Blue bin

Recycle aerosol cans with other cans in your blue bin. For safety reasons please ensure aerosol cans are completely empty, and do not squash them.

Household recycling centre

Aerosol cans which still contain chemicals should be disposed of at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Specialist recycling

Air freshener cartridges can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but you can recycle them with TerraCycle. Save up your used cartridges and post using pre-paid labels, or take them to a collection point. Find out more about the TerraCycle Air, Home and Laundry Care Recycling Programme.

You can also recycle car air fresheners (except plug-ins) with this programme.

Black bin

If you can't access a Terracycle collection point, air freshener cartridges should be put in your black bin.

Blue bin

Empty aluminium tubes can be recycled in your blue bin. You can also buy a small metal device to help you squeeze every bit of the contents out!

Re-use

Enquire about take-back schemes if you are having a new one delivered. If in good condition, pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. 

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Specialist disposal

Asbestos can be a dangerous material which, while being removed and disposed of, must be handled carefully and competently. A specialist licensed contractor should be used to ensure it is removed and disposed of in a controlled and safe manner.

Visit the Health and Safety Executive website for the latest advice on asbestos.

Cambridgeshire County Council offers residents a disposal service for small quantities of cement-bonded asbestos that will fit into a bag 2.59m (8 feet 6 inches) by 1.37m (4 feet 6 inches) in size within a 12-month period.

Black bin

Allow to completely cool and then bag it and put in your black bin. It must be bagged or it will blow out when the bin is emptied, and can cause eye injuries for our bin collectors. Similarly, dust from vacuum cleaners or sweeping should also be bagged.

Re-use

Wood ash can be used on your garden by adding directly to the soil around alkaline-loving plants. For example, clematis.

Green bin

Allow to completely cool and then bag it in a paper bag and put in your green bin. It must be bagged or it will blow out when the bin is emptied, and can cause eye injuries for our bin collectors.

Ash from a mixture of wood and briquettes or coal should be put in the black bin.

Specialist recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but many supermarkets now accept soft plastic packaging, including clean baby food pouches, in their in-store recycling bins. You can find soft plastic recycling locations on Recycle Now.

Black bin

If you cannot take them to supermarkets, place baby food pouches in the black bin.

Specialist recycling

You can post Babybel packaging to Terracycle for recycling using pre-paid labels, or take to drop-off points. Find out more about the Babybel Recycling Programme.

Black bin

If you cannot access a Terracycle collection point, Babybel packaging can go in your black bin.

Compost at home

Cardboard-like packaging made from sugar cane fibre can be added to your home compost bin.

Green bin

You can put sugar cane fibre disposable plates, bowls etc in your green bin to be composted. 

Please note that this applies only to items which look like compressed paper or cardboard, not any which resemble plastic.

Green bin

Please place your bamboo or wooden BBQ skewers into the green bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, sell or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Re-use

Consider using rechargeable batteries. Modern rechargeable batteries hold their charge well and can be charged fairly quickly.

Specialist recycling

Never put batteries inside any of your bins as they get damaged by the crusher inside the lorry and cause fires.

For households that have their own wheelie bins: All types of small portable household battery (for example AA, C, D, button) can be put in a small, tied plastic bag and placed on top of your blue, green or black bin lid for kerbside collection. On occasions when the battery container on the bin lorry is full, we cannot collect the batteries. If this is the case, please wait until the following week. 

For flats with large shared bins: Please do not leave batteries on top of these bins. Please take batteries to collection points in all major retailers that sell batteries. For example: supermarkets, service stations and electrical shops. If you share large bins, for example in a bin store at flats, please use these collection points instead of leaving batteries on the bins.

E-bike batteries can be recycled at many bike shops - check with your local shop. Halfords accepts e-bike batteries for recycling free of charge, and some are registered with the Velorim scheme (which does charge).

Find your nearest Velorim Centre

Power tool batteries can be recycled at large shops which sell them, for example Screwfix.

Batteries of all kinds can be taken to Household Recycling Centres.

You can find locations for recycling batteries on the recycle your electricals website.

Household recycling centre

Larger batteries from e-bikes, e-scooters, mobility scooters, electric ride-on toys, motorcycles and cars must be taken to the large Household Recycling Centres for safe recycling. 

