Epping Forest bin collections

By Mark Andrews. Checked against Epping Forest District Council pages on 26 October 2026.

Epping Forest picks up more than bins each week. Small electricals, batteries, vapes, textiles and paired shoes go too, each in its own carrier bag on top of your bin. Food waste got a separate weekly collection on 31 March 2026, and the black bin and blue-lidded recycling bin alternate fortnightly.

Which bin is which in Epping Forest

Black is non-recyclable waste and the blue-lidded bin is dry recycling. Everything out before 6.30am, with the food caddy handle upright and locked. A contaminated bin isn't emptied until you've taken the wrong stuff out.

Black General waste Black bin - non-recyclable general wasteFortnightly
Blue Recycling Blue-lidded bin - dry recyclingFortnightly
Green Garden waste Green-lidded bin - garden waste, subscriptionFortnightly
Brown Food waste Brown kerbside food caddy (23L) with kitchen caddy - weeklyWeekly

Christmas and New Year collections 2026

Collections from Christmas Day to New Year's Day all move later, with Friday 25 December's round going out on Tuesday 29 December. Normal days return on Tuesday 5 January.

Usual dayCollected on
Friday 25 DecemberTuesday 29 December
Tuesday 29 DecemberWednesday 30 December
Wednesday 30 DecemberThursday 31 December
Thursday 31 DecemberSaturday 2 January
Friday 1 JanuaryMonday 4 January

Garden waste: £60 a year

£60 for the first bin, on a fixed term from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, with no reduction for joining part-way. Extra bins, up to three, are £35 each to buy plus £30 each to subscribe. Payment is online only, the bin needs a permit sticker, and collections are fortnightly on your recycling day with a two-week break over Christmas.

Sign up for garden waste collection

Weekly food waste collection

Weekly. The 7 litre kitchen caddy and 23 litre kerbside caddy are free, and extra kerbside caddies cost £5.80. Flats without gardens were brought in between June and August 2026 through communal bins.

Report a missed bin

Report it online after 5.30pm on collection day, or phone the next day, and within two working days. Crews come back within two working days of your report.

Phone
01992 564000

Report a missed bin to Epping Forest

Recycling centres in Epping Forest

The four recycling centres are run by Essex County Council, and you need a free booked slot for every visit unless you're a blue badge holder, on foot or on a bike.

  • Chigwell Recycling Centre, Luxborough Lane IG7 5AA booking needed
  • Waltham Abbey Recycling Centre, Brooker Road EN9 1JU booking needed
  • Harlow Recycling Centre, Temple Bank CM20 2DY booking needed
  • Brentwood Recycling Centre, Coxtie Green Road CM14 5PN booking needed

Get told the night before

Binformation is a free Android app. Put your postcode in once and it sends a notification the evening before each collection, saying which bins are going. If the council moves your day for a bank holiday, the reminder moves with it.

Binformation on Google Play

Nearby councils

Where this comes from

Every fact on this page was read from the council's own website, last checked on 26 October 2026. Councils change prices each April, so check the link before you pay for anything.

Linking to this page is fine. Scraping it, or copying the council information in bulk, isn't: see the terms of use.