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    A-Z of recycling

    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 

    Aerosols

    • Before recycling, make sure the aerosol is completely empty and do not crush
    • Place aerosols in the main part of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Air bed

    • Air beds are made from plastics that currently can't be recycled
    • You can dispose of them in your general household waste bin
    • Alternatively, you can place them in the general waste container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Air freshener (aerosol)

    • Before recycling, make sure the aerosol is completely empty and do not crush
    • Place air fresheners in the main part of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Air freshener (electric)

    Air freshener (plastic)

    • Plastic air fresheners are not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste 

    Alarm clock

    Aluminium can

    • Before recycling, wash and squash cans
    • Place cans in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Aluminium food tray

    • Before recycling, rinse thoroughly to remove food residue
    • Place food trays in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Aluminium foil

    • Clean aluminium foil (for example from Easter eggs) can be recycled in your blue bin. We are currently unable to recycle foil from cooked food containers due to food contamination issues - please dispose of them in your household waste.  

    Animal bedding

    Hay, straw and sawdust

    • Hay, straw and sawdust aren't currently recycled
    • Do not put in your garden waste bin
    • However, they can be composted in your compost bin 

    Pet blankets, towels and beds made from fabric

    • Fabric pet blankets, towels and beds are not currently recycled
    • Dispose of them in your household waste
    • Alternatively, you can place them in the general waste container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Plastic animal beds

    Animal and pet waste

    • Animal and pet waste is not currently recycled
    • Dispose of it in your household waste 

    Asbestos

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    B 

    Bath towels

    Bathroom suites

    Batteries (domestic)

    • Laptop/mobile phone batteries and other batteries should never be placed in any of your bins as they present a significant fire risk. Please take these to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre, or to your nearest battery recycling point.

    • Many retailers and supermarkets also have battery recycling points 

    • Anywhere that sells batteries has a legal duty to take back old batteries from customers for recycling.

    • Some shops will also take your old electrical items containing batteries. To find your nearest location visit Recycle Now, select 'Batteries' from the available list, and enter your postcode. 

    Batteries (motor vehicle)

    Birthday cards

    • Birthday cards with glitter decoration cannot be recycled 
    • Place birthday cards in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Bedding

    • Some animal rescue centres also accept bedding for reuse as animal bedding 

    Bicycles

    Bicycle tyres

    • Bicycle tyres currently cannot be recycled
    • You can dispose of them in your general household waste bin
    • Alternatively, you can place them in the general waste container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Black plastic food trays

    • Black plastic food trays are not currently recycled
    • You can dispose of them in your household waste

    Biscuit tins (metal and plastic)

    • Place biscuit tins in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Biscuit wrappers

    • Biscuit wrappers are not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste

    Bones

    • Bones are not currently recycled
    • Do not place them in your home compost bin or garden waste bin
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste

    Books

    • Books can be taken to some of our bring sites
    • Alternatively, you can donate them to your local charity shop 

    Bottles and jars

    • Before recycling, rinse out thoroughly
    • Replace tops on bottles and jars
    • Place bottles and jars in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and they can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Bottle tops

    • Plastic bottle tops can be recycled. Squeeze and compress the plastic bottle then replace the lid before putting both into your blue recycling bin.
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin.

    Brochures

    • Place brochures in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared facilities, place them in the paper recycling bins
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and they can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Bubble wrap

    • We can't currently recycle bubble wrap
    • You can dispose of it in your household waste
    • Alternatively, it can be kept and reused to package fragile items
    • Many supermarkets have their own bubble wrap recycling schemes, check stores for details

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    C

    Cans

    • Before recycling, wash and squash your cans
    • Place cans in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Cardboard

    • Before recycling, flatten, fold and crush cardboard
    • Place cardboard in your blue recycling bin. Bin crews will not remove cardboard which has been placed out for collection beside recycling bins (side waste)
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    • Pizza boxes are not currently recycled as they often contain food residue, please dispose of them in your household waste bin

    • Remove sticky tape/Sellotape where possible before recycling

    Carpets

    Carrier bags

    • We can't currently recycle carrier bags
    • However, you can keep them to use again
    • Many supermarkets have their own carrier bag recycling schemes, check stores for details

    Cartons

    • Before recycling, wash out thoroughly
    • Place cartons in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Catalogues

    • Place catalogues in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared facilities, place them in the paper recycling bins
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    CDs

    • Do not put CDs or empty CD cases in your blue bin. 
    • CDs cannot be recycled at our household waste and recycling centres.
    • Unwanted CD's can be donated to charity through banks located at some bring sites or charity shops.