NEVER put batteries in your bins as they get damaged and cause fires. In particular e-bike batteries have caused numerous serious fires inside bin lorries and at the recycling sorting facility in our area recently (seven so far in 2024) due to being placed into bins incorrectly.

You can also take your smaller portable household batteries to the Household Recycling Centres for recycling if you wish.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity such as OWL Bikes or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Reduce waste

Uses for inner tubes include support ties when planting trees and tree-friendly attachments for bird boxes. There are lots more crafty and creative ideas online, with some for tyres too.

Specialist recycling

Bicycle tyres, inner tubes and e-bike batteries can be taken to your local Velorim Centre for recycling. There is a small charge of £1 for tyres, 50p for inner tubes and £25 for batteries. E-bike batteries can also be recycled for free at Household Recycling Centres.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Terracycle recycling

Biscuit, cracker and cake wrappers with a shiny foil-like layer on the inside or outside can’t be put in your blue bin but they can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

You can also recycle these with Terracycle via the pladis Biscuits And Snacks Recycling Programme.

Blue bin

Plastic wrappers that do not have a shiny foil-like layer on the inside or outside can be included in your blue bin.

Black bin

Biscuit, cracker and cake wrappers with a shiny foil-like layer on the inside or outside can’t be put in your blue bin, so if you can’t take them to a collection point put them in your black bin.

Re-use

We recommend using bin liners for black bin rubbish because it helps to prevent small or lightweight items blowing out and becoming litter when the bin is emptied. You must bag ash or vacuum dust to prevent eye injuries for our crews.

However, you can avoid having to buy as many new bin liners by:

• Reducing the amount of rubbish you generate so that you don't need to empty the bins in your house as often (see our Reducing Waste pages for ideas on how)
• Saving suitable bags to re-use as bin liners, for example from online delivery packaging on larger items, or things you might buy in large sacks like dry pet food.

Black bin

Please do not put black bags in your other bins. Even if a black sack contains recycling your blue bin may not be emptied if it contains one since we cannot see what is inside. Please put recycling into your blue bin loose.

Empty black sacks - Unfortunately sorting equipment at the Materials Recycling Facility where items from blue bins are sent cannot detect the colour black and therefore black items can not be recycled. This is an issue across the UK and work is being done to find a solution. See more information about black plastic recyclability issues.

Blue bin

Although sorting equipment at the Materials Recycling Facility where items from blue bins are sent cannot detect the colour black, some sorting is done by hand so black plastic trays can be pulled out to recycle.

Mechanical sorting of black plastics is an issue across the UK and work is being done to find a solution. See more information about black plastic recyclability issues.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Could you re-use it at home? Blankets are great for making childrens' dens, to keep in the car in case of emergency, or make a cosy pet bed.

Recycling points

Clean and dry blankets (even if they have holes) can be put in clothing or textile banks at various recycling points around the district. For example, at supermarkets.

Blankets are accepted in all clothing banks, even those which are only marked 'clothes and shoes'.

Black bin

These are made of mixed materials, usually plastic and foil firmly glued together or sometimes plastic and paper, so are not easy to recycle.

Specialist recycling

You can recycle small amounts (i.e. from your own household) of empty blister pill packets at Boots stores with their Recycle at Boots scheme. You can scan the items and get Boots Advantage points.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. Even damaged or out of date books can be recycled even if they are not suitable for re-sale.

Blue bin

Out of date or damaged paperbacks not suitable for re-sale or donation can be recycled. 

To recycle hardbacks, first remove the cover, which may contain glues which can cause problems in the recycling process. Put the cover in your black bin and the pages in your blue bin.

Blue bin

After rinsing and (where applicable) squashing your bottles and jars, please replace the lids on them before putting in the blue bin. This helps the small lids to find their way through the various conveyors in the sorting process, and they can be separated from the containers later on.

Local recycling points

Clean bras (even if worn-out) can be included in clothing banks at the various recycling points around the district.

Reduce waste

If you have surplus bread, try to freeze it before it goes stale or mouldy. You can toast it straight from frozen.

Stale bread can be used in many recipes, for inspiration see Love Food Hate Waste's website. 

