Bins and recycling

Once you subscribe using your email address, we’ll send you an email reminder the day before each of your bin collection days.

Right now, you can subscribe to reminders for only 1 address at a time. You'll be able to subscribe to reminders for multiple addresses later in 2026.

If you live in Renfrewshire, you can subscribe to our bin collection email reminders.

These email reminders are for homes where you put your own bins out, including if someone helps you do this. They’re not for flats with shared bins or businesses.

You can subscribe to bin collection email reminders on our website.

1. Select the button below to view our bin collection day page.
2. Search for your postcode.
3. Select your address from the list.
4. In the section called ‘Get bin collection email reminders’, enter your email address to subscribe to reminders for that collection address.

Subscribe to bin collection email reminders
 

Once you subscribe using your email address, we’ll send you an email reminder the day before each of your bin collection days.

If you’re not getting the reminders in your inbox, they could be in your spam folder.

You can unsubscribe from the email reminders on our website:

Unsubscribe from bin collection email reminders

You can donate laptops, tablets and phones that are less than 10 years old and in good condition by bringing them to one of these Renfrewshire libraries:

• Paisley Central Library
• Johnstone Library
• Renfrew Library
• Ferguslie Park Library.

View library addresses and opening hours.

Library staff will give all donated devices to Pachedu, our partner organisation for this recycling programme. Then, the staff at Pachedu will:

• securely wipe (factory reset) all devices
• refurbish them
• give them to people in Renfrewshire who need them.

Donating unwanted laptops, tablets and phones helps reduce waste and helps people in need.

Make sure any laptops, tablets or phones you want to donate are less than 10 years old and in good condition.

If your devices are more than 10 years old, look for another way to donate or sell your device, or you can recycle them at one of our household waste recycling centres. 

We cannot accept a device that has a swollen battery. If your device has a swollen battery or is showing signs of this, you can recycle them at one of our household waste recycling centres.

Find out how to recycle other types of small electric appliances – such as kitchen appliances, children’s toys, or power cords and plugs – at our libraries’ WEEE Banks instead.

Personal data removal

Before donating, please ensure all personal data has been erased from your device. This include files, photos, saved passwords, and any linked accounts. You can do this using the relevant link below:

• Reset your Windows device (Microsoft.com)
• Reset your Apple device - iPhone, iPod, iPod Touch (Apple.com)
• Reset your Apple Mac (Apple.com)
• Reset your Android device (Android.com)

The device will also be securely wiped in a professional manner by Pachedu.

First, fill in this online form:

Donate a laptop, tablet or phone

Then, bring your device to one of these Renfrewshire libraries and speak to the library staff at the counter:

• Paisley Central Library
• Johnstone Library
• Renfrew Library
• Ferguslie Park Library.

If you have lots of devices to donate, contact Pachedu directly – they’ll be able to arrange a collection with you:

• phone 07554 942791
• email esther.misajel@pachedu.org.

We cannot return donated devices to you once you’ve left them with our library staff for recycling.

The staff at Pachedu will securely wipe (factory reset) all devices, refurbish them, and give them to people in Renfrewshire who need them.

For more information, contact Pachedu by:

• phone 07554 942791
• email esther.misajel@pachedu.org.

Library staff in the 4 participating libraries will also be able to help.

Where our household waste recycling centres are

If you're a Renfrewshire resident, you can recycle and dispose of a range of household waste materials at our 5 recycling centres.

Our household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) are at:

• Erskine, Barrhill Road, PA8 6BU
• Johnstone, Miller Street, PA5 8HP
• Linwood, Middleton Road, PA3 3DP
• Paisley, Underwood Road, PA3 1TL
• Renfrew, Haining Road, PA4 0AJ.

Opening hours

Our centres are open 7 days a week, from 8am to 6pm (last entry 5:45pm).

What vehicles you can use

You can only bring your car into our recycling centres, except our Linwood centre, where you can bring larger vehicles such as vans, pickups, and trailers.

You'll need to apply for a permit to visit our Linwood centre with a van, pickup or trailer.

What to expect when you arrive

Find out what you can dispose of at our recycling centres.

When you arrive at our recycling centres, you'll need to provide:

• proof that you're a Renfrewshire resident, such as a council tax or utility bill
• photo identification, such as your driving licence.

If you do not have these, you will not be able to enter the recycling centre.

If you want to visit our Linwood household waste recycling centre with a van, pickup or trailer, you will need to apply for a permit in advance.