    CD cases

    Cellophane

    • Cellophane is not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste

    Cereal boxes

    • Before recycling, fold and crush 
    • Place cereal boxes in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Chargers

    Christmas trees

    • Artificial Christmas trees are not currently recycled
    • However, natural Christmas trees can be chopped up and placed in your garden waste or recycled at our household waste and recycling centres

    Christmas decorations

    Clothing

    Coffee grounds and filters

    • Coffee grounds and filters are not currently recycled
    • However, they can be composted in your compost bin 

    Coffee pods

    Computers

    Cookers

    Cooking oil

    • Used oil cannot be recycled
    • Instead, you can carefully pour into a plastic container and dispose of it in your general household waste bin
    • Empty oil bottles must be thoroughly washed before placing in your blue recycling bin 

    Crisp packets

    • Crisp packets cannot be recycled in your blue bin as they are difficult to separate from the other materials at the recycling facility, so should be disposed of in your general household waste bin
    • Walkers and recycling partner TerraCycle have recently announced a new free-of-charge scheme for recycling crisp packets. To find out more, please go to www.walkers.co.uk/recycle (opens new window)

    Curtains

    Can be recycled at:

    Cutlery

    • Metal cutlery can be donated to charity shops
    • Alternatively, it can be disposed of in the metals container at either of our household waste and recycling centres and plastic cutlery can be placed in the plastic containers

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    D 

    Duvets and pillows

    • Duvets and pillows are not currently recycled
    • Some animal rescue centres accept duvets to reuse as bedding for the animals 
    • However; duvet covers, pillow cases, sheets and blankets can be recycled at some bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    DVDs

    • Do not put DVDs or empty DVD cases in your blue bin. 
    • Empty DVD cases can be placed in the plastic container at our household waste and recycling centres
    • DVDs cannot be recycled at our household waste and recycling centres.
    • Unwanted DVD's can be donated to charity through banks located at some bring sites or charity shops.

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    E 

    Egg boxes

    • Before recycling, fold and crush
    • Place egg boxes in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Egg shells

    • Eggs shells are not currently recycled
    • However, they can be composted in your compost bin 

    Electrical appliances (large)

    Electrical appliances (small)

    Envelopes

    • Padded envelopes cannot be recycled and should be disposed in your household waste bin
    • Place all standard envelopes (all colours) in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place then in the paper recycling bin
    • Envelope address windows do not need to be removed before recycling
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and household waste and recycling centres

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    F  

    Fabric (textiles)

    Flowers and plants

    • Flowers and plants can be placed in your garden waste bin 
    • They can also be recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres
    • Alternatively, they can be composted in your compost bin 

    Fluorescent tubes

    Food

    • Food is not currently recycled

    Fridges and freezers

    Fruit punnets

    Plastic fruit punnets

    • Before recycling, rinse to remove all food residue
    • Plastic fruit punnets can be placed in the main part of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, put them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Wooden fruit punnets 

    • Wooden fruit punnets cannot be recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste 

    Fruit and veg peelings

    • Fruit and vegetable peelings are not currently recycled
    • However, they can be composted in your compost bin 

    Furniture

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    G  

    Garden waste

    Glass bottles and jars

    • Before recycling, rinse out thoroughly
    • Place glass bottles and jars in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Glass panes or window glass

    Grass cuttings

    Greetings cards

    • Cards with a glitter decoration cannot be recycled
    • Place plain greetings cards in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • You can also recycle them at either of our household waste and recycling centres

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    H  

    Hedge trimmings

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    I  

    Inhalers

    • Some pharmacies collect old inhalers for recycling via the 'Complete the Cycle Scheme' 
    • Dispose of these in your general household waste bin.

    Ink cartridges (printer)

    • Ink cartridges can be recycled via the reuse scheme

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    J  

    Junk mail

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    K  

    Keys

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    L  

    Laptop computers

    • Laptop computers can be recycled at our household waste and recycling centres
    • Laptop /mobile phone batteries and other batteries should never be placed in any of your bins as they present a significant fire risk.
       

    Leaves

    Light bulbs

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    M  

    Magazines and catalogues

    • Place magazines and catalogues in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared facilities, place them in the paper recycling bins
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Mattresses

    Meat trays and microwaveable food trays

    Plastic and aluminium trays

    • Before recycling, rinse of any food residue
    • Meat and microwaveable food trays can be placed in the main part of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, use the mixed recycling bins
    • Alternatively, you can use the mixed bring sites located across Gateshead
    • Trays should be rinsed of any food residue before recycling.