Green bin

All cooked and uncooked food waste can go in the green bin.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Re-use

Usable bricks can be offered on networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Blue bin

Large pieces of broken bottles and jars only can be put into your blue bin. Please put smaller shards into another jar with its lid on (or bag them and put them in your black bin) - this is to prevent them blowing out as the bin is emptied, which could be dangerous for staff.

Black bin

Any other type of broken glass such as wine glasses or tumblers, windows, mirrors, picture frames should be carefully bagged and put in your black bin.

Small fragments of broken bottles and jars should also be wrapped (for example, in newspaper), bagged and put in the black bin, unless they can be contained in another jar.

Re-use

Keep to re-use yourself, or offer larger amounts to others on local networks such as Facebook, Freegle or Freecycle.

Blue bin

You can put pieces of bubble wrap in your blue bin to recycle with other films. Please cut up very large pieces (bigger than a bin bag) as they can become wrapped around sorting equipment and jam it.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Many hard plastic items can be recycled at the Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

If you are unable to take it to a household recycling centre, you can put it in your black bin.

Re-use

Usable bricks and topsoil can be offered on networks such as Facebook, Freegle or Gumtree.

Specialist disposal

If you have building work done by a company, any waste resulting from it is classed as business waste and needs to be dealt with by the company.

Household recycling centre

Small amounts of rubble, soil and brick waste resulting from small DIY work you have carried out yourself can be taken to Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop. Check that large items are accepted. Here are some charities which offer a local collection service for good quality items:

• British Heart Foundation
• Cambridge Re-use
• Emmaus

You can also pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree or on neighbourhood facebook pages.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our Bulky Waste Collection page.

Specialist disposal

You can have large items unsuitable for re-use or extra waste collected by the Council in a Bulky Waste Collection. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Green bin

A minority of butter wrappers are made from thin greaseproof paper. These can be added to your green bin. Please check it is paper with no plastic or foil content first by trying to tear it - if it tears easily with no stretching, and is not shiny, it is paper. If you are not sure please put it in your black bin.

Blue bin

Cardboard butter or fat boxes (e.g. Lurpak butterbox, Trex) have a thin layer of plastic but if wiped completely clean these can be put in the blue bin for recycling.

It is very important that no fat or grease remains on them, so if they can not be cleaned please put them in the black bin.

Black bin

Most butter wrappers are made from a mixture of paper, plastic and aluminium. They are not suitable for recycling or composting.

Reduce waste

For temporary or short-term uses, look for re-usable cable ties. These are exactly like disposable ones but they have a tab you can press down on to undo the tie instead of having to cut it.

Velcro cable ties are also available which are slightly different but may be more appropriate for some uses.

Household recycling centre

Metal cable ties are available, which can be recycled with scrap metal at Household Recycling Centres after use.

Black bin

Plastic cable ties are made of nylon and are too small to be recycled effectively, they must be put in the black bin. Biodegradable cable ties are available – these should also be disposed of in the black bin.

Re-use

Freeze before or on the use-by date, or see Love Food Hate Waste's website for ideas on using up.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Some camera lenses and darkroom equipment can be taken to Campkins Camera Exchange.

Outdated cameras could make a good first camera for children.

Broken cameras may be repairable, search online for repair services.

Local recycling points

Cameras with a battery are classed as electronic equipment and can be recycled with other electricals in our collection banks, at some retailers and at Household Recycling Centres – see the listing for ‘Small electrical items’ for details and locations.

Household recycling centre

Broken or outdated electronic cameras can be recycled with electricals at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Re-use

You can re-use your old candles by melting them down and adding new wicks.

Black bin

Old candles are not collected for recycling. Please put them in your black bin.

Household recycling centre

Never put car parts in your kerbside bins. This can damage recycling and waste sorting equipment.

Car parts (including batteries but excluding tyres) from your own DIY work can be taken to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Re-use

Stacked car tyres can make useful planters for plants that need warmth; the black rubber absorbs the heat. This is not recommended for vegetables or edible plants. You can also make tyre swings and outdoor furniture - search online for ideas.

