Waste and Recycling

A to Z recycling guide

In this section

Find out how to recycle thousands of items by using our new online recycling search.

We have also created a brief A to Z guide below featuring the most common items we are asked about to help you get your recycling right.

A

Aluminium foil trays

Such as takeaway carton bases should not be put in your green bin but taken to Household Recycling Centres. Foil must be cleaned first.

Aluminium foil

As long as it is clean take to a household recycling centre and put it in the metal recycling container. Do not put it in your green bin.

Aluminium tubes

E.g. for tomato puree. These must go in your black bin.

Ash

From wood burning fires is an excellent form of waste to add to your compost at home, or as a soil fertiliser.

Aerosols

Can be recycled in your green bin as long as they are empty. Do not pierce, flatten or crush aerosols.

B

Batteries

All household batteries including ‘button’ watch batteries can be recycled at some shops and supermarkets where batteries are sold. You can also leave them in a plastic bag on top of your black bin and the crews will put them in a separate cage under the vehicle to go for recycling. Household Recycling Centres will also take household batteries with some also accepting laptop and mobile phone battery packs.

Books

Can be donated to charity shops or sold online.

Bottles and jars

Made of all types of coloured glass can go in your green bin but for health and safety reasons cannot be accepted if you are on a sack collection. They can be taken to Household Recycling Centres though.

Black plastic

Cannot be accepted by our recycling facility so should be disposed of with your rubbish.

Baby food pouches

These should be disposed off with your rubbish.

Biscuit and sweet tins

Can go in your green bin including the lids.

C

CDs and DVDs

CDs and DVDs can sometimes be donated to local charity shops or sold on online sites. They may be suitable for reuse through a local reuse network such as Freecycle or Freegle.

Gardeners use old CDs as bird scarers or they make good coasters. Old and broken CDs/DVDs and their boxes need to be disposed of in your black bin or in the general waste container at the Household Recycling Centre.

Cans

Can be put in your green bin just rinse them out first. You can leave the label on.

Car batteries

These should be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Clothes hangers

Some charity shops may accept them and some supermarkets also collect them. Otherwise metal hangers can go in the metal container at a Household Recycling Centre. Plastic ones must go in your black bin.

Coffee pods/capsules - Some of the major manufacturers have got together to form Podback. You can order a bag to send your Tassimo, Nespresso or Dolce Gusto pods back at www.podback.org. Or recycle them at four sites in the county. See our website for locations. If you don’t recycle them then they must go in the black bin.

Cardboard

A light white card (for example cereal boxes) can go in your green bin. Anything corrugated or thick will also be accepted. Small amounts are also good for composting at home.

Carrier bags

Can be recycled in store at most large supermarkets but use a reusable bag to reduce the need for them in the first place. Do not put them in your green bin.

Clothes

Good quality clothing can be donated to a charity shop, sold through an online marketplace, passed on to friends and family or put in a textile bank at a Household Recycling Centre or you can use our kerbside textile recycling service. See our website for more information. They may be suitable for reuse through a local reuse network such as Freecycle or Freegle. Clothing beyond repair can be cut up to use as dusters or must go in your black bin.

Computers

Including laptops and monitors can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres.

Christmas trees

Real ones can be taken to Household Recycling Centres for recycling.

Crisp packets

Some schools and community groups are now collecting crisp packets through Terracycle (www.terracycle.co.uk), but these are recycled at a specialist company and cannot be recycled using your green bin. If you do not use a Terracycle scheme then they must go in your black bin.

Cutlery and crockery

If in good condition donate to a charity shop. Otherwise broken crockery can be recycled in the hardcore and rubble container at Household Recycling Centres and metal cutlery in the metal container. Please do not put these items in your green bin.

Compostable items

Items that are labelled as ‘compostable’ are usually only able to be composted in large industrial composting facilities such as Anaerobic Digestion or In-Vessel Composting. These need to go in your black bin.

D

Drinks cartons

Can go in your green bin, just remove the straw which should go in your black bin.

