What goes in which bin

A-Z of recycling and rubbish

Below is a list of what goes in which bin. Please follow our guidance about what you can recycle, rather than what is written on the packaging.

You can email us at contact-whc@welhat.gov.uk for advice if you can't see the item you are looking for.

If you are unsure if an item is recyclable put it in your black rubbish bin.

Find items beginning with:

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


Item Bin
Aerosols Blue lidded recycling bin
Asbestos Contact  Waste Aware for advice
Ash (coal) Black rubbish bin
Ash (wood)     Brown compost bin

 

B


Item Bin
Baby/make up wipes Black rubbish bin
Bags (plastic) Black rubbish bin
Baking tray (metal) Black rubbish bin
Bark Brown compost bin
Batteries Other collections
Biodegradable packaging Black rubbish bin
Biro's Black rubbish bin
Blister packs (for pills) Black rubbish bin
Books (good quality) Charity shops or book banks (at some recycling centres)
Books (beyond reuse) Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box) Pages only, which need to be removed from cover and spine
Bottles (glass and plastic (not hard plastic) - includes those with non-removable lids) Blue lidded recycling bin
Branches (cut up) Brown compost bin
Brita water filter cartridges Black rubbish bin, or some supermarkets provide recycling facilities
Brown paper (wrapping, envelopes) Blue lidded recycling bin
Bubble wrap Black rubbish bin

 

C


Item Bin
Candles Black rubbish bin
Cans Blue lidded recycling bin
Capri-Sun drinks pouches (see "multi material items") Black rubbish bin
Cardboard (cereal packets, corrugated boxes, toilet roll tubes, shiny card - remove tape if present) Blue lidded recycling bin
Cardboard cans, lined with metal with plastic seal (cocoa powder or gravy granules) Lid - Blue lidded recycling bin; Can - Black rubbish bin
Cardboard tubes (kitchen roll) Blue lidded recycling bin
Carrier bags Black rubbish bin (some supermarkets provide recycling facilities)
Cat food pouches (with silver lining - see "multi material items") Black rubbish bin (some supermarkets provide recycling facilities)
Cat litter Black rubbish bin
Catalogues Black rubbish bin
CDs Black rubbish bin
CD cases Black rubbish bin
Cellophane Black rubbish bin
Cereal boxes Blue lidded recycling bin
Cereal packet inners (plastic) Black rubbish bin
Chemicals Household Waste Recycling Centre
Christmas cards (heavily decorated with glitter, foil etc) Black rubbish bin
Christmas cards (plain) Blue lidded bin (inner box)
Christmas tree (real and cut up) Brown compost bin
Cigarette ends Black rubbish bin
Cigarette packets Black rubbish bin
Cling film Black rubbish bin
Clothes Household Waste Recycling Centre
Coat hangers (plastic or wire) Black rubbish bin
Coffee filters Black rubbish bin
Coffee grinds Green food waste caddy
Coffee pods (separate plastic and foil) Blue lidded recycling bin
Coffee shop cups Black rubbish bin
Coffee shop cup plastic lids Blue lidded recycling bin
Compostable packaging / plastics etc Black rubbish bin (or home compost) - NOT green food waste caddy unless designed for use in it
Compostable (food caddy) liners Green food waste caddy - as long as designed for use in it and displays standardised compostable symbol
Contact Lense (Daily packaging without foil) Blue lidded bin
Cooking oil Household Waste Recycling Centre
Corks (real or plastic) Black rubbish bin
Cotton buds Black rubbish bin
Cotton reels Black rubbish bin
Cotton wool (used) Black rubbish bin
Crisp packets Black rubbish bin
Crockery (broken) Black rubbish bin
Cut flowers Brown compost bin
Cutlery (securely wrapped) Black rubbish bin

 