Specialist disposal

Car tyres can not be accepted for recycling or disposal by the Council. If you have tyres to dispose of, contact your local garage who may be able to take them for you either for free or for a small charge. Alternatively search for specialist tyre disposal services online.

Household recycling centre

Never put batteries in your bins as they get damaged and cause fires.

Take the battery to one of the household recycling centres near Milton and Thriplow. E-bike batteries only can also be taken to Halfords for free disposal.

Reuse

Sturdy cardboard boxes are often in demand for moving house. Pass them on to others via Facebook or Gumtree. Large sheets of cardboard can be used by gardeners along with mulch to kill grass or weeds when preparing new areas for planting.

Blue bin

All types of clean and dry cardboard are accepted in the blue bin. Please break down and flatten large boxes.

Green bin

Small quantities of wet or very greasy cardboard or paper (for example, from fish and chips or pizza) can be put in your green bin to be composted. If it is put in the blue bin it will break up and stick to other items, and will not be recycled.

Do not put cardboard suitable for recycling via the blue bin in your green bin. If you do not have enough space in your blue bin, find out what to do with extra recycling.

Black bin

Laminated cardboard for example, sandwich packets contains plastic. This can be put in your blue bin if it is clean, but if it has food on it it must go in your black bin as it is not suitable for composting.

Re-use

They biodegrade and can be used for sowing seeds or childrens craft projects. Local producers selling eggs at the garden gate may appreciate donated egg boxes, as well as Brownies, Cubs or other groups. 

Compost at home

Cardboard egg boxes can be composted at home, this works best if you tear them up.

Blue bin

Both cardboard and plastic egg boxes can be recycled via your blue bin.

Re-use

Carpet or rugs, even if worn, may be useful to someone else, either to use in their home or perhaps in an outbuilding or for pets. Trying offering on local Facebook 'freebies' groups, Gumtree, Freecycle or Freegle.

Household recycling centre

Old carpets will only be accepted if you have removed them yourself. If you are having a carpet fitted professionally the company should remove the old one for you. If you have large quantities of carpet check with the HRC first as they may not accept large amounts.

Specialist disposal

You can have large items unsuitable for re-use or extra waste collected by the Council in a Bulky Waste Collection. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our Bulky Waste web page.

Reduce waste

Cartons are more difficult to recycle than some other packaging types. In some cases there may be a choice - for example chopped tomatoes can often be bought in tins or cartons. Tins are more easily recyclable.

There are some new products which aim to reduce packaging and save fuel from transport. For example plant-based milk can be bought as a powder to which water is added, avoiding carton waste.

Blue bin

Rinse, squash and replace the caps on your cartons before putting in your blue bin. If you save the ring-pull from the spout you can also insert that back in before you replace the cap so - separately this would just get lost in the sorting plant.

Cartons are made from layers of plastic, aluminium and card. They are not waxed card and are not biodegradable, but can be recycled into low-grade paper products. 

Black bin

Please bag securely and put in black bin. Loose cat litter can be hazardous to our crews when emptying the bin.

Do not put cat litter (even if it's marked biodegradable) in your green bin as it can be hazardous during processing.

Reduce waste

Prevent waste by notifying companies if you no longer wish to receive catalogues from them. You can also sign up to the Mailing Preference Service.

Blue bin

Please remove catalogues from plastic sleeves before recycling. The sleeves can be put in your blue bin separately.

Blue bin

Clean cellophane wrapping from flowers or other items can be put in your blue bin for recycling, so long as it has no metallic layers. Please see the 'Plastic packaging' listing for a list of examples of plastic packaging which are or are not accepted in the blue bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

If you save up broken crockery until you are visiting a Household Recycling Centre it can be put in the hardcore skip. 

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Never put crockery into a glass bottle bank or your blue bin. It is very damaging in the glass recycling process.

Blue bin

All clean, dry cardboard can be put in the blue bin.

Reduce waste

You can find some breakfast cereals sold loose (take your own containers) at refill shops. Find local refill shops.

Re-use

Cereal packets can be re-used as sandwich or snack bags, reducing the need to buy new plastic sandwich bags.

Specialist recycling

These can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

Blue bin

Clean plastic bags and wrapping from items such as cereals, bread and salad can be put in your blue bin.

