Bin Collection Day

Unitary authority · South East, England

Reading bin collection day

Everything you need for bin day in Reading: the official bin day checker, bank holiday changes and which bin is which. Reading Borough Council empties bins in 5 postcode districts, including RG1, RG2, RG4 and RG30, covering places such as Arborfield Cross, Arborfield Garrison and Burghfield.

Check your Reading bin day

Reading publishes bin days on its own website. Use the official finder below to reach the right page, then pick your address.

GOV.UK bin day finder Reading website

Once you have your dates, our bin calendar turns them into reminders.

Check a postcode in Reading

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

Reading at a glance

Map showing where Reading is in the UK
160,337residents (2020)
40 km²area
5postcode districts
7places listed

About 160,337 people live in Reading (mid-2020 estimate) across 40 square kilometres. That makes it a dense urban area, where many homes share communal bins or have bins collected from the back of terraces.

Council: Reading Borough Council
Type: Unitary authority
Region: South East

Who collects what in Reading

Reading Borough Council is a unitary council, so it handles both bin collections and the household waste recycling centres (the tips). One website covers your bin day, missed bins, garden waste, bulky waste and tip bookings.

Bank holidays and Reading bin days

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

DateBank holiday
Friday, 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday, 28 December 2026Boxing Day (substitute day)
Friday, 1 January 2027New Year's Day
Friday, 26 March 2027Good Friday
Monday, 29 March 2027Easter Monday

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

Recycling rules in England

Under Simpler Recycling, councils in England must collect the same core recycling from every home: paper and card, glass, metal, plastic (including cartons), food waste every week, and garden waste for households that ask and pay any charge. The rules applied from 31 March 2026, with plastic film and bags joining the plastic stream from 31 March 2027. Councils still choose their own bins, colours and rotas.

GOV.UK: Simpler Recycling household guidance

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. Reading has the final say, so check its website if your bin label disagrees.

Postcode districts in Reading

Reading 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 Reading

Bins in these places are collected by Reading.

  • Arborfield Cross (RG2)
  • Arborfield Garrison (RG2)
  • Burghfield (RG31)
  • Caversham (RG4)
  • Reading (RG1, RG30)
  • Tilehurst (RG31)
  • Whitley (RG2)

Councils near Reading

Reading bin questions

How do I find my bin collection day in Reading?
Enter your postcode on this page to confirm that Reading collects your bins, then use the Reading website. Pick your address and it shows the next date for each bin. Copy those dates into our bin calendar to get reminders.
Do Reading 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. Reading publishes any changes on its website before each holiday. Our bank holiday page lists the dates for England and Wales.
What should I do if Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading collect food waste?
Under Simpler Recycling, councils in England must collect food waste every week from all households, free of charge, from 31 March 2026. A few councils were given a later start date, so check the Reading website if you have not received a food caddy yet.
Where is the tip for Reading?
Reading 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 Reading cover?
Reading collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts: RG1, RG2, RG4, RG30, RG31. 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 Reading Borough Council. Collection dates and services can change at short notice; the council's website is always the final word.