The Reading Borough Council is asking households across Reading, Berkshire, to leave their bins at the kerbside as crews work extended hours to clear a collection backlog this week.
Waste teams are working early mornings and late evenings during the week commencing February 2, 2026, to catch up on missed rounds. Most residents should expect their bins to be emptied roughly one working day later than their normal scheduled time.
The disruption affects all household collections, including refuse, recycling, food waste and garden waste. The council and its waste partner, re3, aim to have the service running as normal by the weekend of February 7–8, 2026.
Residents are being told to leave their bins out if they are not collected on their scheduled day, rather than reporting a missed bin. The council says leaving bins out — rather than reporting individual missed collections — reduces the burden on its reporting system and helps teams clear the backlog more efficiently.
Council officials say the extra shifts are necessary to address the recent buildup of waste across the area. Residents can check the council’s Bin Collection Calendar and social media channels for specific updates on their rounds.
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