47 |
| December | £45 |
Missed bin, broken bin, help moving it
Report a missed collection after 4pm on the day. The bin has to have been out by 6am for the report to count.
The tip
Weymouth Household Recycling Centre, Lodmoor, Preston Beach Road. Open seven days a week.
- Hours
- 9am to 5pm April to September. 9am to 4pm October to March. Open bank holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
- Booking
- None needed at Weymouth. Booking is only at Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury and Sherborne. No trade waste.
- Vans and pickups
- Need a free permit, 6 or 12 visits a year. Cars can tow a trailer up to 1.2m by 1.8m.
- Charges
- DIY waste is free up to 16 bags over four visits in four weeks. After that rubble and soil are £1.50 a bag, plasterboard £2.50 a bag, tyres £5 each, gas bottles from £6.
Big stuff
Sofas, mattresses, fridges. The council does not collect them. It points people to Dorset Reclaim, a charity, on 01202 679350. Roughly £40 for the first item and £10 for each extra, their figures for September 2026, so check when you book. Reusable furniture may be taken for free. Or take it to Lodmoor yourself.
Christmas. Collections change only over Christmas and New Year. Every other bank holiday is a normal bin day. Christmas dates
Coming. The council's waste strategy plans to take plastic film and flexible packaging in the recycling bin by 2027. No date yet, so keep putting it in the rubbish for now.