A new mobile app aims to help residents keep track of bin collection dates after Renfrewshire Council stopped issuing bin calendars by post.
The app, called Renfrewshire Bin Schedule, is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and allows users to check their bin collection dates directly on their phone.
Renfrewshire Council previously posted bin collection calendars to households, but this is no longer standard practice. Residents who want a paper calendar must now request one from the council or print it themselves.
The change followed the approval of a revised waste operations policy at the Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board in January 2025.
The app’s developer, Artur Kraft, said the idea came from frustration with repeatedly having to search online for bin collection information.
“Today we like to get information instantly, and I was getting tired of constantly having to search for the bin collection website and type in my postcode,” he said. “I thought it shouldn’t be that hard to retrieve this simple information every week.”
He said emails and printed calendars did not work for him, which led him to create a web-based tool for his local area before expanding it.
“I initially developed a web app for the area where I live, then I was asked if I could cover more areas,” he said. “I started by covering villages, as most of them have the same schedule per village.”
As demand grew from areas with different collection patterns, the system became more complex.
“I realised I would need a solution based on UPRNs (Unique Property Reference Numbers),” he said. “I contacted the council via a Freedom of Information request and was provided with the schedule start date for each bin for each property, along with collection frequencies.”
He said backend software was then developed to generate collection dates for individual properties, before launching dedicated iOS and Android apps.
The app is free to use with adverts, with a paid version available that removes ads and adds features such as notifications.
“Feedback has been great so far and I’m very grateful for that,” he said. “Unfortunately, the app needs to grow in numbers to sustain itself. Users are encouraged to provide feedback and suggest enhancements. Updates are released frequently to fix bugs and improve the user experience.”
To download the app, follow the link here: https://bins.ren.
