According to Recycle Now, in the UK alone, we use over half a million tonnes of metal packaging and nearly 2 million tonnes of glass packaging per year. But there is more that can be done. We’re all trying to do more for the environment nowadays (including cracking down on our use of non-recyclable plastic) and it’s likely that you already make use of your recycling bin. But what actually goes in the recycling bin and are you putting the right stuff in it?
It might seem obvious to some about what can be recycled, but it’s worth checking the guidelines on how to recycle properly so only the correct stuff is heading off to the recycling centres.
It’s also worth checking on your council’s website as some rules on recyclable waste differ county to county. Find out about your local recycling here.
What can go in your recycling bin
• Fruit juice cartons
• Long life milk cartons
• Soup and smoothie cartons
• Other cardboard cartons
• Aluminium foil
• Aluminium foil containers
• Coffee jars
• Wine/beer bottles
• Jam jars
• Sauce bottles/jars
• Perfume bottles
• Plastic bottles e.g. milk and drink bottles
• Bathroom bottles, including roll-on deodorants
• Laundry and detergent bottles and tubs
• Washing-up liquid bottles
• Yoghurt, cream and soup pots
• Ice cream and margarine tubs
• Cosmetic pots and tubs (from recyclable beauty products)
• Food and ready meal trays
• Fruit and vegetable punnets
• Food packaging sleeves
• Pringles tubes
• Egg boxes
• Cereal boxes
• Paper cups
• Newspapers and magazines
• Paperback books
• Envelopes and junk mail
• Paper
• Greeting cards and wrapping paper (non-metallic)
• Catalogues
• Food and drink cans
• Pet food cans
• Biscuit and sweet tins
• Empty aerosol cans (e.g. deodorant sprays, hairspray cans etc)
• Metal bottle tops and lids
• Toothpaste boxes flattened
• Toilet roll tubes flattened
• Plastic shampoo, shower gel and conditioner bottles (empty and rinse then replace the lids)
• Bleach bottles - empty, replace lid
• Liquid soap bottles - empty, rinse and remove pump dispenser (throw pump into the rubbish bin)
• Empty tissue boxes (remove any plastic insert and flatten)
• Empty dishwasher tablet boxes
If you have a paper bin, some of these recyclable items can go in there instead. These include junk mail, shredded paper, magazines and carboard.
What can’t go in your recycling bin
• Crisp packets
• Cat food pouches
• Soup pouches
• Dirty foil
• Mirror or window glass
• Pyrex
• Drinking glasses
• Milk bottles (rinse and return these to your milkman)
• Ceramics and crockery
• Glass vases
• Glasses
• Candle jars
• Paper towels
• Plastic film
• Bubble wrap
• Plastic bags and sacks
• Polystyrene
• Plastic toys
• Coffee pods
• Paint, chemical or engine oil tins
• Saucepans and utensils
• Electrical items
• Garden tools
• Gas canisters
• Batteries
Recycling bin tips
Things like biscuit or chocolate bar wrappers, crisp packets and cat food pouches, have a layer of plastic on them and are not true aluminium foil, so cannot be put into your recycling wheelie bin.
The metal lids from the likes of wine bottles and jam jars should be removed and placed separately in your recycling bin.
Padded envelopes, like Jiffy Bags, cannot be recycled due to the plastic lining inside, and should be put in your rubbish bin.
Cards with lots of glitter, ribbons or other adornments cannot be recycled.
Cans must not have leftover food or liquid in them as this could spill out onto other recycling, preventing it from being recycled.
Some councils collect used batteries as part of their household collection service but in most cases, you will need to take them to a recycling centre or a collection point. If you'd like to avoid this waste entirely, you could invest in rechargeable batteries instead.
Recycling one drinks can could save enough energy to power a TV for four hours.
What can I recycle?
Items such as glass, polystyrene and wood confuse many people when it comes to working out which bin to put them into. Here's what to do with them.
What bin does polystyrene go in?
Polystyrene should not be recycled at home, so if you're going to dispose of it, please put it into your general waste bin.
Can you put wood in the recycling bin?
You can't put wood into your recycling bin, but you can put it into your garden waste bin. There are also wood recycling centres you can drop it off at.
What bin does glass go in?
As long as you wash it out thoroughly, you can put glass jars into your recycling bin. However, any broken glass should be carefully bagged and placed into the general waste bin.
Features & Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert has been a journalist since 2015 and has worked across a variety of specialist and lifestyle brands both in print and online. Specialising in travel content and product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases, her favourite being gadgets for the home.