What to put in your recycling
All the items listed on this page as Please recycle can be put in your clear recycling sacks, or in communal orange-lidded recycling bins.
- Items must be clean, dry, empty and not contain any food or liquid
- Never include anything that could cause risk during the collection or sorting process, such as hypodermic needles, batteries and vapes
Simpler Recycling changes
This page has been updated to reflect the new Simpler Recycling rules introduced on 31 March 2026.
Mixed paper and card
Please recycle
- All sheets of paper, card and cardboard
Don't include
- Wet or dirty paper or cardboard, like food and grease-stained pizza boxes
- Used tissues, kitchen roll or paper towels
- Shredded paper
- Wallpaper
- Hardback books that would be better re-used or donated to charity
Tips
- Boxes and larger pieces of cardboard should be flattened or broken up
- Alternatively, households receiving the clear sack recycling service can tie bundles of cardboard with non-nylon string and place them for collection next to their recycling sacks
Extra cardboard
If you have large amounts of cardboard, from new furniture, flat-packed items or TVs for example, you should dispose of it yourself by taking it to:
Mixed glass bottles and jars
Please recycle
- All glass bottles and jars
Don't include
- Plastic lids or corks - metal lids should be removed and included loose in your recycling
- Broken glass in clear recycling sacks
- Any other glass, for example: Pyrex and ovenware, mirrors, window glass, drinking glasses - these melt at different temperatures
Tips
- Rinse off any food remains before recycling
Metal tins, aerosols, cans, foil and tubes
Please recycle
- Food tins
- Aerosol cans
- Drinks cans
- Aluminium foil and food trays
- Empty squeezy metal tubes, such as tomato paste tubes
- Metal biscuit or sweet tins
Don't include
- Paint cans
Tips
- It's very important that any aerosol cans are empty, so they can be recycled effectively
Plastic bottles, pots, tubes, tubs and trays
Please recycle
- All plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays
- Empty squeezy plastic tubes, such as toothpaste packaging
Don't include
- Loose pump and trigger mechanisms from spray dispensers
- Soft plastics, like plastic carrier bags and pet food pouches
- Scrunchy plastic wrappers, for example biscuit and crisp packets
- Plastic film like bubble wrap, cling film and bread bags
- Biodegradable plastic
- Polystyrene or styrofoam
- Toys, plant pots or any other plastic items
Tips
- Any spray trigger or pump mechanisms should be left on their bottles
- Most soft plastics can be recycled with carrier bags at larger supermarkets
- There’s no need to check the codes on these items that indicate the type of plastic - a number in a triangular recycling symbol
Food and drink cartons
Please recycle
- All food and drinks cartons, like Tetra Paks
Don't include
- Paper cups
- Compostable food packaging
Tips
- Remove plastic lids and tops where possible, including from Tetra Paks
More information
Our leaflets give you more information about recycling.
Can't find what you're looking for? Try our A-Z recycling tool.