We understand it’s frustrating when a bin hasn’t been emptied.
Before reporting a missed collection, please check that your bin was due to be collected, put out correctly and ready to collect.
Sometimes a bin may not be emptied because it contains the wrong items, is too heavy, or wasn’t accessible to the crew - you will see this as you start to report your bin as missed.
Different bins can be emptied at different times of day. Our crews may be working until 5pm, so please wait until then before reporting a missed collection.
Check before you report
You can report a missed collection if all the following apply:
- You live in Bedford Borough - go to GOV.UK Find your local Council if you are unsure which Council area your address is in.
- You put it in the correct place by 6am on your scheduled collection day.
- The bin was not too heavy or overloaded and contained the correct type of waste. Check what goes in each bin.
- You are reporting it within two working days of the scheduled collection day.
If any of these don’t apply, it may not count as a missed collection. You may need to remove the incorrect items or keep the waste until your next scheduled collection. Extra household waste can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
If your bin is showing as scheduled we are already aware it hasn’t been collected and will be back the next day - so please leave your bin out. This delay could be due to blocked access, a vehicle breakdown, or other reason.
See our waste and recycling policy (PDF) for further details. This policy is being updated to due to recent changes to collections.
Report a missed bin
If your bin meets all the criteria above, report it within two working days of the scheduled collection day.
If your report is accepted, keep your bin at the collection point so the crew can access it.
To report a missed bin online:
- Enter your postcode or street name and select Find my address.
- Choose your address from the matching addresses.
- Find the collection you want to report in the Previous bin collections and select Report missed bin.
- Follow the instructions and keep your reference number.
A video guide to reporting a missed bin
What happens after I report my bin as missed?
We’ll check your report and the collection records. If it is accepted as a missed collection, we aim to return within two working days (Monday-Friday) from midnight of the day of your report. Keep the bin accessible at the collection point during this time.
If the bin was not collected because it was contaminated, too heavy, put out late or inaccessible, it will not be eligible for a return collection. Follow any instructions left by the crew, remove the problem and present the bin on your next scheduled collection day.
Collection performance
We monitor collection performance and missed-bin reports to understand how reliable the service is and where it needs to improve.
Scheduled monthly household bin collections 2026/27
| Bin type | Monthly scheduled collections |
|---|---|
| Food waste bins | 284,304 |
| Green-lidded bins | 139,808 |
| Orange-lidded bins | 141,676 |
| Black bins | 143,684 |
| Total | 709,472 |
Food waste is collected weekly. Garden waste, recycling and black bins are collected fortnightly.
Percentage of scheduled collections reported as missed
| Bin type | Apr 2026 | May 2026 | Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Aug 2026 | Sep 2026 | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food waste bins | 0.40% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.10% | 0.20% | 0.30% |
| Green-lidded bins | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.10% |
| Orange-lidded bins | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.30% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.30% |
| Black bins | 0.40% | 0.40% | 0.20% | 0.30% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.30% |
Where a collection is delayed due to issues such as extreme weather, blocked access, or a vehicle breakdown, the collection remains as scheduled on the online calendar. Once the issue is resolved it will be completed on the next working day.
Help us recycle more
- Check what goes in each bin if you’re unsure about an item.
- Keep recycling for your orange-lidded bin clean and loose, and don’t put the wrong items in there.
- Use your food waste caddy for food scraps and leftovers.
- Find ideas to reduce, reuse and recycle your household waste.
Subscribe to email bulletins
You can subscribe to email bulletins for bin collection updates and recycling tips.