Brown bin collection service

Apply for a garden waste permit for 2024/25 via MyFalkirk.

2023/24 garden waste permits (green in colour) will remain valid until 30 April 2024.

2024/25 garden waste permits will be yellow in colour. When you receive your 2024/25 permit place immediately on your garden waste bin and remove the 2023/24 permit.

During April 2024, brown bins displaying either a 2023/24 or 2024/25 permit will be serviced.

See www.falkirk.gov.uk/brownbin for more information.

Photograph of a burgundy bin

Your burgundy bin is collected every 4 weeks from the kerbside (or the agreed collection point) and should be presented by 6:30am on the morning of your collection day.

You can recycle the following in your burgundy bin:

  • paper
  • card
  • cardboard

Right stuff, right bin!

Don't get caught out by wishcycling. Wishcycling is unintentionally putting the wrong thing in the burgundy bin.

What you can recycle in the burgundy bin

Paper (clean and dry)

  • Letters and envelopes (including windows)
  • Paper food packaging
  • Magazines
  • directories
  • Newspapers
  • Yellow Pages
  • Brochures
  • Catalogues
  • Leaflets
  • Wrapping paper
  • Office and shredded paper
  • Junk mail
  • Paperback books (can also be reused via charity shops or recycling centres)

Cardboard (flattened)

  • Cereal boxes
  • Large and small cardboard boxes (large cardboard boxes can also be taken to one of the recycling centres)
  • Cardboard packaging
  • Greetings cards
  • Brown corrugated boxes
  • Toilet and kitchen roll tubes
  • Egg boxes

Top tips on using your burgundy bin

  • Flatten and tear up cardboard boxes to save space.
  • Remove plastic wrapping from junk mail or magazines.
  • Materials should be loose, not bagged.

In the interest of health and safety, please ensure that your bins are presented at the kerbside for collection without anything attached, including rope or bungee cords, as this can become entangled with our lifting equipment and is a danger to operatives.

Example of a burgundy bin with clean, dry and loose paper and cardboard

Problems occur when recycling bins include items which they are not supposed to, this is called contamination. Putting the wrong items in the wrong bin causes recyclable material to become contaminated, and can lead to it being rejected by our re-processor.

If your burgundy bin contains the wrong material, we will advise you by placing a tag on the bin. The bin will not be uplifted. Any wrong material must be removed and placed in the correct bin/container. The bin can then be presented again on the next scheduled collection day.


Burgundy bin wishcycling

Wishcycling is unintentionally putting the wrong thing in the burgundy bin.

The following items are often wishcycled and should not be put in the burgundy bin:

Soft plastics and film

red plastic carrier bag

Why not?

  • Not widely recycled and needs specialist recycling

What to do

  • Take to a supermarket or other collection point

Cartons

Apple juice carton

Why not?

  • These are made from mixed materials

What to do

Dirty takeaway containers and drinks cups

Takeaway container full with food

Why not?

  • Food residue make them unrecyclable

What to do

Wallpaper

Roll of wallpaper

Why not?

  • Made of mixed materials

What to do

Padded envelopes (bubble wrap inside)

Brown padded envelope with bubble wrap lining

Why not?

  • Made of mixed materials

What to do

  • Where possible, remove the bubblewrap (put this part in the green bin) and put the paper part in the burgundy bin

Tissue, kitchen towel and napkins

White paper napkins

Why not?

  • These are often covered in food residue, making them unrecyclable

What to do


Please DO NOT PUT the following materials in your burgundy bin:

If you are not sure if a material can be placed in your burgundy bin, please contact us: