
Recycling/waste is confusing and is very different in Wales to elsewhere!
Sorting your recycling and rubbish properly in Swansea is important, especially in student areas where collections are busy. It is also very easy once you know the routine. Here is a simple guide to help you stay on top of it.
The easiest place to start is by checking your collection day. You can look this up by entering your postcode on the Swansea Council website. It will tell you which day your street is collected and whether it is a green week or a pink week.
On a green week you can put out paper and cardboard together in one bag. Metal, glass and foil go together in a separate bag on the same week. These are usually collected every two weeks.
On a pink week you can put out plastics such as bottles, tubs and trays in your reusable pink bag. General waste goes out on the same week but only in black bags. The council limits general waste to a maximum of three black bags per household for each collection. Anything over that may be left behind. Pink week also runs on a two week cycle.
Food waste is collected every week. You should have a green food waste bin and a kitchen caddy that the council provides. Food waste must be separated from everything else and placed in the small green bin outside your house or building.
It is also important to put your bins out at the right time. Most streets require you to put them out either the night before after seven in the evening or early in the morning before six on the day of collection. If your bins are put out too early or too late they may be missed.
For students living in busy shared houses it helps to keep small containers indoors for different types of recycling. It also helps to check which week it is so you do not miss a collection. If you come back after a holiday or break, check that your bins and recycling bags are still there and that everything is clean and ready to use.
Keeping on top of this from the beginning of term makes things much easier later on. It keeps your house cleaner, avoids missed collections and helps the local community. If you are unsure about anything you can always look it up on the council website or ask your landlord or accommodation provider.




