Bin Collection Day

NI district · Northern Ireland

Ards and North Down bin collection day

Everything you need for bin day in Ards and North Down: the official bin day checker, bank holiday changes and which bin is which. Ards and North Down Borough Council empties bins in 6 postcode districts, including BT18, BT19, BT20 and BT21, covering places such as Ardkeen, Ballyhalbert and Ballywalter.

Check your Ards and North Down bin day

Ards and North Down publishes bin days on its own website. Use the official finder below to reach the right page, then pick your address.

nidirect: bins and recycling Ards and North Down website

Once you have your dates, our bin calendar turns them into reminders.

Check a postcode in Ards and North Down

Not sure whether your street is in Ards and North Down? Postcode districts on council borders can be split, so enter your full postcode to check.

Ards and North Down at a glance

Map showing where Ards and North Down is in the UK
162,056residents (2020)
566 km²area
6postcode districts
18places listed

About 162,056 people live in Ards and North Down (mid-2020 estimate) across 566 square kilometres. That makes it a mix of towns and countryside, where rural rounds can be long and run early.

Council: Ards and North Down Borough Council
Type: NI district
Region: Northern Ireland

Who collects what in Ards and North Down

Ards and North Down Borough Council runs bin collections, recycling and the household recycling centres for the area. Northern Ireland councils set their own bin colours, so a brown or blue bin here may not mean the same as in England.

Bank holidays and Ards and North Down bin days

When a bank holiday lands on or before your collection day, Ards and North Down may collect as normal or move collections later in the week. These are the next bank holidays in Northern Ireland:

DateBank holiday
Friday, 25 December 2026Christmas Day
Monday, 28 December 2026Boxing Day (substitute day)
Friday, 1 January 2027New Year's Day
Wednesday, 17 March 2027St Patrick's Day
Friday, 26 March 2027Good Friday

Christmas and New Year cause the biggest changes. See Christmas bin collections for what usually happens.

Recycling rules in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has 11 councils, each with its own bin colours and rotas. Many use a brown bin for food and garden waste together, a blue bin for mixed recycling and a black or grey bin for general waste. GOV.UK's bin day finder does not cover Northern Ireland, so use your council's own checker or nidirect.

nidirect: bins and recycling

Not sure which bin something goes in? Our which bin A to Z covers everyday items, and bin colours explained covers what each colour usually means. Ards and North Down has the final say, so check its website if your bin label disagrees.

Postcode districts in Ards and North Down

Ards and North Down collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts. Districts marked on more than one council page cross a boundary.

Towns and villages in Ards and North Down

Bins in these places are collected by Ards and North Down.

  • Ardkeen (BT22)
  • Ballyhalbert (BT22)
  • Ballywalter (BT22)
  • Bangor (BT19, BT20)
  • Carrowdore (BT22)
  • Cloughey (BT22)
  • Craigavad (BT18)
  • Crawfordsburn (BT19)
  • Donaghadee (BT21)
  • Greyabbey (BT22)
  • Groomsport (BT19)
  • Helens Bay (BT19)
  • Holywood (BT18)
  • Kircubbin (BT22)
  • Millisle (BT22)
  • Newtownards (BT22, BT23)
  • Portaferry (BT22)
  • Portavogie (BT22)

Councils near Ards and North Down

Ards and North Down bin questions

How do I find my bin collection day in Ards and North Down?
Enter your postcode on this page to confirm that Ards and North Down collects your bins, then use the Ards and North Down website. Pick your address and it shows the next date for each bin. Copy those dates into our bin calendar to get reminders.
Do Ards and North Down bin days change on bank holidays?
Many councils keep normal collection days on most bank holidays and only change around Christmas and New Year, while others move every collection in a bank holiday week by a day. Ards and North Down publishes any changes on its website before each holiday. Our bank holiday page lists the dates for Northern Ireland.
What should I do if Ards and North Down misses my bin?
Check your bin day first, as collections sometimes run late into the evening. If the rest of your street has been emptied and yours has not, report it on the Ards and North Down website, usually within one or two working days. Leave the bin out unless the council says otherwise. Our missed bin guide explains what to expect.
Does Ards and North Down collect food waste?
Most councils in Northern Ireland collect food waste in a small kitchen caddy and a larger outdoor caddy, though some rural and island areas do not. Check the Ards and North Down website for your address.
Where is the tip for Ards and North Down?
Ards and North Down or its waste partnership runs the local household waste recycling centres. Many tips now need a booking, and vans and trailers may need a permit, so check before you go.
Which postcodes does Ards and North Down cover?
Ards and North Down collects bins in all or part of these postcode districts: BT18, BT19, BT20, BT21, BT22, BT23. Districts on the edge of the council area can be shared with a neighbouring council, so enter your full postcode to be sure.

Bin Collection Day is independent and not run by Ards and North Down Borough Council. Collection dates and services can change at short notice; the council's website is always the final word.