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Bins and recycling

Recycling your Christmas waste

  • Household waste

    If you aren't sure what to do with the remnants of Christmas after the festive season, we have some tips on what to recycle at home and what you can bring to our recycling centres. Before going to a recycling centre, you should sort your waste.

    Bin and box collections

    To check household collections for your area, go to Bin and box collections

  • Ashes

    You can put cold ashes in the brown bin or green food waste bin. The ashes must be cold as hot ashes can cause a bin fire. Use a food waste bag if you're putting ashes in the green food waste bin.

  • Batteries

    We don't collect batteries in any recycling boxes or bins. You can bring batteries to recycling centres. Many shops and supermarkets have a collection bin for household batteries. By law, shops and supermarkets must collect old batteries.

  • Cans

    You should put clean, dry cans in the recycling box or blue bin.

  • Christmas cards

    You can put cards that don't have glitter in the recycling box or blue bin. But you should remove ribbons and other card decorations.

  • Cardboard

    You should flatten or cut up cardboard boxes. You can put cardboard in the recycling box or blue bin. Bring large cardboard boxes to our recycling centres. Remove any plastic and put these in the black bin.

  • Christmas crackers

    The cardboard tubes in crackers are suitable for recycling. You can put these in your recycling box or blue bin.

  • Christmas trees

    You can put real Christmas trees in the garden waste container at a recycling centre. You can cut up a small tree and put in the household brown bin. If you have an artificial Christmas tree, you should check with staff at the recycling centre if the tree is suitable for recycling. 

  • Clothes

    You can put clothes in clothes banks at our recycling centres or donate to charity shops. If you have a recycling box, put clothes in a separate bag and leave this bag beside your recycling box for collection.

  • Foil

    Wipe the foil and crush into a ball, keeping any food residue on the inside. This prevents contamination of other materials. You can put foil in your blue bin or recycling box.

  • Food

    You can put all food waste including turkey bones, vegetables, potato peelings, nut shells and citrus peel in the household brown or green food waste bin. 

  • Glass bottles and jars

    Put bottles and jars in the recycling box or bring to a bottle bank. To find a bottle bank in your area, go to Bottle banks

  • Lights

    You can't put these in a household recycling bin. You should bring these to the recycling centre and place in the container for small electrical items.

  • Plastic bags, plastic film and plastic wrap

    We don't accept crisp packets, plastic bags, plastic film or polystyrene in blue bins or recycling boxes. Some supermarkets collect soft plastics for recycling. 

  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays

    You can put clean, dry plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays in the recycling box or blue bin.

  • Tin or plastic sweet containers

    You can put metal and plastic sweet containers in the recycling box or your blue bin.

  • Tinsel, baubles and other decorations

    Most Christmas decorations aren't suitable for recycling. These go in the black bin.

  • Tissues, wipes and face coverings

    You must put these in the black bin. You cannot recycle this material. If there are tissues, wipes or face coverings in your recycling box or blue bin, we will not empty the box or blue bin.

  • Visiting our recycling centres

    It is important to remember that our recycling centres can be very busy at holiday times. If you're using a van or double-axle trailer to bring recycling materials to one of our centres, you may need to book a slot for your visit using our online booking system for vans and light good vehicles.

  • Wrapping paper

    A lot of wrapping paper contains other materials, such as plastic and foil, which makes it very difficult to recycle. If the wrapping paper is very plain, with no tape, ribbons or glitter, you can recycle it with ordinary paper in your recycling box or bin. You should put any other wrapping paper in your general waste bin. A good alternative to wrapping paper is a reusable gift bag.

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