Bins and recycling

If you’re unable to put your bins out, we may be able to help.

We can:

• take your bins out on your collection day
• empty them
• return them to a specific location on your property.
   

We can help if you:

• are unable to take your bins out yourself due to a physical or medical condition
• do not have anyone physically able in your household aged 14 or over
• do not have someone you can ask for help, such as a neighbour or a relative.

Once you apply, a council officer might arrange to visit you to confirm that you’re eligible. We can only offer this service to people who need it.

You can apply for yourself, or you can ask someone else (such as a neighbour or a relative) to apply on your behalf.

If applying online, you or the person applying on your behalf will need an email address.

You’ll need to tell us:

• your age
• any medical conditions
• if you’re registered as disabled
• if you live with anyone aged 14 or over and why they cannot put the bins out
• where you store your bins and any details about steps, gates, and path surfaces.

You'll need to give us:

• proof of date of birth, such as a birth certificate or passport
• proof of address, such as a utility bill or appointment letters from a hospital, GP, or dentist.

You’ll also need to give us either:

• a supporting letter from a social worker, paid carer, health worker, or housing officer
• evidence of a medical condition.

Acceptable evidence of a medical condition could include one of the following:

• proof that you receive benefits such as:
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – mobility element
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA) – mobility element
  • Adult Disability Payment (ADP) – mobility element
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – for physical and mobility health issues
  • Universal Credit – limited capability for work related activity element
  • Pension Age Disability Payment  
  • Attendance Allowance
• hospital or GP letters detailing the condition
• NHS delivery notes for support equipment
• personal receipts for purchased support equipment as well as both of these.

You’ll be able to upload your evidence when you apply using the online form. If you prefer, you can send us photocopies of your evidence by post instead:

Apply for help to take your bins out

If you do not want to apply online, you can apply by phoning us on 0300 300 0300.

It will take up to 10 days for us to review your application.

We’ll send you a letter in the post to confirm that we’ve approved your application. This letter will also include some “Assisted Collection” stickers for you to stick on your bins. These stickers will help our bin collectors know which bins you’d like them to collect.

Your assisted collection service will begin within 2 weeks of the date shown on your approval letter.

Make sure to store your bins in a location where our bin collectors can access them. Any gates should be unlocked and in good working condition. Any dogs should be secured somewhere else to help keep our bin collectors safe.

Annual review

We review all assisted collections each year. You’ll need to tell us if your circumstances change and you no longer need help to take your bins out.

Moving house

If you move house, you need to tell us so we can update our records.

This service is free.

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