D


Item Bin
Disposable cutlery, plates Black rubbish bin
Disposable plastic drinking cups (not polystyrene) Blue lidded recycling bin
Disposable razor blades Black rubbish bin
Dog food/treat pouches (with silver lining) Black rubbish bin
DVD cases Black rubbish bin

 

E


Item Bin
Egg boxes (cardboard)   Blue lidded recycling bin
Egg boxes (plastic) Blue lidded recycling bin
Egg boxes (polystyrene) Black rubbish bin
Egg shells Green food waste caddy
Electrical items (small) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Electrical items (other) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Engine oil Household Waste Recycling Centre
Envelopes - brown (with or without windows) Blue lidded recycling bin
Envelopes - white or coloured (with or without windows)      Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)

 

F


Item Bin
Fast food drink cups Black rubbish bin
Fish shells Green food waste caddy
Flower pots Blue lidded recycling bin
Flowers (shop bought) Brown compost bin
Foam trays and packaging Black rubbish bin
Foil, including takeaway trays (must be clean washed foil - black rubbish bin if too dirty) Blue lidded recycling bin
Plastic coated foil wrapping eg crisp packets and sweet wrappers Black rubbish bin
Food waste Green food waste caddy

G


Item Bin
Glass bottles and jars Blue lidded recycling bin
Grass cuttings Brown compost bin
Grease-proof paper Black rubbish bin
Greetings cards (no glitter or foil trimmings) Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)

 

H


Item Bin
Hair Black rubbish bin
Hard covers (of catalogues)  Black rubbish bin
Hard plastic (children's toys, storage containers, recycling boxes/bins) Black rubbish bin or Household Waste Recycling Centre
Hay and straw Brown compost bin
Hedge cuttings Brown compost bin
Holiday brochures Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Hoover bags and dust Black rubbish bin

 

I


Item Bin
Ice cream tubs (plastic) Blue lidded recycling bin
Ice cream tubs (card/paperboard) Black rubbish bin
Incontinence pads (wrapped) Black rubbish bin
Insecticides Household Waste Recycling Centre

 

J


Item Bin
J cloths Black rubbish bin
Jiffy bag envelopes Black rubbish bin
Juice cartons (no straws) Blue lidded recycling bin
Junk mail  Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)

 

K


Kitchen towels Black rubbish bin
Kitchen knives (securely wrapped) Black rubbish bin

 

L


Item Bin
Latex gloves Black rubbish bin
Leaves      Brown compost bin
Lids from bottles (plastic and metal) Blue lidded recycling bin
Light bulbs (energy saving) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Light bulbs (fluorescent tubes) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Light bulbs (halogen) Black rubbish bin
Light bulbs (LED) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Light bulbs (old style) Black rubbish bin

 

M


Item Bin
Magazines  Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Magazine wrapping (plastic) Black rubbish bin
Magazine wrapping (potato starch) Black rubbish bin (or home compost) and not green food waste caddy as not designed for use in it
Mirrors Household Waste Recycling Centre
Moss Brown compost bin
Multi material items (such as Pringles tubes, cat food and drinks pouches, some waxed drinks containers i.e. disposable coffee cups, etc). Black rubbish bin

 

N


Item Bin
Napkins/serviettes Black rubbish bin
Nappies Black rubbish bin
Netting (plastic) eg orange nets Black rubbish bin
Newspaper Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)

 

O


Office paper Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)

 

