Bin Collection Day

NI district · Northern Ireland

Belfast bin collection day

Find your Belfast bin collection day, check what goes in each bin and see how bank holidays change collections. Belfast City Council empties bins in 18 postcode districts, including BT1, BT2, BT3 and BT4, covering places such as Andersonstown, Antrim Road and Ballgomartin.

Check your Belfast bin day

The quickest way to see the next date for each of your bins is the council's own checker. Pick your address and it lists every collection.

Open the Belfast bin day checker Make a reminder calendar

Link goes to online.belfastcity.gov.uk. If it has moved, use the nidirect: bins and recycling or the council website.

Check a postcode in Belfast

Not sure whether your street is in Belfast? Postcode districts on council borders can be split, so enter your full postcode to check.

Belfast at a glance

Map showing where Belfast is in the UK
342,560residents (2020)
138 km²area
18postcode districts
44places listed

About 342,560 people live in Belfast (mid-2020 estimate) across 138 square kilometres. That makes it a mostly urban and suburban area.

Council: Belfast City Council
Type: NI district
Region: Northern Ireland

Who collects what in Belfast

Belfast City Council runs bin collections, recycling and the household recycling centres for the area. Northern Ireland councils set their own bin colours, so a brown or blue bin here may not mean the same as in England.

Bank holidays and Belfast bin days

When a bank holiday lands on or before your collection day, Belfast may collect as normal or move collections later in the week. These are the next bank holidays in Northern Ireland:

DateBank holiday
Friday, 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday, 28 December 2026Boxing Day (substitute day)
Friday, 1 January 2027New Year's Day
Wednesday, 17 March 2027St Patrick's Day
Friday, 26 March 2027Good Friday

Christmas and New Year cause the biggest changes. See Christmas bin collections for what usually happens.

Recycling rules in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has 11 councils, each with its own bin colours and rotas. Many use a brown bin for food and garden waste together, a blue bin for mixed recycling and a black or grey bin for general waste. GOV.UK's bin day finder does not cover Northern Ireland, so use your council's own checker or nidirect.

nidirect: bins and recycling

Not sure which bin something goes in? Our which bin A to Z covers everyday items, and bin colours explained covers what each colour usually means. Belfast has the final say, so check its website if your bin label disagrees.

Postcode districts in Belfast

Belfast collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts. Districts marked on more than one council page cross a boundary.

Towns and villages in Belfast

Bins in these places are collected by Belfast.

  • Andersonstown (BT11)
  • Antrim Road (BT15)
  • Ballgomartin (BT13)
  • Ballysillan (BT14)
  • Ballysillan Upper (BT14)
  • Belfast (BT1, BT10, BT11, BT12, BT13, BT14, BT15, BT16, BT17, BT2, BT29, BT3, BT4, BT5, BT6, BT7, BT8, BT9)
  • Belfast City Airport (BT3)
  • Belfast City Center South (BT2)
  • Belfast East (BT4, BT5)
  • Belfast Harbour Estate (BT3)
  • Belfast North (BT13, BT15)
  • Belfast South (BT12, BT7)
  • Belfast South East (BT6)
  • Belfast West (BT11, BT12, BT13)
  • Belmont (BT4)
  • Botanic (BT7)
  • Braniel (BT5)
  • Castlereagh (BT5, BT6)
  • Cregagh (BT6)
  • Crossnacreevy (BT5)
  • Crumlin Road (BT14)
  • Derriaghy (BT17)
  • Dunmurry (BT17)
  • Finaghy (BT10)
  • Gilnahirk (BT5)
  • Glencairn (BT13)
  • Hannahstown (BT17)
  • Highfield (BT13)
  • Knock (BT5)
  • Knockbreda (BT6)
  • Lisburn City (BT17)
  • Malone (BT9)
  • Ormeau (BT7)
  • Sandy Row (BT12)
  • Shankill Road (BT13)
  • Springmartin (BT13)
  • Stormont (BT4)
  • Stranmillis (BT9)
  • Sydenham (BT4)
  • Taughmonagh (BT9)
  • The Village (BT12)
  • University (BT7)
  • Woodstock (BT6)
  • Woodvale (BT13)

Councils near Belfast

Belfast bin questions

How do I find my bin collection day in Belfast?
Enter your postcode on this page to confirm that Belfast collects your bins, then use the Belfast bin day checker. Pick your address and it shows the next date for each bin. Copy those dates into our bin calendar to get reminders.
Do Belfast bin days change on bank holidays?
Many councils keep normal collection days on most bank holidays and only change around Christmas and New Year, while others move every collection in a bank holiday week by a day. Belfast publishes any changes on its website before each holiday. Our bank holiday page lists the dates for Northern Ireland.
What should I do if Belfast misses my bin?
Check your bin day first, as collections sometimes run late into the evening. If the rest of your street has been emptied and yours has not, report it on the Belfast website, usually within one or two working days. Leave the bin out unless the council says otherwise. Our missed bin guide explains what to expect.
Does Belfast collect food waste?
Most councils in Northern Ireland collect food waste in a small kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor caddy, though some rural and island areas do not. Check the Belfast website for your address.
Where is the tip for Belfast?
Belfast or its waste partnership runs the local household waste recycling centres. Many tips now need a booking, and vans and trailers may need a permit, so check before you go.
Which postcodes does Belfast cover?
Belfast collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts: BT1, BT2, BT3, BT4, BT5, BT6, BT7, BT8, BT9, BT10, BT11, BT12, BT13, BT14, BT15, BT16, BT17, BT29. Districts on the edge of the council area can be shared with a neighbouring council, so enter your full postcode to be sure.

Bin Collection Day is independent and not run by Belfast City Council. Collection dates and services can change at short notice; the council's website is always the final word.