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 |