Due to changes in demand for soft plastic materials it is not always possible to recycle the plastics we collect in this way. When this is the case the plastics are used to generate energy instead.

Reduce waste

If you receive a lot of unwanted charity collection bags, consider putting a notice on your letterbox requesting that they not be delivered.

Re-use

Re-use unwanted collection bags as bin liners, for litter picking, cleaning out small pets, or storage. If you can't make use of them, offer them to someone else who can via local Facebook 'freebies' or 'life is a gift' community groups.

Blue bin

If you can't find a use for charity collection bags, they can be put in the blue recycling bin.

Reduce waste

Consider whether you can donate and show your support without purchasing single-use products. For example, you could put facepaint on your nose, or wear a knitted poppy each year. 

Specialist recycling

Hand your poppy or red nose in at the Customer Service desk of a Sainsbury’s store to be re-used or recycled. 

Blue bin

In 2024 the Royal British Legion introduced a plastic-free poppy design using only paper. This can be put in the blue bin.

Household recycling centre

Dispose of at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. Check with site staff where to take them. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Did you know most chewing gum contains plastic? It's therefore not food waste, and must go in the black bin.

Blue bin

Paper, foil, or plain plastic (without a shiny foil layer) wrappers can be put in your blue bin. Please save up small pieces of foil and scrunch into a larger ball to aid recycling.

Specialist recycling

Plastic chocolate wrappers and chocolate or sweet pouches with a shiny foil-like layer on the inside or outside can’t be put in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled at some shops in their soft plastic recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations on Recycle Now.

Black bin

Plastic chocolate wrappers and chocolate or sweet pouches with a shiny foil-like layer on the inside or outside can’t be put in your blue bin, so if you can’t drop them off at a collection point please put them in your black bin.

Reduce waste

Choose reusable crackers. You can find cardboard and fabric reusable crackers online, with or without snaps (a great option if you have nervous pets). You can add your own reusable fabric party hats, a joke, chocolate coins or a small gift chosen for each person.

Blue bin

Unembellished cardboard cracker parts can be put in your blue bin. No metallic card, glitter, ribbons or wire decorations.

Black bin

Ribbons, glittery, metallic or plastic parts from crackers can not be recycled, and can cause problems in the recycling process for the card parts.

Any unwanted gifts from inside which are not suitable to re-use or donate to charity.

Tissue paper hats can not be recycled, but can be composted in the green bin.

Reduce waste

Think carefully before buying decorations. Do you need more? Can you store it? Will it last a long time? Can it be repaired or recycled at the end of its life? Will you love it forever or does it just fit in with this year's fad? 

Re-use

Pass on any unwanted decorations in good condition to others via Facebook, Freegle, Gumtree or Freecycle, or donate to charity shops (preferably just before Christmas, so they can be sold on quickly).

Green bin

Natural decorations like holly, mistletoe and poinsettias (without the pot) can be put in the green bin. Remove ribbons from natural wreaths and check for florists wire. Paper chains can be composted if they are not glittery or metallic (the paper parts are too small to be sorted for recycling correctly).

Black bin

Tinsel, baubles and other plastic decorations can not be recycled.

Wreaths or other natural decorations containing florists wire, ribbons or other plastic or metal embellishments that are hard to remove should be put in the black bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Dismantle so that the bin lid closes properly.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste collection page.

Specialist recycling

The Arthur Rank Hospice Charity collects trees from households in our area for a small donation. Find out details on the ARHC Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme page.

Green bin

Cut up and put pieces in the bin with the lid fully closed.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Cigarette filters contain plastic and should never be discarded on the ground; you could be fined for littering.

Blue bin

Cardboard cigarette packets can be put in the blue bin for recycling, but please separate the foil inner and the plastic outer wrap first.

Amazingly, cigarette waste itself can be recycled too. Find out more about Terracycle's waste recycle scheme. Please don't put it in your blue bin though!

Blue bin

Plastic spray bottles can be recycled along with all other plastic bottles in your blue bin. Leave the spray trigger attached.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

Consider reducing or eliminating your use of cling film by using alternatives:

• Put leftovers in the fridge in a bowl with a plate on top
• Use a lunch box for sandwiches
• Reuse plastic bags - for example, from loaves of bread for sandwiches, or you can put small bowls of food inside them in the fridge
• Buy or make reusable cloth & wax food covers, or use shower caps!

