Information A-Z of recycling and disposals
Content
Here is a comprehensive list of materials and which container they should be placed into for collection. If you think an item should be added to this list then please get in touch.
The guidance below is intended to enable residents to use the East Devon District Council kerb-side recycling scheme and the Devon County Council household recycling centres to maximise the amount you can recycle and dispose of non-recyclable items safely and responsibly.
Quality counts in recycling so please separate your items according to the information below.
Some hard-to-recycle items that we are unable to collect at kerb-side can be recycled using producer return schemes eg coffee pods or front of store take back schemes eg plastic bags and flexible packaging. Producers and retailers advertise their schemes widely but please note they may not be available at all locations.
Items marked with a * should be placed into a plastic bag before being placed into the container. Electrical items should be no bigger than then the recycling box, bagged if possible and should have a plug or a battery.
|
Item |
Disposal method |
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A |
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Aerosol cans (empty) |
Green sack |
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Air freshener (electric)* |
Green box |
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Aluminium foil/trays |
Green sack |
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Animal waste/bedding |
Grey bin |
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Asbestos |
Hazardous material. Please refer to Devon County Council for advice. |
|
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Ash (cold) |
Grey bin |
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|
|
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B |
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Baby nappies |
Grey bin |
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Baby wipes |
Grey bin |
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Baking tray (metal) |
Recycling centre |
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Bath sponges |
Grey bin |
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Batteries* |
Green box |
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Belts* |
Green box |
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Birthday cards (non-glitter type) |
Green box |
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Blister packs |
Grey bin |
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Bones |
Blue food caddy |
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Books (paperback and hardback) |
Charity shop |
Grey bin |
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Bread bags |
Grey bin |
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Brochures/catalogues |
Green box |
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Brown paper |
Green box |
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Broken glass (wrapped) |
Grey bin |
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Bubble wrap |
Grey bin |
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Building rubble |
Recycling Centre |
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C |
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Candles |
Grey bin |
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Cans (food and drink) |
Green sack |
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Car batteries |
Recycling centre |
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Cardboard/cardboard packaging |
Green box |
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Cards (greetings cards, non-glitter) |
Green box |
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Carpets |
Recycling centre |
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Carrier/plastic bags |
Grey bin |
|
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Cartons/Tetra Paks |
Green sack |
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Cat litter – (bagged) |
Grey bin |
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CD’s/DVD’s/Videos/tapes (+ cases) |
Recycling centre |
|
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Cellophane |
Grey bin |
|
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Cereal bags (inner bag) |
Grey bin |
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Cereal boxes |
Green box |
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Christmas cards (non-glitter) |
Green box |
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Christmas tree lights* |
Green box |
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Cling film/thin plastic |
Grey bin |
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Clocks (battery)* |
Green box |
|
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Clocks (no battery) |
Grey bin |
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Clothes and Shoes* |
Reusable quality in Green box |
Damaged or poor quality in Grey bin |
|
Coat hangers |
Grey bin |
Check with Recycling Centre |
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Coffee cup (disposable) |
Grey bin |
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Coffee grounds |
Blue food caddy |
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Coffee pods |
Grey bin |
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Compostable cups |
Home composting |
Grey Bin |
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Cooking fat |
Allow to cool – grey bin |
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Contact lens packs |
Grey bin |
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Cooking oil |
Recycling centre |
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Cork |
Grey bin |
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Cotton wool |
Grey bin |
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Cotton buds |
Grey bin |
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Crockery/Ceramics |
Recycling centre |
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Crisp packets and sweet wrappers |
Grey bin |
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Crisp tubes |
Grey bin |
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Curtains |
Recycling centre |
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Cushions |
Recycling centre |
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Cutlery |
Recycling Centre |
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D |
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Dental floss |
Grey bin |
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Disposable razors |
Grey bin |
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Drink cartons |
Green sack |
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Drinking glasses |
Recycling centre |
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Duvets/pillows |
Recycling centre |
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Duvet covers/pillowcases |
Green box |
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E |
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Egg boxes (card) |
Green box |
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Egg boxes (plastic) |
Green sack |
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Engine oil |
Recycling centre |
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Envelopes (non-padded and paper) |
Green box |
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Envelopes (padded) |
Grey bin |
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Elastic bands |
Grey bin |
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Electrical items (small)* |
Green box |
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Electrical items (large) |
Recycling centre / bulky waste service |
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Electric blanket* |
Green box |
|
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Electric cable (household, short length)* |
Green box |
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F |
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Flat glass |
Recycling centre |
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Flower pots |
Recycling centre |
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Fruit/vegetables |
Blue food caddy |
|
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Foil (clean) |
Green sack |
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Food trays (hard plastic) |
Green sack |
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Food trays (soft plastic |
Green sack |
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Food waste |
Blue food caddy |
|
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Furniture |
Recycling centre / bulky waste service |
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|
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G |
|
|
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Garden plants/weeds/grass cuttings |
Recycling centre |
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Gas bottles and gas canisters |
Recycling centre |
|
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Glass bottles and jars |
Green box |
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Glassware/Pyrex |
Recycling centre |
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Gloves* |
Green box |
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Greaseproof paper |
Grey bin |
|
|
|
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H |
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Hair |
Grey bin |
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Handbags* |
Green box |
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Hats* |
Green box |
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Hoover dust |
Grey bin |
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Household/garden chemicals/detergents |
Recycling centre |
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|
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I |
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Ice-cream tub |
Green sack |
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Incontinence pads |
