Recycling guide

Recycling A-Z

The following list shows typical waste items in alphabetical order and the way you should dispose of them. The Household Waste Recycling Centre is referred to as HWRC.

Skip to letter: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Aerosols – Recycling box
Advent calendars – Recycling box (cardboard outer shell) and plastics collection (plastic insert)
Air conditioning units – Household waste recycling centre (HWRC)
Aluminium cans – Recycling box
Aluminium foil – Recycling box
Aluminium trays – Recycling box
Animal bedding (such as straw or hay) – Garden waste collection
Animal bedding (such as paper or cloth) – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Asbestos - HWRC. See also: Dispose of asbestos safely

B

Baby food jars – Recycling box
Baby food pouches - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Baking trays – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Baths - HWRC
Bathroom suites - HWRC
Batteries (household) – HWRC/most large supermarkets
Batteries (vehicle) - HWRC
Baubles - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
BBQs – gas or electric – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Bedding (pillows and duvets) - HWRC
Bedding (pillow covers and duvet covers) – Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Bicycles – HWRC/charity shop
Biscuit tins - Recycling box
Biscuit wrappers – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Black plastic - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Books (paper/card) – HWRC
Books (plastic) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Booster seats - HWRC
Bottles (glass) – Recycling box
Bottles (plastic) – Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Branches (up to three inches in diameter) – Garden waste collection
Bricks – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Bubble wrap – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Buckets - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC (for hard plastics)
Building rubble – HWRC (limits on quantity)

C

Candles and Tea Lights - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Cans (steel & aluminium) – Recycling box
Car batteries - HWRC
Car parts - Please use specialist auto recycler (not accepted at HWRC)
Car seats - HWRC
Cardboard (large pieces) - HWRC
Cardboard (small pieces) – Recycling box (needs to be broken down into as size no wider than the recycling lid)
Cards (non-metallic) – Recycling box
Cards (metallic) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Carpets/underlay – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Cartons (food and drink) – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Cast iron - HWRC
Catalogues – Recycling box
Catheters - Clinical waste collection (arranged)
CDs/DVDs - HWRC
Ceiling plaster - HWRC
Ceramic/terracotta plant pots – HWRC
Cereal box – Recycling box
Cheese wax (natural e.g. beeswax) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Cheese wax (synthetic e.g. plastic) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Chemicals (household) – HWRC
Chutney jars - Recycling box
Christmas trees – Special seasonal waste collection
Cling film - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Clinical waste – Clinical waste collection (arranged)
Clothes - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Coat hangers – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Coffee capsules– Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Compost – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Compostable coffee cups – Garden waste collection
Computers - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Concrete – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Confectionary packaging and wrappers - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Cookers - HWRC
Cooking oils and fats – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Copper baking trays - HWRC
Copper pans - HWRC
Copper piping – HWRC
Corks - Compost or black wheelie bin/blue bag
Corks (plastic) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Corrugated cardboard - Recycling box (needs to be broken down into a size no wider than the recycling lid) – large quantities to HWRC
Christmas baubles - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Christmas crackers - Recycling box (cardboard, paper hat and paper joke) and black wheelie bin/blue bag (plastic toy/ cracker strip)
Christmas lights – HWRC
Christmas tinsel - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Christmas trees (fake/artificial) - HWRC
Christmas trees (real) - Special seasonal waste collection
Crisp packets – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Crockery/Cutlery – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Curtains - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)

D

Directories (Yellow Pages) – Recycling box
Dishwashers – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Disposable Razors – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
DIY waste – HWRC (maximum of five 25kg bags)
Dog kennels - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Doors – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Down pipes (drain pipes) – HWRC
Dressing (wounds) - Clinical waste collection (arranged)
Drink bottles (plastic) – Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Drink cans (steel and aluminium) – Recycling box
Drinking glasses - HWRC
Duvets – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Duvet covers - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)

E

Earth – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Egg boxes (cardboard) – Recycling box
Egg boxes (plastic) – Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Electrical items – HWRC
Engine oil (used) – HWRC
Envelopes (any) – Recycling box (remove film window)
Exercise equipment - HWRC

F

Fencing panels - HWRC
Fire extinguishers – HWRC
Fireworks - Black wheelie bin/blue bag (please make sure they are extinguished)
Flowers – Garden waste collection
Fluorescent tubes – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Foil trays – Recycling box
Food cans (steel and aluminium) – Recycling box
Food packaging film - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Food trays (black) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Food trays (white/transparent) – Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Food waste – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Footwear - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag and preferably paired)
Fridges/freezers – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Furniture – Bulky waste collection/HWRC

G

Garden chemicals - HWRC
Garden shed - Bulky waste collection/HWRC (broken down as wood)
Garden waste – Garden waste collection/HWRC
Gas canisters – HWRC
Gas cylinders - HWRC
Gift tags (plain paper/card) - Recycling box
Gift tags (glitter/plastic/fabric coated) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Glass (sheet) - HWRC
Glass bottles – Recycling box
Glass jars – Recycling box
Glasses (drinking) – HWRC
Glass (Pyrex) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Grass cuttings – Garden waste collection

H

Hairspray canisters– Recycling box
Handbags - HWRC
Hard-core and rubble (DIY) – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Hard plastic - HWRC/Black wheelie bin/blue bag (if it will fit)
Hazardous waste (household) – HWRC
Hedge trimmings – Garden waste collection
Helium bottles - HWRC
Hob – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Hoover - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Household chemicals - HWRC