Blue bin

Clean cling film can be put in your blue bin.

Due to changes in demand for soft plastic materials it is not always possible to recycle the plastic films we collect in this way. When this is the case the plastics are used to generate energy instead.

Reduce waste

Prevent clothing waste by:

• Choosing better quality clothes that will last longer, when possible
• Mending or restyling your clothes
• Buy second-hand 

Learn more about minimising the environmental impact of your clothes on the Love Your Clothes website.

Re-use

Pass on wearable clothing to friends, family or neighbours, or donate to local charity shops. Give away clothes with the Olio app. Sell online with apps like Depop or Vinted or through eBay and Facebook. Attend a 'swish' or clothing swap event.

Local recycling points

Never put clothing in your bins. Even worn out clothes can be recycled, via clothing banks at recycling points or Household Recycling Centres.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check if they want them first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. Some supermarkets and clothing shops (for example, Tesco) have a collection point in-store for their own hangers, which can then be re-used.

Household recycling centre

Plastic coat hangers can be recycled with hard plastics at Household Recycling Centres (HRCs), but any metal parts must be removed.

Wire coat hangers can be recycled with scrap metals at HRCs. Wooden coat hangers (if metal parts are removed) can be recycled with wood at HRCs.

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

If they are unsuitable for re-use and you are unable to get to a Household Recycling Centre, put your unwanted hangers in your black bin.

Reduce waste

You can try avoiding coffee filter waste by using a reusable coffee filter made of metal mesh (make sure it’s compatible with your particular coffee maker). You could also experiment with a different method of brewing coffee that doesn’t require paper, like a cafetiere. 

Green bin

Paper coffee filters and coffee grounds can be put in your green bin. 

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Compost at home

Add to your home compost bin, if you have one.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Black bin

Peel off lids on jars tend to be made of a mixture of materials, such as plastic and foil or plastic and paper, and are therefore not recyclable.

Reduce waste

More traditional ways of making coffee, like a cafetière or French press avoid waste, and the energy required to transport, process and recycle pods, resulting in only coffee grounds which can be composted or added to your green bin. They're cheaper too!

If you already have a coffee pod machine, you can find re-usable metal capsules online which you can refill and re-use.

Household recycling centre

Cambridgeshire County Council now has Podback collection containers for coffee pods at all nine Household Recycling Centres in Cambridgeshire. Tip your pods into the containers loose, not in bags.

The coffee grounds, aluminium and plastic are separated and processed back into raw materials or compost in the UK.

Specialist recycling

You can order Podback recycling bags and drop off your used coffee pods from a variety of brands at Collect+ locations. Find out more about the Podback coffee pod recycling service.

Lavazza Eco Caps can be composted via Terracycle - see the Lavazza Eco Caps Composting Programme. Please do not put them in your green bin.

Tassimo T DISCs, outer packaging, L'OR capsules, and Kenco Eco Refill packs can be recycled. Find out more on the Tassimo recycling page.

Green bin

There are now some brands which offer compostable coffee capsules:

• Those made from 'bagasse' sugar-cane fibre or wood pulp can be accepted in the green bin e.g. Halo
• Those made from bio-plastic or PLA can not be put in the green bin.

Blue bin

Plastic coffee pods or capsules are not recyclable in your blue bin. This is partly due to their size - small plastic items easily drop out of the sorting equipment used.

To recycle foil capsules would require removing all of the coffee, rinsing and saving them up with other foil until you can make a tennis ball-sized ball, so in practice they are not readily recyclable.

Compostable plastic, bio-plastic or PLA capsules should not be put in either your blue or green bin, and can only be disposed of in the black bin. These do not break down quickly enough for the composting process we use.

Re-use

Foreign and old money can be given to some charity shops.

Including:

• Cancer Research Shops (paper money only)
• Oxfam Shops
• Save the Children Fund
• Sue Ryder
• EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices)

Reduce waste

Keep a set of metal cutlery and a reusable coffee cup in your bag when out and about so you can refuse single-use items.