Grey bin |
|
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Inflatable plastic items |
Recycling centre |
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Ink cartridges |
Recycling centre |
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Inhaler |
Aerosol green sack |
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J |
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Jars (glass) |
Green box |
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Jar lids |
Green sack |
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J Cloth |
Grey bin |
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Jiffy bags (padded envelope) |
Grey bin |
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Junk mail (remove plastic bags) |
Green box |
|
|
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K |
|
|
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Kitchen food waste |
Blue caddy |
|
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Kitchen roll tubes |
Green box |
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Kitchen towel (paper) |
Grey bin |
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Keyboard (computer)* |
Green box |
|
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L |
|
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Laminated paper |
Grey bin |
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Lamps (remove shade) |
Green box |
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Laundry pegs |
Grey bin |
|
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Leather clothing |
Green box |
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Linen (Duvet covers and pillowcases) |
Green box |
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Light bulbs (energy saving) |
Recycling centre and some Town councils |
|
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Light bulbs (fluorescent tubes) |
Recycling centre |
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M |
|
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Magazines |
Green box |
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Margarine tubs |
Green sack |
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Mattress protector |
Grey bin |
|
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Meat trays (plastic) |
Green sack |
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Metal (pots, pans and trays) |
Recycling centre |
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Milk bottles (plastic) |
Green sack |
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Mobile phones* |
Green box |
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Motorbike battery |
Recycling centre |
|
|
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N |
|
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Nappies |
Grey bin |
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Newspapers |
Green box |
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O |
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Office paper |
Green box |
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P |
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Packaging peanuts |
Grey bin |
|
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Paint tins |
Recycling centre |
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Pots and Pans (Metal) |
Recycling centre |
|
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Paper |
Green box |
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Paper towels |
Grey bin |
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Papier mache |
Grey bin |
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Pens |
Grey bin |
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Pet food pouches |
Grey bin |
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Pet food tins and trays (clean) |
Green sack |
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Photographs |
Grey bin |
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Pillow cases* |
Green box |
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Pillows |
Recycling centre |
|
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Pizza boxes (cardboard, no food residue) |
Green box |
|
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Plasters |
Grey bin |
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Plastic bottles/containers |
Green sack |
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Plastic bags |
Grey bin (recyclable in some supermarkets) |
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Plastic food trays/punnets |
Green sack |
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Plastic film |
Grey bin |
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Plastic netting |
Grey bin |
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Plastic plant pots |
Recycling centre |
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Plastic toys |
Recycling centre |
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Postcards |
Green box |
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Pots and Pans (metal) |
Recycling centre |
|
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Polystyrene |
Grey bin |
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Pyrex |
Recycling centre |
|
|
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R |
|
|
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Razor blades |
Grey bin |
|
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Remote control* |
Green box |
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Roll-on deodorant bottle |
Green sack |
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Rubber gloves |
Grey bin |
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|
|
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S |
|
|
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Sanitary wear |
Grey bin |
|
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Scarves* |
Green box |
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Scrap metal |
Recycling centre |
|
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Sheets (textiles)* |
Green box |
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Shoes* |
Green box |
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Shredded paper (bagged)* |
Green box |
|
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Soft toys (stuffed) |
Recycling Centre |
|
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Spectacles |
Grey bin |
|
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Styrofoam |
Grey bin |
|
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Sweet/chocolate/biscuit containers (tin and plastic) |
Green sack |
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Sweet wrappers |
Grey bin |
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T |
|
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Tablet packing (preformed plastic) |
Grey bin |
|
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Takeaway container (plastic) |
Green sack |
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Takeaway container (foil) |
Green sack |
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Takeaway pizza boxes |
Green box - no food |
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Tea bags/leaves |
Blue food caddy |
|
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Teddy bears |
Recycling centre |
|
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Tetra Pak |
Green sack |
|
|
Thermometer (mercury) |
Recycling centre. Place in unwanted plastic container labelled ‘Mercury’ and hand to staff. |
|
|
Thermos flask |
Grey bin |
|
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Tiles (ceramic or roof) |
Recycling centre |
|
|
Tin (food) |
Green sack |
|
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Tissues / Kitchen towels (paper) |
Grey bin |
|
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Tissue boxes (cardboard) |
Green box |
|
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Toilet roll tubes |
Green box |
|
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Toothbrush (electric) – remove brush part* |
Green box |
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Toothbrush (non-electric) |
Grey bin |
|
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Toothpaste tubes |
Grey bin |
|
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Toothpaste pump |
Green sack |
|
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Tupperware containers |
Recycling centre |
|
|
|
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V |
|
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Vape machine/parts |
Return to retailer for recycling |
|
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Vegware cups (and utensils) |
Home composting |
|
|
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W |
|
|
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Wallpaper (used or unused) |
Grey bin |
|
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Washing powder boxes (card) |
Green box |
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Washing powder/capsule box (plastic) |
Green sack |
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Washing up liquid bottles |
Green sack |
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Washing up sponges |
Grey bin |
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Watches (with battery) |
Green box |
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Watches (no battery) |
Grey bin |
|
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Water filters |
Grey bin |
|
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Wet wipes |
Grey bin |
|
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Wood/timber |
Recycling centre |
|
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Wrapping paper (non-metallic) |
Green box |
|
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Wrapping paper (metallic/glitter) |
Grey bin |
|
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Y |
|
|
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Yellow pages |
Green box |
|
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Yoghurt/margarine tubs |
Green sack |
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If you feel that we have missed anything then please contact us.