A to Z of waste

Waste item
Where does
it go?
Notes
Aerosols Green bin Make sure aerosol is empty before recycling
Batteries Retailers
Tip HWRC
Most supermarkets selling batteries should provide a battery recycling point
Belt Tip HWRC
Black bin
Alternatively, a charity shop or charity recycling point
Black plastic items Black bin Cannot be recycled because the carbon dye cannot be removed and stains the colour of the new plastic items
Blankets Tip HWRC
Black bin
Please ask a local animal rescue centre who might take unwanted blankets from you
Bones Brown bin Raw or cooked it doesn’t matter
Books Black bin Ask charity shops before putting them in your refuse bin
Branches Brown bin Cut into pieces to fit into your brown bin. Take care not to overload your bin and make it too heavy to move or empty
Bread and cake Brown bin Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Brochures Caddy inside green bin  
Bubble wrap Black bin  
Cans Green bin Clean off food / liquid deposits before recycling
Cardboard box Caddy inside green bin Flatten boxes
Remove sticky tape, packaging and staples
Put large pieces alongside green bin
Carrier bags Black bin Reuse for your shopping, when worn out can be used for wrapping waste in your black bin 
Cartons  Black bin  
Catalogues Caddy inside green bin Remove any plastic bag / covers before recycling
Cat litter Black bin Wrap cat litter in a plastic bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh. Wrapping cat litter waste reduces odours, reduces the risk of infection and helps to prevents flies. 
CD Black bin  
Cellophane Black bin  
Cereal box Caddy inside green bin Flatten boxes
Remove plastic bag inner & cereal
Christmas Trees Brown bin Real trees only please with no decorations!
Cut tree into pieces that will fit in your bin
Cling film Black bin  
Clothes Tip HWRC
Black bin
Alternatively, a charity shop or charity recycling point
Coathangers Black bin Ask if family, friends or local charity shops want them before putting in your black bin 
Coffee Grounds Brown bin  
Coffee Pods Podback sack Need to register with Podback scheme 
Crisp packets Black bin  
Curtains Tip HWRC
Black bin
Alternatively, a charity shop or charity recycling point
Duvets Tip HWRC  
Egg boxes Black bin Many egg boxes are made from plastic foam packaging or contain this so can't be recycled.
The cardboard type egg boxes are a combination of low grade fibre and glue and are not suitable for recycling
Egg shells Brown bin  
Electrical items Tip HWRC  Ask the retailer if they offer any take back schemes when purchasing new items
Envelopes plain Black bin Cannot be recycled because of glue on seams
If all seams cut off can go in Inner caddy
Envelopes window Black bin Cannot be recycled because of glue on seams
If all seams and window cut off can go in Inner caddy
Fish, fish skins and bones Brown bin Wrap fish waste in a sheet of newspaper or compostable bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh.
Keep covered and away from flies
Foam packaging Black bin  
Foil / Foil trays Green bin Clean off food / liquid deposits before recycling
Food waste including cooked food Brown bin Wrap food waste in a sheet of newspaper or compostable bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh
Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Fridges / Freezers Tip HWRC  Alternatively the Council provides a chargeable collection service for these items
Fruit peelings, skins and cores Brown bin Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Furniture Tip HWRC  Alternatively the Council provides a chargeable collection service for these items
Garden waste Brown bin Plants / prunings / cuttings
Take care not to overload your bin and make it too heavy to move or empty
Glass bottles and jars Green bin Clean off food / liquid deposits before recycling
Glassware, pyrex, glass ornaments Black bin Glass from these items cannot be recycled into new bottles and jars
Grass cuttings Brown bin Layer with woody branches in summer to help bin stay fresh
Greetings cards,  birthday and christmas cards Black bin Cannot be recycled because of foil, plastic and glitter elements
Hair Brown bin From hairbrushes and plugholes
Handbag Tip HWRC
Black bin
Alternatively, a charity shop or charity recycling point
Junk Mail Caddy inside green bin Remove from envelope before recycling
Laminated paper Black bin Plastic laminate on the paper prevents the pulping process and it cannot be recycled
Leaves Brown bin These make excellent compost, try home composting to benefit your own garden
Leftover food Brown bin Wrap food waste in a sheet of newspaper or compostable bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh
Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Lightbulbs Tip HWRC  The Tip HWRC has special disposal points for these items
Meat Brown bin Wrap meat waste in a sheet of newspaper or compostable bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh.
Keep covered and away from flies
Metal items Tip HWRC  Metal recycling skips available at the Tip HWRC
Mobile phones Retailers   
Nappies Black bin Wrap up nappies to help keep your bin clean and fresh
Consider using washable nappies to reduce waste
Newspapers Caddy inside green bin  
Magazines Caddy inside green bin  
Pet hair Brown bin  
Pet straw Brown bin From rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents
Pet waste - dog mess  Black bin Wrap pet waste in a plastic bag to help keep your bin clean and fresh. Wrapping pet waste reduces odours, reduces the risk of infection and helps to prevents flies. 
Pillows Tip HWRC
Black bin
 
