What can I put in my household bins?

Please:

• add loose items that we accept into your recycling bin. If you use plastic bags or add other items, you may cause the whole lorry load to be rejected from the recycling centre.
• rinse and dry items before recycling
• leave lids on bottles.
• note that we are unable to accept Tetra Pak and similar laminated packaging in our dry recycling collections

What to add

Please add these items to your recycling bin:

• dry paper
• dry card
• food tins
• drinks cans
• plastic bottles with lids on
• plastic pots and tubs
• plastic trays
• foil
• glass bottles and jars (lids off)
• jar lids
• aerosol cans

What not to add

Please don't add:

• crisp packets
• coffee cups
• greasy pizza boxes
• Tetrapak cartons

Not sure if it can be recycled?

Please see the What can I recycle? page and use the recycling search tool.

We collect food waste from your green caddy once a week. You should have a smaller silver caddy, which you can keep in your kitchen.

If you live in a flat, empty your kitchen caddy into the wheeled food waste bin in the communal waste area.

What to put in your caddy

All cooked and uncooked food or uneaten leftovers can be put into your silver caddy. When it's full, empty it into your green caddy.

You can recycle any food including:

• raw and cooked meat including bones
• raw and cooked fish including bones
• raw and cooked fruit and vegetables, including peelings
• dairy products such as cheese and eggs (including shells)
• bread, toast, pizza, cakes, biscuits, croissants, pastries, etc
• rice, noodles, pasta, beans, cous cous
• uneaten breakfast cereal
• uneaten food from your plates including gravy, sauce, custard and leftover takeaway food
• leftover food and ready meals
• tea bags and coffee grounds
• pet food

What you can't put in your caddy

The following items cannot be recycled in your food waste caddy:

• drinks, such as tea or juice
• oil or liquid fat
• food packaging
• coffee filter paper

Lining your caddies

• You can line your silver food waste caddy with plastic bags or liners making it easier and cheaper to recycle your food. You can use old shopping bags, bread or salad bags as well as newspaper or kitchen towel. These materials are now preferable to compostable bags as improved technology at the food waste plant means that the machinery can split and remove the plastic bags from the food and use both to make energy. Please do not, however, use plastic food packaging or dispose of extra unwanted plastic bags in your caddy.
• Please note that this does NOT mean that plastic bags can now be put in your main blue recycling bin.

How to reduce food waste

• Make a shopping list so you can buy what you need.
• Keep your fridge cool (1 to 5 degrees) and chilled food will stay fresh for longer.
• Think of recipes you could use for leftover food, for more information visit the Love Food Hate Waste website.

Please try and recycle as much as you can - use the recycling search tool on the What can I recycle? page to check how to dispose of an item you are not sure about.

Common items that you can add to your rubbish bin include:

• Used nappies
• Tissues and wipes
• Coffee cups
• Polystyrene
• Greasy pizza boxes
• Plastic bags and film
• Black bin bags
• Bubble wrap.

Please do not add to your rubbish bin:  

• Batteries , especially lithium batteries
• Electrical items, especially large electrical items
• Liquid paint, asbestos and hazardous waste
• Gas canisters
• Trade/building waste
• Garden waste
• Wood
• Textiles.