If you are choosing cups or cutlery for an event, the best option is to use reusable items and wash them up (or use a glass hire or Party Kit service).

The best disposable options are ordinary plastic cups, which can be recycled in mixed recycling bins; cheap plain paper plates without a design (more expensive or decorative ones have a plastic lamination) which can be composted, and wooden cutlery which can also be composted. You can find out more about planning for low-waste events in our Waste-Less Event Guide.

Packaging can be avoided in some cases by buying products loose from local refill shops (for example, crisps). 

Black bin

Compostable or biodegradable 'plastic' corn starch caddy liners (for example, BioBag), bio-plastic cups (or compostable paper cups, which have a layer of bio-plastic) and cutlery (for example, Vegware or Edenware), and other compostable plastic packaging (for example, Two Farmers crisp packets, Riverford salad bags and some magazine sleeves) cannot be accepted in the green bins, even if they are EN13432 certified or display the compostable seedling logo, as they do not compost quickly enough for our fast composting process. 

These items will have the opportunity to break down to some extent when placed in the black bin, since all material undergoes biological processing before being landfilled.

Please use only newspaper or 100% paper caddy liners for food waste in your green bin. You can also put food waste in your green bin loose.

You can find out more about why bio-plastics are tricky to deal with from City to Sea.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Black bin

Contact lenses and their packaging are not suitable for recycling in kerbside collections. Please put them in your black bin if you cannot take them to a Terracycle drop-off point.

Reduce waste

Try to reduce food waste by planning ahead. Make a meal plan, buy only what you need, and freeze things you can't use up before they go off (you can freeze right up to and on the use-by date).

Check Love Food Hate Waste's website for more information and inspiration on wasting less food.

Green bin

All food waste, including cooked, raw, dairy, meat and bones can be put in your green bin.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check they can accept first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection by visiting our bulky waste web page.

Compost at home

If you have a home compost heap or bin you can add small amounts of used vegetable or sunflower oil to it. 

Kitchen paper with cooking oil on it can be put in your green bin (or home compost bin).

Household recycling centre

Larger amounts of oil can be allowed to cool, poured into a bottle and take to a Household Recycling Centre where it can be poured into a recycling tank to generate energy. 

Black bin

If can't get to a Household Recycling Centre, allow to cool, pour into a plastic bottle, seal and put into your black bin.

Black bin

Synthetic/plastic corks need to be put into your main black bin.

Compost at home

Real corks can be put onto your own compost heap.

Green bin

You can put real corks straight into the green bin.

Reduce waste

Washable make-up remover pads are available, which can be used repeatedly. 

For babies, use washable baby wipes, which are like a small flannel which is used once and then washed.

Black bin

Although cotton wool is technically compostable, some of the products it is used to remove are not suitable for composting. Some make-up remover pads may also contain plastic. Please dispose of in your black bin.

Specialist recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging, including crisp and snack packets, in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

You can also recycle with Terracycle in their Crisp Packet Recycling Scheme.

Black bin

Crisp packets can't be recycled via the blue bin so must be put in the black bin if you cannot drop them off at a specialist recycling point.

Terracycle recycling

Crisp tubes can not be recycled in your blue bin, but Pringles tubes can be recycled via Terracycle. Find your nearest collection point for the Pringles Can Recycling Programme. Please note that other brands are not accepted.

Black bin

If you cannot take them to a Terracycle collection point, put crisp tubes in your black bin. 

The plastic lid can be put in the blue bin but the tube itself is made of layers of plastic, foil and card and cannot be recycled. It is possible to remove the metal bottom of the tube with a tin opener, the metal can then be put in your blue bin. The remainder should be put in the black bin.

Reduce waste

Keep a set of cutlery in your bag, or pack some if you're heading out for the day and planning to eat on-the-go.

If you need extra cutlery for a special event, pick up a few extras at a charity shop and donate back afterwards, or hire some. Check out Party Kit Network for hire of plates, cutlery etc for children's parties.

Green bin

Disposable wooden cutlery can be put in your green bin for composting.

Black bin

Single-use plastic cutlery is no longer sold in the UK, but if you still have some to dispose of it needs to go in your black bin as it is not recyclable. 'Compostable' plastic cutlery must also be put in the black bin as it is not suitable for our green bin composting process or for home composting.

