Refuse & Recycling
Waste Collections
The Council is currently experiencing some delays with waste collections. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your support and patience at this time. Please see the list below for information on the current waste collection delays, revised collection dates and advice and guidance.
Waste Collection Delays 07/08/26:
No delays - all collections completed.
Advice for residents during service delays:
What should you do:
Please:
- Present your bins at your usual collection point
- Put bins out the night before collection day, as crews may start earlier than usual
- If your collection day has been moved to a later date, remove your bin from your collection point until the new collection date. You can find out when your bin will be collected from the updates above.
- Store your external food waste caddy in a shaded area and locked. Missed food waste collections will not be collected until the next scheduled collection day.
Side Waste:
We appreciate residents' ongoing patience and understanding while we work through the current challenges affecting waste and recycling collections. We know this can be frustrating, and we are doing everything we can to return services to normal as quickly as possible.
To help residents who may have built up additional recycling during this period, we will temporarily accept extra recycling alongside blue (plastic, glass and metal) and green (paper and cardboard) bin collections.
Please keep your extra paper and card and plastics, glass and metals in a dry and secure place and only present at the side of your blue or green bin on your collection day. This extra recycling can be presented in a tub or box alongside your blue or green bin for collection by our operatives.
Please keep paper and cardboard separate from plastics, glass and metals.
We would like to apologise for any inconvenience these delays may have caused and thank you for your continued cooperation and support.
To keep up to date with the latest collection information, click here
Hot weather advice:
In periods of extreme heat crews may need more breaks to rehydrate, this may mean crews start collection rounds earlier and finish them later than you would usually expect. During periods of hot weather we advise you to:
- Keep bin lids closed and secure
- Store bins in a shaded area where possible
Reporting a missed bin
You can report a missed bin by logging into your self-serve account.
Please note, missed food waste bins will not be collected until the next scheduled collection day so try to leave your external caddy locked and in a shaded area.
If we have shared a revised collection day for your collections in the lists above, please do not report a missed collection.
We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience while we bring the service back up to date.
What goes in your bins?
To find out what items you can recycle in your bins, please click here.
Garden waste collections
Our garden waste collection service is open to all households across the borough. We offer fortnightly collections of garden waste such as leaves and grass cuttings which is then recycled.
For more information on garden waste collections and how to sign up, please click here.
Find your collection dates
Find your collection dates by typing your postcode, street or house name into the 'Your West Lancashire' panel on the right-hand side of this page (on a computer) or at the bottom of this page (on a mobile phone).
Please leave your bins at your normal collection point by 7.00am, with the lid closed and handles facing outwards, and take them back to your property promptly after they have been emptied.
Safe disposal of gas bottles & batteries
We have seen an increase in gas bottles in recycling collected from households, including nitrous oxide bottles, helium bottles, small carbon dioxide bottles and fire extinguishers. Please do not place these in your recycling bins as they cannot be processed through the recycling system and may explode if crushed. Please take empty gas bottles to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre where they can be disposed of safely, find your nearest one here.
Batteries placed in bins can cause fires in the collection vehicles and recycling facilities. Please do not place batteries in any waste or recycling bins. Collect your used batteries and drop them off at your local recycling centre, or at a collection point in a supermarket, DIY centre or local shop.
Missed bin collection
We keep our website and social media updated with major interruptions or delays to collection services. If we are already aware of the missed collection we will make arrangements to return and you will not have to raise a specific enquiry for your address.
If you wish to report a missed collection, please note that this can only be done from 6pm on the day your collection should have taken place. Before reporting a missed bin, please check your bin collection day, you can do this by putting your address into the ‘Your West Lancashire' panel on this page.
To report a missed collection or spillage problem, please click here.
Request a new bin
If one or more of your wheelie bins has been stolen, lost or damaged, or if you have moved into a property that does not have any bins, a charge of £25 will be made for each replacement bin.
Households may also qualify for second grey bins if they have a large family or have approved medical waste. Additional bins for medical waste may be issued following assessment of customer need.
Assisted Collections
Assisted collections are available to eligible residents that meet specific criteria such as being physically unable to present bins for collection and living alone. Applications will be assessed and where residents meet the criteria for assisted collections, a Waste Management Officer will make contact to arrange access to the bins.
If your application is approved, all waste receptacles must be left visible and accessible for collection in the agreed location by 7am on collection day.
To submit an application for assisted collection please click here.
Food Waste
Food Waste collections are coming to West Lancs in March 2026. This national scheme means all local authorities have to provide residents with a weekly food waste recycling collection service. Find out everything you need to know here.