I

Ice cream tubs (paper) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Ice cream tubs (plastic) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Ink cartridges (printer/copier) – HWRC

J

Jam jars – Recycling box
Japanese Knot Weed – Destroy and alert the council
Junk mail – Recycling box

K

Kitchen paper – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Kitchen pots and pans – HWRC
Kitchen work tops/units - HWRC
Kitchen knives - HWRC

L

Ladders (wood or aluminium) - HWRC
Laminate flooring - HWRC
Lawnmowers (electric, petrol or manual) – HWRC
Leaflets – Recycling box
Leaves – Garden waste collection
Letters – Recycling box
Light bulbs – HWRC
Linen - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)

M

Magazines – Recycling box
Mattresses – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Medicines - HWRC
Mercury thermometer - HWRC
Metal (sheets) – HWRC
Microwave - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Milk bottles - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Mince pie case (foil) - Recycling box
Mirrors - HWRC
Mistletoe (real) - Garden waste collection
Mistletoe (plastic) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Mobile phones - HWRC
Musical instruments – HWRC

N

Nappies - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Needles & syringes – Clinical waste collection (arranged)
Newspapers – Recycling box

O

Oil (engine) - HWRC
Oil filters – HWRC
Oven - Bulky waste collection/HWRC

P

Paint - HWRC
Paper – Recycling box
Paper (greaseproof) – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Paper (shredded) – Recycling box (contained in an envelope, paper bag or box to prevent wind-blow)
Paper cups (clean) – Recycling box
Paper cups (dirty) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Party hats - Recycling box
Paper plates (clean) – Recycling box
Paper plates (dirty) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Party poppers - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Paper towels - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Pans - HWRC
Paving slabs – HWRC
Pet bedding (cloth and paper) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Pet bedding (hay and straw) - Garden waste collection
Pet waste - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Photo copiers - HWRC
Photographs - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Pianos (and other musical instruments) – HWRC
Pillows – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Pillow covers - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Pizza boxes (greasy) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Pizza boxes (clean) - Recycling box
Plants – Garden waste collection
Plant pots or trays - HWRC
Plasterboard – HWRC (fees may apply)
Plastic (plant pots) – HWRC
Plastic bottles (any) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag - please flatten and include lids)
Plastic carrier bags – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/return to large supermarkets
Plastic furniture - HWRC
Plastic lids - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Plastic postal bags - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Plastic supermarket fruit/veg bags – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Plastic toys – HWRC/Black wheelie bin/blue bag (if it will fit)
Plastic tray (black) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Plastic tray (clear/white) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Plastic tray (green/brown) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Plastic sweet tubs - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Polystyrene – Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Pond plants – Garden waste collection
Pyrex – Black wheelie bin/blue bag /HWRC

R

Rabbit hutches (and similar) - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Radiators - HWRC
Ribbon - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Roof guttering – HWRC
Rubble – HWRC (limits on quantity)

S

Sandwich bags - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Sanitary products - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Scrap metal - HWRC
Screws / nuts / bolts – HWRC
Shampoo bottles (plastic) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Sheds – HWRC (disassembled and sorted)
Shoes - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Shredded paper – Recycling box (contained in an envelope, paper bag or box)
Shrubs – Garden waste collection
Sinks – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Sleeping bags - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Smoke alarms – HWRC
Soap bottles (plastic) - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Soil – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Sparklers - Black wheelie bin/blue bag (please make sure they are extinguished)
Spectacles – HWRC
Spread tubs - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Steel pans - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Steel baking trays - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Stoma bags - Clinical waste collection (arranged)
Stones – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Storage heaters – HWRC
Sweet tins - Recycling box
Sweet tubs - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Sweet wrappers - Black wheelie bin/blue bag

T

Tablet Packs (Blister Packs) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Takeaway paper coffee cups – Recycling box
Takeaway tubs - Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)
Telephone directories – Recycling box
Television - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Tetra Pak cartons - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Textiles - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Tiles – HWRC (limits may apply)
Tinsel - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Timber/logs – HWRC
Tissues - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Toilets (lids, pans and cisterns) - HWRC
Toner cartridges - HWRC
Tools - garden/carpentry – HWRC
Towels - Textiles collection (in a carrier bag)
Toys – HWRC
Treated wood - HWRC
Trees / bushes – HWRC (Size limits will apply)
Tumble dryer - Bulky waste collection/ HWRC
Turf – HWRC (limits on quantity)
Turkey carcass - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Turkey foil - Recycling box
TVs – Bulky waste collection/ HWRC
Twigs (up to three inches in diameter) – Garden waste collection
Tyres (car, bicycle and motorbike) – HWRC

U

USB cables – HWRC

V

Vacuum cleaner - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Vases – Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Video cassettes (VHS tapes) - HWRC

W

Washing machines – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Washing up bowls - Black wheelie bin/blue bag/HWRC
Water filter cartridge – HWRC
Water tank - Bulky waste collection/HWRC
White goods – Bulky waste collection/HWRC
Windows (panes) – HWRC
Wipes - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Wires and cables - HWRC
Wood – HWRC (Size limits will apply)
Wound dressings - Clinical waste collection (arranged)
Wrapping paper (non-metallic) – Recycling box
Wrapping paper (metallic) - Black wheelie bin/blue bag
Writing instruments (e.g. pens, felt tips, correction fluid pot) – Black wheelie bin/blue bag

Y

Yellow Pages – Recycling box
Yoghurt tubs – Plastics collection (in a white/transparent plastic bag)

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