Refuse & Recycling
Waste Collections
26.06.26
Waste Collection update: Extreme heat ☀️
We are expecting very high temperatures over the coming days and are working closely with our waste collection crews to minimise disruption to services.
What this means for your collection
During periods of extreme heat, crews need to take more frequent breaks to stay safe and hydrated. This is essential to protect staff welfare while continuing to provide services.
As a result, you may experience:
- Delays to your usual collection day
- In some cases, we will return to your missed collections
What you should do
- Put your bin out the night before your collection day as crews may start their day earlier
- Leave you bin out if they have not been collected
- Continue to check the refuse and recycling webpage to keep up to date with potential delays
Thank you for your patience. We appreciate your understanding while we work to keep services running safely during the hot weather.
Waste Collection Delays 26.06.26
Please see below the bin collection delays as of Friday 26.06.26.
General Waste Bins (Grey)
- Skelmersdale South
- Tanhouse & Skelmersdale
Garden Waste Bins (Brown)
- Skelmersdale South
- Old Skelmersdale.
- Upholland.
Recycling Bins ( Blue & Green)
- Old Skelmersdale.
- Skelmersdale South.
- Skelmersdale North
Farm Green Bins.
- Rural South.
- Upholland.
- Rural West.
- Aughton & Holborn.
Food Waste
- Old Skelmersdale.
Collections will resume for Refuse (grey bins), Garden ( Brown Bins) and Food waste from 7.00am Saturday 27/06/2026 and Monday 29/06/2026 also for grey bins.
Recovery for Recycling (Blue&Green bins) will commence from Tuesday 30/06/2026.
To find out more information about the area you live, insert your postcode into the Your West Lancs box on screen
What goes in your bins?
To find out what items you can recycle in your bins, please click here.
Garden waste collections
Our garden waste collection service is open to all households across the borough. We offer fortnightly collections of garden waste such as leaves and grass cuttings which is then recycled.
For more information on garden waste collections and how to sign up, please click here.
Find your collection dates
Find your collection dates by typing your postcode, street or house name into the 'Your West Lancashire' panel on the right-hand side of this page (on a computer) or at the bottom of this page (on a mobile phone).
Please leave your bins at your normal collection point by 7.00am, with the lid closed and handles facing outwards, and take them back to your property promptly after they have been emptied.
Safe disposal of gas bottles & batteries
We have seen an increase in gas bottles in recycling collected from households, including nitrous oxide bottles, helium bottles, small carbon dioxide bottles and fire extinguishers. Please do not place these in your recycling bins as they cannot be processed through the recycling system and may explode if crushed. Please take empty gas bottles to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre where they can be disposed of safely, find your nearest one here.
Batteries placed in bins can cause fires in the collection vehicles and recycling facilities. Please do not place batteries in any waste or recycling bins. Collect your used batteries and drop them off at your local recycling centre, or at a collection point in a supermarket, DIY centre or local shop.
Missed bin collection
We keep our website and social media updated with major interruptions or delays to collection services. If we are already aware of the missed collection we will make arrangements to return and you will not have to raise a specific enquiry for your address.
If you wish to report a missed collection, please note that this can only be done from 6pm on the day your collection should have taken place. Before reporting a missed bin, please check your bin collection day, you can do this by putting your address into the ‘Your West Lancashire' panel on this page.
To report a missed collection or spillage problem, please click here.
Request a new bin
If one or more of your wheelie bins has been stolen, lost or damaged, or if you have moved into a property that does not have any bins, a charge of £25 will be made for each replacement bin.
Households may also qualify for second grey bins if they have a large family or have approved medical waste. Additional bins for medical waste may be issued following assessment of customer need.
Assisted Collections
Assisted collections are available to eligible residents that meet specific criteria such as being physically unable to present bins for collection and living alone. Applications will be assessed and where residents meet the criteria for assisted collections, a Waste Management Officer will make contact to arrange access to the bins.
If your application is approved, all waste receptacles must be left visible and accessible for collection in the agreed location by 7am on collection day.
To submit an application for assisted collection please click here.
Food Waste
Food Waste collections are coming to West Lancs in March 2026. This national scheme means all local authorities have to provide residents with a weekly food waste recycling collection service. Find out everything you need to know here.