P


Item BIn
Paint pots Household Waste Recycling Centre
Paper (office, mail, newspaper, magazines, white envelopes) Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Paper towels Black rubbish bin
Pencils Black rubbish bin
Pesticides Household Waste Recycling Centre
Pet Bedding for vegetarian pets (hay and straw) Brown compost bin
Pet Bedding for vegetarian pets (shredded cardboard) Black rubbish bin
Pet fur Black rubbish bin
Pet food pouches (with silver lining) Black rubbish bin
Pet litter for meat eating pets Black rubbish bin
Phone directories Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Photo negatives Black rubbish bin
Photographic paper Black rubbish bin
Plants (shop bought) Brown compost bin
Plastic bags Black rubbish bin, or some supermarkets provide recycling facilities
Plastic bags (eg those used to contain/wrap food) Black rubbish bin
Plastic bottles and loose lids (all; drink, detergent, shampoo bottles) Blue lidded recycling bin
Plastic films (eg from ready meal trays, cooked meat trays) Black rubbish bin
Plastic plant pots Blue lidded recycling bin
Plastic sweet wrappers Black rubbish bin
Plastic windows on food packaging/boxes Black rubbish bin
Plastic wrapping (including food wrappers) Black rubbish bin
Plate glass Household Waste Recycling Centre
Polystyrene (expanded / foam packaging) Black rubbish bin
Polystyrene/Styrofoam/foam trays Black rubbish bin
Post it notes Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Potato sacks (thick brown paper) Black rubbish bin
Potato starch (compostable) liners Green food waste caddy
Printer cartridges Black rubbish bin
Pringles tubes (see "multi material items") Black rubbish bin
Prunings Brown compost bin
Pyrex (or similar) Black rubbish bin

 

Q


 

R


Item Bin
Razor blades Black rubbish bin
Resealable plastic packets (eg containing cheese) Black rubbish bin
Ring binders Black rubbish bin
Rubber gloves Black rubbish bin

 

S


Item Bin
Sanitary products (wrapped) Black rubbish bin
Sanitary towels Black rubbish bin
Saucepans Household Waste Recycling Centre or black rubbish bin
Seed trays Blue lidded recycling bin
Sellotape Black rubbish bin
Shoes (any kind) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Shower curtain Black rubbish bin
Shredded paper Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Shrink wrap Black rubbish bin
Shrubs and flowers Brown compost bin
Soft plastics (bags, films, wrappings) Black rubbish bin
Soil and rubble Household Waste Recycling Centre
Sponges and loofahs Black rubbish bin
Sticky labels and backing paper Black rubbish bin
Straws Black rubbish bin
Styrofoam Black rubbish bin
Syringes (sharps) Clinical waste

 

T


Item Bin
Tablet packets (plastic and foil) Black rubbish bin
Tea bags Green food waste caddy
Tea light holders Blue lidded bin
Tetra Paks (juice) cartons (with or without lids) Blue lidded recycling bin
Textiles and shoes Household Waste Recycling Centre
Tins Blue lidded recycling bin
Tissues (used) Black rubbish bin
Tissue paper/packaging Black rubbish bin
Toothpaste tubes Black rubbish bin
Toys (plastic) Black rubbish bin or Household Waste Recycling Centre
Trays (plastic food trays, ready meals) Blue lidded recycling bin
Tubs (margarine, butter) Blue lidded recycling bin
Tupperware Black rubbish bin
Twigs Brown compost bin

 

U


Item Bin
Uncooked food Green food waste caddy

 

 

 

V


Item Bin
Video cassettes Black rubbish bin

 

W


Item Bin
Wallpaper Black rubbish bin
Water filter cartridges (eg Brita) Black rubbish bin, or some supermarkets provide recycling facilities
Wax crayons Black rubbish bin
Weed control fabric Black rubbish bin
Weeds Brown compost bin
Weed killer spray Household Waste Recycling Centre
Wet wipes Black rubbish bin
Window frames (wooden or plastic) Household Waste Recycling Centre
Wires/cables Black rubbish bin
Wood (treated) Black rubbish bin
Wood shavings Brown compost bin
Woodchip wallpaper Black rubbish bin
Wrappers (eg from sweets, biscuits) Black rubbish bin
Wrapping (plastic) eg from around magazines  Black rubbish bin
Wrapping paper Black rubbish bin

 

X


 

Y


Item Bin
Yellow pages Blue lidded recycling bin (inner box)
Yoghurt pots and plastic lids (not peel back lids) Blue lidded recycling bin

 

Z