    Black plastic food trays 

    • Plastic food trays cannot be recycled
    • Dispose of these in the general household waste bin

    Medicines

    • Empty glass medicine bottles can be placed in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres
    • Unused medicines can be returned to a chemist (pharmacist) to be safely disposed of

    Metal cans

    • Before recycling, rinse and squash
    • Place metal cans in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Metal pots and pans

    • Metal pots, pans, lids, and trays cannot be placed in your blue recycling bin
    • Alternatively, they can be disposed of in the metals container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Milk containers (plastic)

    • Before recycling, rinse out and squash
    • Place plastic milk containers in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Mirrors

    • Mirrors can be donated to charity shops or through an online reuse network
    • Alternatively, dispose of them in the residual waste container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Mobile phones

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    N  

    Nappies

    • Nappies are not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste

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    P  

    Paint

    Paper - newspapers 

    Photocopier cartridges

    • Photocopier cartridges can be recycled via reuse schemes

    Photographs

    • Photographs are not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste

    Pizza boxes

    • Pizza boxes and fast food packaging are not currently recycled as they often contain unwanted food residue that may contaminate other materials
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste.

    Plants

    Plastic (hard plastics)

    • Post-consumer plastics sometimes referred to as 'mixed rigid plastics' can be recycled at our household waste and recycling centres. This includes plant pots, garden furniture, buckets, children's toys, plastic hangers, flexitubs, storage boxes or crates.

    Plastic bags

    • We can't currently recycle plastic bags
    • However, you can keep them to use again
    • Many supermarkets have their own plastic bag recycling schemes, check stores for details

    Plastic bottles

    • Before recycling, rinse out thoroughly
    • Place plastic bottles in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Plastic bottle tops

    • Plastic bottle tops can be recycled. Squeeze and compress the plastic bottle then replace the lid before putting both into your blue recycling bin.
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin.

    Plastic plant pots

    Plastic trays

    • Before recycling, rinse thoroughly
    • Plastic food trays can be placed in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at either of our household waste and recycling centres
    • Unfortunately, black plastic food trays cannot be recycled - please dispose of them in your household waste

    Polystyrene packaging

    • Polystyrene packaging is not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste

    Polythene packaging

    • Polythene packaging is not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste

    Pond algae and plants 

    Printer cartridges

    • Printer cartridges can be recycled via the reuse schemes

    Pyrex dishes 

    • Pyrex dishes are not currently recycled
    • Please dispose of them in your household waste

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    R  

    Records and tapes

    • Records and tapes are not currently recycled
    • However, unwanted records and tapes can be donated to charity shops

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    S  

    Sawdust

    • Sawdust is not currently recycled
    • However, it can be composted in your compost bin

    Shoes

    • Shoes can be recycled at some bring sites
    • Alternatively, they can be donated to charity shops

    Shredded paper

    • Shredded paper is not currently recycled in the main body of the blue bin due to its short fibre length. However, if you do have a black inner caddy it can be placed in there, but it must be wrapped in newspaper first.
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste if you do not have a caddy
    • You can also dispose of it in the general waste container at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Shrubs

    Spectacles

    • Check local opticians for third world donation schemes

    Straw and hay

    • Straw and hay is not currently recycled
    • Do not put it in your garden waste bin
    • However, it can be composted in your compost bin

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    T  

    Teabags and leaves 

    • Teabags and leaves are not currently recycled
    • However, they can be composted in your compost bin

    Telephone directories

    • Place telephone directories in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the paper only bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Tetrapaks

    Textiles

    Toner cartridges

    • Toner cartridges can be recycled via the reuse scheme

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    U 

    UPVC

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    V  

    Vapes

    • Vaping devices contain batteries, which can present a significant fire risk. They also contain other potentially toxic materials. Please take these to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre. Consider collecting them until you have enough used vapes to make your trip worthwhile. 

    • Most larger vape retailers, including major supermarkets, have a legal duty to take back used vaping devices for recycling

    • Consider using rechargeable rather than single use disposable vapes to save waste.

    Vegetable oil

    • Used oil cannot be recycled
    • Instead, you can carefully pour into a plastic container and dispose of it in your general household waste bin
    • Empty oil bottles must be thoroughly washed before placing in your blue recycling bin 

    Vegetable peel

    • Vegetable peel is not currently recycled
    • However, it can be composted in your compost bin

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    W  

    Wallpaper

    • Wallpaper is not currently recycled because of the vinyl coatings or textured effects often applied to make it water resistant and durable
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste

    Wrapping paper

    • Wrapping paper cannot currently be recycled because papers can be embossed with plastic foil, or are made purely from plastic foil, or contain sticky tape, none of which can be recycled.
    • Please dispose of it in your household waste.

    Wool

    • Wool is not currently recycled
    • However, it can be composted in your compost bin

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    Y  

    Yellow Pages

    • Place your Yellow Pages in the inner caddy of your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the paper only bin
    • They can also be recycled at our bring sites and at either of our household waste and recycling centres

    Yogurt pots

    • Before recycling, rinse thoroughly
    • Plastic yogurt pots can be placed in your blue recycling bin
    • For shared recycling facilities, place them in the mixed recycling bin
    • They can also be recycled at our household waste and recycling centres

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    Recycling