Catford Bin Collection Days and Recycling: What Goes Where

How do I find my bin collection day in Catford?

Bins in Catford, Rushey Green, Bellingham and Hither Green are all collected by Lewisham Council, and there is no single "Catford day" because collection days vary street by street. The council's find your collection day page has a search box where you enter your postcode or street name. If you search by street, use the full name without abbreviations and leave out the house or flat number. The same page covers all four waste streams: rubbish, recycling, food waste and garden waste.

Which bins do I get?

What you have depends on the type of property, according to the council's bins by property page.

• Houses and flats in converted properties: a black 180-litre wheelie bin for general rubbish, a green 240-litre wheelie bin for recycling, silver food waste bins (a 23-litre outdoor bin plus a 5-litre kitchen caddy) and an optional brown bin for garden waste. Recycling, food waste and garden waste are collected weekly and general rubbish every two weeks.
• Flats above shops: orange sacks for general household waste and clear plastic sacks for recycling. The council says sacks are delivered quarterly, in March, June, September and December.
• Blocks of flats and estates: large blue communal bins for rubbish and green communal bins for recycling. Food waste is available at some properties and is being expanded to more addresses. Recycling and food waste are weekly and rubbish fortnightly.

The council asks you to use the rubbish bins only for waste that cannot be recycled, and not to leave rubbish on the floor or on top of bins, because that attracts pests and can stop a collection.

What counts as food waste?

The council's food waste page lists raw and cooked food, fruit and vegetable peelings, meat, fish and bones, bread, rice, pasta, dairy, tea bags, coffee grounds and mouldy or out-of-date food as acceptable. Pet waste, packaging, plastic bags, garden waste, nappies, sanitary products and liquids should go elsewhere. The council supplies one roll of caddy liners to start you off; after that you can use clear bags such as bread bags, or newspaper, rather than black bags. Food waste is collected weekly. If you do not have a caddy, there is an "Order a bin" request form linked from the page.

When do I put the bins out?

The council's missed collection page says to put bins out before 6am on collection day, on the edge of your property. Crews cannot enter your property boundary unless they are assisting with a collection. For kerbside homes, DIY waste, garden waste and food waste must not go in the general waste bin, and for flats and estates food waste cannot go in general waste.

What if my bin was not collected?

Wait until 1pm on your collection day, then report it within 48 hours using the council's online forms, which are separate for missed rubbish, recycling, food waste and garden waste. If several bins were missed, report each one separately. If a crew damaged a bin at a kerbside property, they leave a postcard and arrange the repair or replacement automatically, so you do not need to report it. If you damaged or lost a bin yourself, use the repair or replacement request form. For flats and estates the council gives recycle@lewisham.gov.uk as the contact for bin problems.

How does garden waste work?

Garden waste is an optional paid subscription. As published by the council, a subscription costs £100.63 a year for weekly collections of a 240-litre brown bin, running from 3 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. You need to display the permit sticker so it is visible from the road. The council's page says the Direct Debit option for 2026/27 has closed, though one-off payments remain available, and that branches must be no more than 10cm thick or 50cm long. Check the garden waste page for the current position before you sign up.

Can I get help putting bins out?

If disability or ill health means you cannot get your bins to the property boundary, you can ask for an assisted collection. The council will not provide it if another household member can do it, and it cannot collect bins left at the rear of a property. Allow 10 working days for it to be arranged, and label your bins with your house number.

What about bulky items and things that do not fit?

Large items such as sofas, mattresses and fridges are handled separately, either through the council's paid bulky collection or by taking them to the Landmann Way site. Our guide to the Landmann Way tip and bulky waste covers both.