Pizza Boxes Black bin Cannot be recycled because of food residues and grease
Plants and Shrubs Brown bin Knock excess soil off the roots before putting in your brown bin
Plant pots Black bin Reuse in your garden or offer to a local garden centre before throwing away in your black bin
Plastics - black items Black bin Cannot be recycled because the carbon dye cannot be removed and stains the colour of the new plastic items
Plastic bottles Green bin Make sure bottle is empty before recycling
Plastic film  Black bin  
Plastic items Black bin Made of many different grades of plastics and may contain electronics. If collected they can fragment and contaminate useful recyclable  plastics
Pots and pans Tip HWRC  Metal recycling skips available at the Tip HWRC
Polystyrene packaging Black bin No recyclers available
Punnets Green bin Fruit, vegetable and mushroom punnets
Recycle them in your green bin if they are not black in colour 
Pyrex glassware Black bin Pyrex glass melts at much higher temperatures than normal bottles and jars.  Unmelted Pyrex pieces create lumps in new glass items which fracture and may cause injury or contaminate food / drink products.  
Rubble Tip HWRC
Hire a skip
Bag up rubble to make handling safer for you and others
Sanitary items Black bin Wrap sanitary items to help keep your bin clean and fresh
Screw top lids Black bin The lids are made of different types of plastic than the bottle / container. The lids cannot be easily removed in the separation process and may contaminate the plastic stream.
Seed Trays Black bin Reuse if possible before disposal in refuse bin
Shampoo / detergent bottles Green bin Make sure bottle is empty before recycling
Shoes Tip HWRC
Black bin
Alternatively, a charity shop or charity recycling point
Soil Tip HWRC
Hire a skip
Bag up soil to make handling safer for you and others
Sticky tape Black bin Cannot be recycled
Stones Tip HWRC
Hire a skip
Bag up stones to make handling safer for you and others
Tea Bags Brown bin Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Tetrapak

Tip HWRC

Black bin

 
Telephone Directories Caddy inside green bin Any type of telephone directory can be recycled
Tins Green bin Clean off food / liquid deposits before recycling
Tissues / Paper Towels Black bin  
Toothpaste tubes / pumps Black bin Can be made of several different materials including plastic, paper and aluminium and has a high contamination issue due to toothpaste being left in the tubes when finished.
Toys Tip HWRC
Black bin
Toys are not recyclable - please pass them on to others if they are still useable or take them to a local charoty shop.
Tubs (plastic) Green bin Ice cream / margarine / butter tubs
Empty before recycling
Turf Hire a skip  
Vacuum bag contents / dust Brown bin  
Vegetable peelings Brown bin Use a kitchen caddy to help compost more of your food waste
Videos Black bin  
Weeds Brown bin Knock excess soil off the roots before putting in your brown bin
Wood / wooden items Tip HWRC
Hire a skip
The Tip HWRC has special disposal points for wooden items which are used to make new furniture and chipboard
Woodshavings Brown bin From rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and other rodents
Window Panes / windscreens Tip HWRC
Hire a skip
Glass from windows cannot be recycled into bottles and jars
Wrapping paper Black bin Cannot be recycled because of foil, plastic and glitter elements
Yoghurt pots Green bin Make sure pot is empty before recycling