You do not need a permit if you are visiting any of our recycling centres in a car.

You cannot remove any items from our recycling centres.

Other options

You have other options even if you do not have a car and cannot access our recycling centres.

Check your bin collection day and find out what can go in your bins.

If you have items that are too big to fit in your bins, you can arrange for us to collect them from your home.

If you did the building or renovation work yourself

If you did the building or renovation work yourself, you can bring certain amounts of DIY waste to our household waste recycling centres (HWRCs):

Non-recyclable DIY waste

Non-recyclable DIY waste is limited to 2 x 50-litre bags at all HWRCs.

Recyclable DIY waste

Recyclable DIY waste includes materials such as wood and scrap metal.

Soil must be separated from stones and other rubble to be considered recyclable DIY waste. Otherwise, it is non-recyclable.

Different HWRCs have different rules about how much waste you can bring:

• Erskine, Paisley, and Renfrew HWRCs: you can bring an unlimited about of recyclable DIY waste.
• Linwood HWRC: limited to 8 x 50-litre bags of recyclable DIY waste.
• Johnstone HWRC: you can bring an unlimited amount of recyclable DIY waste, except for wood, which you cannot bring to this HWRC. You can bring wood to any of the other HWRCs.

You do not actually have to bag all of your waste. The 50-litre bag reference is just so you know the size or volume of waste you can bring to each HWRC.

We cannot take plasterboard at any of our HWRCs. See what you can dispose of at our HWRCs.

If you paid someone to do the building or renovation work

If you paid someone to do the building or renovation work, such as a joiner or other tradesperson, you cannot bring this DIY waste to our household waste recycling centres.

The person who did the work is legally responsible for removing the waste from your site as part of their service to you.

Other options

If you did the building or renovation work yourself, you can order a bulky waste collection from your home.

You can hire a skip or use a private waste disposal contractor to remove your DIY waste.

See a list of registered waste carriers and brokers (SEPA website).

You could also post your building materials on social media or online marketplaces to see if someone wants to collect them for free.

If you have any questions, contact us:

• phone 0300 300 0300
• email customerservices.contact@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

DIY waste is waste created when doing building or renovation work in your home or garden.

According to law, DIY waste is considered 'non-household waste'. For that reason, we do not collect this type of waste from your home.

You can order a free replacement if you need new stickers for your bins that list what can go in each bin.

Order new stickers for your bins online.

You can download or order a printed calendar showing your bin collection days if you need one.

Here are the fastest ways to find out your bin collections days.

Enter your postcode using our online bin collection day checker. You'll be able to:

• see your next bin collection days
• download a PDF bin collection calendar and print it yourself – if you have access to a printer
• download a digital calendar – if you use a calendar app such as Outlook or Google Calendar.

Check your bin collection days online

You can also subscribe to bin collection email reminders. We’ll send you an email reminder the day before each of your bin collection days.

Subscribe to bin collection email reminders

If you've tried the options above and would still like to order a printed calendar, you can order one online.

Once we've processed your order, we’ll send your calendar to you in the post. If we get lots of orders at once, it may take a while for your calendar to arrive.

Order a printed bin calendar

1. Definitions

The following definitions are used in these terms and conditions and for the Garden waste collection Service:

• Brown bin means a 140-litre or 240-litre Brown bin used for garden and food waste.
• Collection address means the residential address where the Customer presents their Brown bin with Sticker at the kerbside for collection by the Council.
• Collection day means the day the Customer presents their Brown bin outside their address for collection by the Council.
• Contamination means any items not defined as Garden waste or Food waste that are placed in the Brown bin for collection under this Service.
• Council means Renfrewshire Council.
• Customer means the person (applicant) eligible for the Garden waste collection Service and who has been provided with a Permit, whether the person has applied in person, or someone has applied on their behalf.
• Exemption means a Customer who doesn't pay for the Service in accordance with the requirements stated in Section 10 below.
• Food waste means Food waste items that can be put in a Brown bin for Garden waste or Food waste collection, as may be revised from time to time.
• Garden waste means Garden waste items that can be put in a Brown bin for Garden waste collection, as may be revised from time to time.
• Payment means the cost for the Permit as noted in Section 8 below.
• Permit means collectively both the confirmation notice and Sticker the Customer receives from the Council.
• Personal Data means the information the Council need to collect about the Customer to allow them to sign up to and receive the Service.
• Places of worship means development owned by a religious organisation used for worship and related religious, philanthropic, or social activities including rectories, manses, and accessory buildings. Typical uses include churches, chapels, mosques, temples, synagogues, parish halls, convents, and monasteries.
• Section means the Sections listed in these terms and conditions which are for ease of reference only.
• Service means the collection of Garden waste by the Council from a Brown bin(s) with a Sticker attached.
• Sticker means an adhesive label provided by the Council with a unique number and the Collection address on it that visibly displays confirmation of the Permit and is attached to the Customer's Brown bin(s).

