Bin Colour Guide: Waste & Recycling Across the Merseyside Region
5 min read
Liverpool is known for its distinctive purple bins and once you know each colour’s purpose, the system is pretty straightforward.
Purple bin - General waste
Use the purple bin for anything that cannot be recycled, including:
- Non-recyclable plastics
- Broken items
- Food packaging that’s contaminated
Blue bin/bag - Dry recyclables
Use this for:
- Paper & cardboard
- Plastic bottles
- Tins, cans & aerosols
- Glass jars This is where most household recyclables go. Keeping items loose and rinsed helps prevent contamination — one of the biggest issues Liverpool faces with recycling rates.
Green bin - Garden waste (subscription)
Use this for:
- Grass cuttings
- Hedge trimmings
- Leaves
- Garden debris
Many Liverpool residents subscribe seasonally, especially during spring and summer.
Tip: If you live in a communal building, you may use shared waste and recycling chutes — but the rules stay the same: blue is always for clean recyclables, and purple is for general waste.
This step by step breaks down the Wirral's Bin Guide.
Green bin - General household waste
This is for anything that cannot be recycled. Examples include:
- Plastic wrapping
- Polystyrene
- Nappies
Many new residents assume green = garden waste, but not in Wirral.
Grey bin - Recycling Accepted materials include:
This is for anything that cannot be recycled. Examples include:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Cans & tins
- Plastic bottles
- Glass bottles & jars
Wirral uses a co-mingled recycling system, making it easy to place everything in one container.
Brown bin - Garden waste (subscription)
- Grass
- Leaves
- Small branches
- Hedge cuttings
- Glass bottles & jars
This service is popular during growing season and essential for residents with larger gardens.
Tip: Because Wirral flips the typical UK colour scheme, always double-check labels to avoid contamination.
Sefton has one of the most detailed recycling systems in the region and asks residents to take extra care in sorting materials.
Grey bin - General Waste
Your grey bin is for anything that cannot be recycled or placed in the green garden bin. If you live in an area with sack collections, place general waste in your refuse sacks instead.
Brown Bin or Hessian Sack - Mixed Dry Recycling
Use this for clean, dry recyclables, including:
- Cans
- Cardboard (flatten before placing inside)
- Mixed glass (clean, with lids left on)
- Paper products (newspapers, magazines, office paper)
- Plastic bottles (rinsed, not squashed)
Green Wheelie Bin - Garden Waste Suitable for:
- Grass cuttings
- Shrub and hedge trimmings
- Leaves
- Weeds
Knowsley keeps its bin system straightforward, but with a unique colour scheme compared to surrounding boroughs.
Maroon Bin - General Waste
- Non-recyclable plastics
- General household rubbish
- Food waste (unless you compost at home) Any items that cannot be recycled
Grey bin - Dry Recycling
The grey bin is for all co-mingled recycling, which goes to Knowsley’s sorting facility. You can put in:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Tins and cans
- Plastic bottles
- Glass jars
Blue Bin - Garden Waste Suitable for:
- Grass cuttings
- Shrub and hedge trimmings
- Leaves
- Weeds
St Helens uses a multi-container recycling system, designed to improve sorting at the kerbside and boost overall recycling quality. Collections for recycling take place weekly, while general and garden waste follow a fortnightly schedule.
Weekly Recycling Collections
Green Bag - Cardboard
Use this bag for clean, flattened cardboard.
Black Box - Glass
Place glass jars and bottles inside, making sure they’re empty and free of liquids.
White Bag - Plastics & Cans
Suitable for:
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic pots (e.g., yoghurt pots)
- Metal cans (soft drink cans, food tins, deodorant cans, etc.)
Food Caddy - Food Waste
Food caddies are available from: St Helens Town Hall, ground floor reception, 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday
You can order one for £35.50 with the council or purchase one directly with Wray Bros for £9.45.
Fortnightly Collections
Brown Bin - General Waste
Use this for all household rubbish that cannot be recycled or put into your food waste caddy.
Green Bin = Garden Waste (Subscription)
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Garden trimmings
Halton uses a simple and familiar colour scheme, similar to many other UK regions.
Black/Grey Bin - General Waste
Use this bin for anything non-recyclable, including:
- Plastic packaging
- Food-contaminated items
- Soft plastics
- General household rubbish
If it can’t be recycled, it should go in here.
Blue Bin - Dry Recycling
Suitable for clean, loose recyclables such as:
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Plastic bottles
- Cans and tins
Important: Items must be loose — bagged recycling may be rejected during collection.
Green Bin - Garden Waste (Subscription)
- Grass cuttings
- Leaves
- Hedge trimmings
- General plant waste
General Recycling Tips
Recycling across Merseyside can vary from borough to borough, so these tips will help you get it right:
- Rinse containers to reduce contamination and improve recycling quality.
- Do not bag recyclables unless your council explicitly instructs you to do so.
- Keep soil, turf, and food waste out of garden bins - these can spoil the composting process.
- Check local rules if you move: bin colours and collection rules differ across Merseyside.
- Keep garden waste subscriptions up to date to ensure uninterrupted collections.
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