# Bin Rules Checker

> Can you put wood in a recycling bin? Almost never at the kerbside. Check what goes in which bin where you live, with the rule quoted and dated.

## Key facts

- English councils have had to collect food and garden waste, paper and card, and glass, metal and plastic separately from every household, including flats, since 31 March 2026, with plastic film joining the plastic stream from 31 March 2027.
- Household food waste in England must be collected at least weekly and free of charge; garden waste is the only household stream a council may charge for.
- In England a householder can only be issued a fixed penalty over bin presentation where the failure caused or was likely to cause a nuisance or was detrimental to local amenity, and the default penalty where the council specifies no amount is £60.

## Key pages

- [Can you put wood in a recycling bin?](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/): the main tool, answer above the fold.
- [What goes in which bin, and what counts as general waste](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/what-goes-in-which-bin/): The four English household streams, what each one takes, and the common items that are rejected: film, ceramics, compostable packaging, wet wipes, laminated pouches.
- [Simpler Recycling for households in England: what changed in 2026](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/simpler-recycling-household-rules/): From 31 March 2026 English councils must collect four household streams separately, food waste weekly and free. Transitional dates, flats, garden charges and penalties.
- [Bin and recycling rules by nation: England, Wales, Scotland, NI](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/bin-rules-by-nation/): The four UK nations set different streams, thresholds and dates. What each one requires of households and businesses, and which duties fall on councils rather than you.
- [Who must separate what, and from when, in each UK nation](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/#data): original data table, updated 2026-08-14.
- [Full site content as markdown](https://binruleschecker.co.uk/llms-full.txt)

## Data

- Who must separate what, and from when, in each UK nation. Methodology: Compiled from the primary sources named in each row and checked on the updated date above: gov.uk Simpler Recycling guidance for England, the Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023 and gov.wales for Wales, section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as it applies in Scotland, and the Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015. Where a nation leaves the scheme to individual councils, the row says so rather than inventing a national rule. Dates that have not yet arrived are marked as scheduled, not as current law.
- Last updated: 2026-08-14. Every figure cites its source inline.
- Source: gov.uk, Simpler recycling: household recycling in England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-household-recycling-in-england
- Source: gov.uk, Simpler recycling: workplace recycling in England: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/simpler-recycling-workplace-recycling-in-england
- Source: Separation of Waste (England) Regulations 2024: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/666/contents/made
- Source: Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 9 and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2024: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/639/made
- Source: gov.wales, workplace recycling in Wales: https://www.gov.wales/workplace-recycling
- Source: Waste Separation Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2023/1290/made
- Source: Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 34 (duty of care, Scotland extent): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/43/section/34
- Source: Environmental Protection Act 1990, sections 46, 46A and 46B (household receptacles and penalties): https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/43/section/46
- Source: Food Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2015/14/made
- Source: NetRegs, environmental guidance for business in Scotland and Northern Ireland: https://www.netregs.org.uk/environmental-topics/waste/
- Source: gov.uk, dispose of business or commercial waste: https://www.gov.uk/managing-your-waste-an-overview
- Source: Environment Agency public register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
- Source: gov.uk, find your local council: https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

## Citation

Cite as: "Who must separate what, and from when, in each UK nation", Bin Rules Checker, https://binruleschecker.co.uk/ (updated 2026-08-14).

## About

- Bin Rules Checker is an information site. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any government department, environmental regulator or local authority, and nothing here is legal advice. Waste rules are devolved and several of the dates on this site are scheduled rather than in force. Every regulatory statement here is quoted from the gov.uk, gov.wales or legislation.gov.uk page it links to and was checked on the date shown; confirm the current position with your council or regulator before you act.
- Operated by binruleschecker.co.uk. Contact: enquiries@binruleschecker.co.uk