Drinking glasses

These cannot go in your green bin. If good quality please check to see if you can donate them to a charity shop or give them away online. Otherwise, they need to go in your black bin.

E

Electrical items

Such as microwaves, radios, games consoles, kettles, toasters etc can be taken to Household Recycling Centres. If an electrical appliance has a plug, uses batteries or needs charging or has a picture of a crossed-out wheeled bin on it then it can be recycled. Small electrical items can be put on top of your black bin and crews will put them in a separate cage on the vehicle to take for recycling. See our website for more information.

Egg boxes

Made from cardboard are fully compostable at home or can go in your green bin. Plastic egg boxes can also go in your green bin.

Egg shells

Can be composted at home. When crushed they can also deter slugs from eating your plants. Just sprinkle around the base.

Energy efficient light bulbs

Can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres and some supermarkets. If you have any of the older incandescent bulbs dispose of them with your rubbish. They contain a different type of glass and metal parts so cannot be recycled.

Envelopes with plastic windows

Can go in your green bin. You don’t need to remove the plastic window.

F

Food waste

Some food waste can be composted at home if you have a compost bin otherwise it should be disposed of with your rubbish.
Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for ideas on how to reduce your food waste.

Foil pouches

Such as those used for pet food or some juice drinks cannot be recycled at home or at any Household Recycling Centre. Please put these into your black bin. Some Terracycle collection points take clean food pouches.
Visit www.terracycle.co.uk for more information

Fish and chip paper

This should be disposed of with your rubbish.

Frozen food packaging

Such as the type frozen chips or peas come in cannot go in your green bin. It can be recycled in the plastic carrier bag container at most supermarkets.

G

Garden waste

Can be composted at home, taken to a Household Recycling Centre or sign up for our garden waste collection service www.wychavon.gov.uk/garden-waste

Glass bottles and jars

Glass

Any glass that isn’t a glass bottle or jar (e.g. window glass, pyrex glass dishes, drinking glasses) must go in your black bin or be taken to a Household Recycling Centre.

Greetings cards

Can be recycled in your green bin but first tear off any parts with glitter, bows or ribbon on them.

Grass

Can be composted very effectively in a home compost bin providing that it is mixed with equal quantities of other material, for example scrunched up newspaper, or put it in your garden waste bin as it is.

Greaseproof paper

(used and scraps) can be composted at home if ripped up first or in small amounts. Do not put in your green bin.

H

Hay

And other natural pet bedding can be added to your home compost heap so long as your pet is vegetarian. If you cannot compost at home then this goes in your black bin.

Hardcore and rubble

Such as bricks, plasterboard and wood should be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

I

Inkjet cartridges

Are accepted by many charities that will gladly recycle them on your behalf. Some supermarkets also have collection points. They can also be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Ironing boards

Should be taken to Household Recycling Centres. Remove the cover and place in the textiles container and the metal board in the metal container.

J

Junk mail

You can use the Mailing Preference Service to remove yourself from the mailing lists used by many companies. Alternatively put it in your green bin.

K

Kitchen roll tubes

Can be composted at home or put in your green bin.

L

Lids

Plastic lids on jars, bottles, margarine tubs, sweet tins etc can be left on when you put them in your green bin as can metal lids on glass jars.

M

Mobile phones

Can be donated to charities or there are companies that will pay for old handsets. Try searching online. Unwanted handsets and accessories can also be returned to phone shops for recycling. They can also be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Metal baking trays

These can be taken to a household recycling centre. Do not put in your green bin.

Medicines

You can put empty glass medicine bottles in your green bin but not if you are on a sack collection. Please take any other unused, unopened or unwanted medicines to your local pharmacy. The medicines are disposed of safely and the bottles recycled. Blister packs for tablets and pills cannot go in your green bin.

N

Nappies

That are disposable should be put in your black bin. Reusable cloth nappies can be washed and reused. Once no longer needed pass them on to friends/family or donate them to www.worcestershirenappylibrary.uk.