2. Service description

The Service is available, subject to Section 3 eligibility, to a Customer with a domestic property registered for Council Tax where the Council already provides or will provide a Brown bin Service.

Separately, the Service is also open to Places of worship, as defined above, in Renfrewshire where the Council already provides or will provide a Brown bin Service.

Following the application process in Section 9 below, where eligible a Customer, will be issued a Permit and Sticker for the Collection address.

The Customer must attach the Sticker to their Brown bin, as evidence of a Permit.

Where there is a Sticker on the Brown bin and a valid Permit is in place, the Council will collect the Garden waste on the specified Collection day.

If the Sticker is removed, the Customer can request a replacement Permit using the online form. The unique number for the missing Sticker will be cancelled and cannot be used after a replacement Permit with a bin Sticker has been issued.

For operational reasons, the Council reserves the right to change or amend the Collection day. The Council will notify any Customer in writing where there is a permanent change to the Collection day, in advance of the change being made.

The Service will not be operational during the two-week festive period (December/January). The dates for this festive period will be advertised on the Council website.

Customers can find the dates for their bin collection on their calendar or by checking the online bin collection calendar.

3. Eligibility

The Service is available to Customers with domestic properties or Places of worship. The Service is not available to other persons, companies, or commercial businesses.

To qualify the Customer and their property must be on a pre-existing Council Brown bin collection route. This information is available on their collection calendar which can accessed on the Council website or by emailing garden.waste@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

In addition, properties that are not assigned to a fortnightly food and Garden waste route are not eligible for this Service. Those excluded from this Service are properties on a weekly food waste route, sack collection and those with bulk bins.

The Service is only provided to the Collection address specified on the Customer's application and Permit. The Sticker is not transferable from the Collection address.

Customers will need to apply for a free of charge replacement Permit if they move address in Renfrewshire to a property that is on a garden waste collection route, unless their new address has a Brown bin with a valid Permit for Garden waste collection from the previous occupant.

If you move to an address that is not on a Garden waste collection route you will not be issued with a replacement Permit.

4. Service period

The Service runs from 01 May 2026 to 30 April 2027.

Customers can make an application for the Service up until 13 December 2026.

There is no Payment discount, and the Cost is fixed irrespective of when the Customer applies for the Service.

Customers will need to re-apply from 1 March 2027 if they want to continue using the Service after 30 April 2027.

5. Brown bins and garden waste

Garden waste will only be collected from a Brown bin with Sticker.

Both Garden Waste and Food waste can be placed together in a Brown bin with a Sticker and do not need to sign up for Food waste collection.

The Customer remains responsible for the maintenance and cleanliness of their Brown bin(s).

The Customer remains responsible for the security of their Brown bin(s). If a Brown bin is stolen or damaged, the Customer can request a replacement bin and free of charge replacement Permit by contacting Customer Services at 0300 300 0380. A charge may apply for a replacement bin.

Customers can also use the Council's Household Waste Recycling Centres to dispose of their domestic Garden waste free of charge.

6. Collection

The Customer must place their Brown bin with Sticker at the Collection address by 7am on the Collection day. If the Brown bin with Sticker at the Collection address is not presented by this time, the Council will not return to collect it until the next scheduled Service Collection day.

The Customer is responsible for positioning the Brown bin with Sticker at the Collection address, so it doesn't cause nuisance or obstruction to other pavement users on Collection day.

Garden waste or any other waste left on top, beside or near the any Brown bin will not be collected as part of this Service. Additional Brown bins and Permits can be purchased if required.

7. Contamination

Only Garden waste or Food waste must be placed in the Brown bin.

The Council will not empty a Brown bin eligible for this Service if it:

• contains materials other than Food waste or items not included in the Garden waste collection Service
• is overfilled or is judged by Council staff on Collection day as too heavy to empty
• cannot be accessed due to bad weather, roadworks, and reasons outside the Council's control.

