Colchester City Council’s Free Saturday Household Drop‑Off Service will return this spring, offering residents an easy, no‑cost way to dispose of small household items that cannot go in their normal bins.
The service runs on selected Saturdays from April to August, visiting locations across the city that are chosen using data on local household income to ensure the drop‑offs are available to residents who may struggle to make a trip to the tip.
What the service offers
The drop‑off points give you a convenient alternative to transporting items across the city or paying for a special collection. It is designed for people who are having a clear out or have small, broken or unwanted items that are either not recyclable or not collected as part of their kerbside collection.
What you can bring
You can drop off small loads from domestic properties, including bulky household items like mattresses, broken furniture or excess black bags, that cannot be recycled and are not collected through normal kerbside collections.
What cannot be accepted
Some items require different disposal routes for safety or environmental reasons. The drop‑off service will not take items collected as part of kerbside collections (including things that can be recycled and garden waste), large loads, fridges, freezers or other electrical goods, hazardous waste such as asbestos, batteries, liquids or gas bottles or business waste.
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Waste, Neighbourhoods and Leisure, said: “The Saturday drop‑off service gives residents an easy, local and completely free way to get rid of items that aren't collected in their household bins or bags. By bringing these collection points into neighbourhoods across the city, we’re supporting residents who may find it harder to get to a recycling centre.”
Find your nearest drop‑off point
Residents can check dates, times and locations for the 2026 service using the council website. All locations and schedules are available here.