Refuse

Smaller waste bins

From mid-September 2025 Tewkesbury Borough Council will be ‘small on waste and big on recycling’ and will be delivering smaller 140 litre waste (refuse) bins for new developments and any replacement bin requested. 

Waste analysis completed by Gloucestershire County Council found that a quarter of household waste is made up of food. Almost another quarter (23%) is made up of plastics, paper, and card that could be recycled. Our aim is for the borough to be ‘small on waste and big on recycling’ and these 140 litre bins reflect our efforts to reduce the amount of recyclable and compostable material going to landfill or sent for incineration.  

Extra blue recycling bins and food caddies continue to be free, and you may order as many of these as you require.

What should I do if I  need extra waste capacity? 

For those householders where there is a need for additional waste and recycling bins due to large households or special circumstances the following criteria and charges apply:

• Where a household of five or more produces general waste which cannot be accommodated in one wheeled bin, an additional 140ltr refuse bin will be offered,
  providing every effort to maximise recycling has been made. There is a charge for the bin which includes delivery.
• Where a member of a household has medical circumstances and produces general waste which will not fit into one bin, an additional 140ltr refuse bin will be offered free of charge.

What should I do if I’ve got young children in nappies? 

We are not able to offer additional waste bins for nappy waste.
Did you know that the Gloucestershire Real Nappy Project is offering £30 discount vouchers to residents in our county? Please visit the scheme website to find out more:  Real reusable nappies | Gloucestershire Recycles  

This change to our Household Waste and Recycling Collection policy was endorsed by our Overview and Scrutiny committee in July 2025 and approved by our Executive committee on 4 September 2025. 

What to do with rubbish that can’t be recycled

We collect non-recyclable household rubbish from your refuse (green) bin every two weeks. Make sure your bin is out by 7am on collection day with the lid closed.

We cannot collect your refuse bin if it has any of the following:

• Batteries (these can be taken to local supermarkets)
• Vapes (these can safely be recycled at Gloucestershire County Council’s household recycling centres)
• Stones, gravel, rubble
• Garden waste, soil
• Sharp objects
• DIY home improvement waste
• Carpet and underlay
• Commercial or building waste
• Partially full or full tins of paint or household chemicals
• Clinical waste

How to get rid of extra rubbish

We do not collect bags of waste that are on top of, or at the side of bins.

If you have extra rubbish, DIY waste or household chemicals you must dispose of these at one of the Household Recycling Centres (‘the tip’).

Clinical waste

Hazardous waste such as syringes, needles, lancets and sharps pose a significant health risk and need to be disposed of safely.

Do not place any syringes, sharps and lancets in the green waste bins – you may not only be risking your own health but that of the operatives that pick up the waste.

Using a special ‘yellow sharps box’ is the safest way to dispose of hypodermic needles, lancets and sharps. These are available on prescription from your local GP surgery or can be purchased directly from the pharmacy at a small cost. Once full, boxes must be returned sealed to either your local surgery or to one of the pharmacies in Gloucestershire participating in the take back scheme.

Personal hygiene products such as nappies, adult continence items, sanitary and first-aid waste should be double-bagged and placed in the refuse bin.