Waste & recycling / Containers
Plan bin collections
Use one site's weekly waste volume and bin capacity to plan its pickup frequency.
Work plan
Collections needed
Enter weekly litres.
How it works
Put in your numbers
Use your own rates, times and measurements.
See your answer straight away
It works it out as you type.
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Send it on, or keep it with the job.
What it covers: Plan pickups from a site's weekly volume and bin capacity.
Free to use. No sign-in needed.
How to work out how often bins need collecting
Too few collections and bins overflow. Too many and you pay for pickups you do not need. This planner takes the waste a site makes each week, the bins on site and how full you let them get, and works out the collections needed each week for one waste stream.
- Plan one waste stream at a time, such as general waste or recycling.
- Enter the waste each week in litres. Base it on a measured week, such as how full the bins are at each pickup, rather than a guess.
- Enter the capacity of each bin in litres and the number of bins on site for this stream.
- Set the target fill as a percentage. Lower it if bins should not be filled to the rim, for example so lids still close.
- Read the collections needed per week, the usable capacity per pickup and the average volume per pickup. The planner rounds the collections up to a whole number.
- If you want a cost, open Collection cost, choose your currency and enter the price per pickup to see the cost per week and per year.
Tips and common mistakes
- Measure waste over a normal week. A week with a clear-out or an event can make the result far too high.
- Plan busy periods separately. Holidays, sales or seasonal work can raise weekly waste for a while.
- Flatten boxes and break down bulky items. The planner works by volume, so loose waste needs more collections.
- Check collection days and any rules where you work on separating waste streams before you change the schedule.
Questions
How do I work out how often bins need emptying?
Multiply the bin capacity by the number of bins and your target fill to get the usable capacity per pickup. Divide the weekly waste by that figure and round up. As an illustration, 1,800 litres a week with 2 bins of 660 litres at 90% fill gives 1,188 litres per pickup, so 2 collections a week.
Why set a target fill below 100%?
Bins filled to the rim can stop lids closing or spill when moved. A lower target fill leaves room for that. The planner uses it to reduce the usable capacity of each pickup.
How do I estimate weekly waste in litres?
Note how full each bin is at each pickup over a week or two. Multiply how full it is by the bin capacity and add the results up. Use the figure for an average week.
What does the average per pickup show?
It is the weekly waste divided by the collections needed. If it is well below the usable capacity, bins are going out part full, and fewer or smaller bins may do the same job.
How is the yearly collection cost worked out?
The planner multiplies the price per pickup by the collections needed each week, then by 52 weeks for the yearly figure. Use your own price per pickup.
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