Nail polish bottles

The hazardous toxins found in nail polish mean the glass bottles cannot be recycled, even if thoroughly rinsed, and so must go in your black bin.

O

Oil

Either cooking or engine should never be poured down drains, it can contaminate drinking water and harm wildlife. Engine oil can be taken to Household Recycling Centres. Cooking oil can be recycled at the Worcester East Household Recycling Centre in Bilford Road, Worcester. Otherwise please seal oils in an appropriate watertight container and dispose of with your rubbish.

P

Paper

Including envelopes, magazines and catalogues can be recycled in your green bin.

Pet food tins

Please rinse out, push in the lids, and put in your green bin. The foil pouch versions should be disposed of with your rubbish.

Paint

Can be disposed of at Household Recycling Centres or donate to the Community RePaint scheme at Worcester. Visit our website for more information.

Pillows

May be accepted by a charity shop, or the inner feathers/down can be composted at home, and the fabric recycled at a Household Recycling Centre.

Pizza boxes

And other cardboard based fast food containers that are free from food and not heavily stained with grease can go in your green bin.

Plastic tubs/trays

Including margarine tubs, yoghurt pots, ice cream tubs, fruit punnets and raw meat trays can all go in your green bin, as long as they are not made of black plastic. Black plastic packaging must go in your black bin.

Polystyrene packaging

Like the kind used to pack products must go in your black bin.

Plant pots

If plant pots are taupe (that mushroom looking colour) or terracotta they can go in your green bin. Black plant pots need to go in your black bin or see if you can pass them on using online sites like Freecycle and Freegle.

Plastic bottles

Including bleach, fabric conditioner and shampoo bottles can be recycled. Rinse out and place in your green bin. Lids can stay on. Trigger and pump handles (such as on hand soap bottles) must go in your black bin as they are made of different types of plastic and contain metal.

Plastic wrapping

Such as clingfilm or polythene should be disposed of in your black bin.

Pyrex

While this is a type of glass it has been specially treated to withstand high temperatures and this makes it non-recyclable. Dispose of it in your black bin.

R

Rags

Old fabric rags or stained t-shirts make good general rags. When they are past good use, if the material is natural, such as cotton, you can compost this material at home.

Reading glasses

There are lots of charities that want reading glasses to give to people that need them. Try a search online. Some opticians will also accept your old glasses for reuse.

S

Shoes

Can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres.

Saucepans

Can be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Shredded paper

This can go in your green bin but please do not put it in loose. It will cause problems with the sorting machinery. Put it inside a flat cardboard box or envelope and then put in your green bin.

T

Televisions

Can be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Toothpaste tubes

Both the squeezable and pump action tubes should be disposed of with your rubbish. This is because the inside cannot be cleaned.

Toothbrushes

Manual ones can be disposed of with your rubbish or use them to scrub grout, tiles or hard to reach areas. Electric toothbrushes can be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

Toys

Plastic toys, if in good condition, can be donated to charity shops, passed on to friends/family or sold online. Otherwise, they need to go in your black bin. Electronic toys in good condition can also be donated to charity, passed on to friends/family or sold online. They can also be taken to Household Recycling Centres for recycling. Do not put electric or battery-operated items in your black or green bin.

U

Umbrellas

If you can detach the fabric canopy you could recycle the metal at a Household Recycling Centre.

V

Vacuum dust

Can be composted at home or disposed of with your rubbish.

W

Water butt

These cannot be recycled in your green bin but you could use them as large planters or for growing strawberries or potatoes. Just remember to make some drainage holes. Otherwise, they need to go in your black bin, if you can break them down so they fit, or be taken to a Household Recycling Centre.

Wrapping paper

Can be recycled in your green bin if it holds its shape when scrunched. Remove any sticky tape, bows and ribbons first. If it springs back then dispose of it in your black bin.

White goods

Including dishwashers, freezers, fridges, washing machines, tumble dryers, cookers etc can all be taken to Household Recycling Centres. Remember, if an electrical appliance has a plug, uses batteries or needs charging or has a picture of a crossed-out wheeled bin on it then it can be recycled.