If there is repeated Contamination in Brown bins used for this Service, the Council reserves the right to withdraw the Service from the Collection address. The Customer will be notified of this decision in writing.

The Customer is not eligible for a refund of the Payment where the Service is withdrawn for reason of Contamination.

8. Cost

The Payment for the Service Period for each Brown bin is £52 unless certain Exemptions apply as noted in Section 10 below.  

Eligible Customers can also sign up to Pay for the Service for additional Brown bin(s). Customers will need to apply for an additional Permit for each additional Brown bin. A Sticker will require to be attached to each additional Brown bin accepted for the Service.

If the Customer is exempt from Payment, they are entitled to one Permit free of charge. Additional Permits will be chargeable as noted above.

9. Application and payment

Applications for the Service can be made online, by phone on 0300 300 0380 or by paper application form available at Renfrewshire House.

If you need help with applying for this Service, assistance can be given by calling 0300 300 0380. Internet access for online applications is available free of charge at local libraries.

Payment must be made at time of online and telephone applications and therefore can only be made by debit card or credit card.  For posted applications, please attach a cheque made payable to Renfrewshire Council. For cash payments, you will need to visit Renfrewshire House in-person.

10. Exemptions from payment

There are certain Exemptions which mean some applicants do not have to pay for the initial Brown bin Permit provided for the Service.

The Exemptions are when the Collection address:

• qualifies for a full (100%) Council Tax Reduction at the time they apply for the Service
• is registered for a Council Tax discount or Exemption at the time they apply because someone at the Collection address has been classed as severely mentally impaired.

Collection addresses where the applicant would be exempt from Payment still need to apply for a Permit for the Service. Collection addresses that subsequently qualify for Exemption from Payment after making Payment for the Permit during the Service Period will not be eligible for a refund.

11. Cancellations and refunds

There is a 14-day cancellation period for the Contract which starts on the day after purchase of the Service. If cancellation is made during this time frame, a full refund will be provided. Thereafter, it can be cancelled at any time, but no refunds or part refunds will be given.

To exercise the right to cancel, Customers must inform the Council of your decision to cancel the contract by clear statement in writing. Please send your email addressed to garden.waste@renfrewshire.gov.uk or by post to Garden Waste Permits, Customer Service Centre, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN.

Should the Permit have been issued prior to the cancellation notice being received, it will be cancelled, and the Customer will be responsible for its disposal.

The Council will not give refunds or reduction in the Payment for the Customer failing to present the Brown bin with Sticker on the relevant Collection day.

The Council will not collect Garden waste from Brown bins displaying a Sticker where the Service has been cancelled or where the Service has been withdrawn by the Council due to repeat Contamination.

The Council will continue to collect Food waste from any Collection address with a Brown bin either after cancellation of the Service or suspension of the Service. However, the Council will not collect mixed Food waste and Garden waste without a live and valid Permit in place.

No refund will be available for any Collection day missed while the Service has been withdrawn, regardless of cause for removal of Service.

12. Data protection

To deliver this Service, we need to collect Customers' Personal data including the:

• Customer's name
• Collection address
• billing address
• Council tax reference number for the Collection address
• email address
• telephone number
• Payment details.

We use this data for:

• Customers to pay for the Service
• provide Customers with the Service
• manage and administer the Service
• contact Customers about changes to the Service
• contact Customers when their Service is to expire and to offer a renewal
• improve the design and performance of the Service
• investigate complaints
• manage the finances of the Service
• recover money Customers may owe us.

The Council's privacy policy sets what information we collect, how we collect it, what we do with it, who we share it with and why.

13. Complaints

We are committed to providing high quality services. If something goes wrong or you are not happy with the Service, please tell us. 

Complete our online enquiry form or call us on 0300 300 0300.

Full details of our complaints procedure can be found at the above link.

14. Law and jurisdiction

The Council Garden Waste Collection Service including the Permit and these Terms and Conditions will be governed by the Law of Scotland and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish Courts.

15. Changes to terms and conditions

The Council reserves the right to make amendments to these terms and conditions during the Service Period.

Any changes to the terms and conditions will be communicated by the Council to Customers on the Council website.

These terms and conditions apply to the Renfrewshire Council garden waste collection service, provision of the Permit and online or telephone application processes which together form a contract between the Customer and the Council.

By applying for this Garden waste collection Service, you accept these terms and conditions including any Payment charges.