Reduce waste

Disposable nappies cannot be recycled. Consider using re-usable nappies - modern styles are easy to use and wash.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP's website. 

Black bin

Always empty your vacuum cleaner into a bag before placing this into your black bin. It can be a plastic bin liner or a paper sack. Loose dust or ash can blow out of the bin when it is being emptied and cause eye injuries for bin collection staff. 

Specialist recycling

Dunelm accept clean duvets and pillows in their in-store Textile Take-Back Scheme, along with a wide range of other textiles including bath mats and curtains.

The items are either re-used if suitable or recycled.

Duvets and pillows are NOT accepted in ordinary textile banks.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Household recycling centre

If you don't have space in your black bin, take to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow for disposal. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Blue bin

Empty vitamin tubes can be recycled via your blue bin. Leave the cap on.

Compost at home

Add to your home compost heap, if you have one.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household recycling centre

Recycle with scrap metals at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Re-use

Save un-torn envelopes and re-use them by sticking a label over the name/address and sealing with glue.

Blue bin

You do not need to remove windows from envelopes, as they are sieved out during the pulping process.

Black bin

Please bag securely and put in black bin. Loose cat litter or dog poo can be hazardous to our crews when emptying the bin.

Do not put cat or dog faeces in your green bin as it can be hazardous during processing.

Re-use

Animal fat can be mixed with seeds to make bird feeders, you can find instructions on various websites, including the RSPB.

Green bin

Avoid pouring down the drain – it can cause blockages and problems for wastewater treatment facilities. Find out more on Anglian Water's website. Allow fat to solidify and put in your green bin. You can buy devices called ‘fat traps’ to help with this, which are small biodegradable pads made from coconut fibre. You use them to soak up fat, which then solidifies, and the pad can be put in your green bin. 

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) accept small, household fire extinguishers only. More information about visiting HRCs can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Reduce waste

Check use-by dates and freeze fish if you are not going to be able to use it in time (check packaging to ensure it has not already been frozen). You can freeze up to and on the use-by date.

Use up small amounts of fish in a kedgeree or other recipe - for inspiration see the Love Food Hate Waste website. 

Green bin

All cooked and uncooked food waste, including fish, meat and bones can be put in your green bin.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the soil improver is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Green bin

Not finished your chips? Did you know you can pop them in the fridge and re-heat them on a baking sheet in the oven the next day just like oven chips!

Chip shop paper is too greasy to recycle but it can be composted, along with any food scraps, in your green bin. Greasy paper-based or cardboard boxes from takeaway food can also be put in the green bin. 

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Please note that business waste is not accepted at these sites.

Blue bin

Clean foil, including foil trays from takeaways or ready-meals can be put in your blue bin. If possible please save up small pieces of foil and scrunch into a tennis-ball sized ball before putting in the bin - this is because very small items can get lost throughout the sorting process, and this will help ensure they can be recycled effectively.

Black bin

If foil is just too dirty to wash (burnt-on greasy food etc) it is not suitable for recycling. Please put it in the black bin.

Reduce waste

We waste more food than we think. In UK households we waste 6.5 million tonnes of food every year, 4.5 million of which is edible (i.e. not onion skins, egg shells etc).

• Check your cupboards and fridge, plan meals and make a list before you shop 
• Hit pause on produce by freezing it before (or on) its use-by date 
• Get creative in the kitchen to use up food which would otherwise be wasted – find recipes online 
• Turn your fridge temperature down to below 5°C – keeping foods like milk fresher for longer 
• Check out all the tips and advice at Love Food Hate Waste

Compost at home

Add raw vegetable peelings or fruit skins to your home compost heap along with garden waste, if you have one.

Cooked food, meat and dairy produce should not be home composted without a specialist compost bin.

Green bin

All food waste can be put in your green bin, including cooked, raw, meat, fish, bones and dairy.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Specialist recycling

If you are having a new fridge or fridge-freezer delivered there should be an option to pay for your old appliance to be taken away and recycled at the same time.

Household recycling centre

Most domestic fridges or freezers can be taken to Household Recycling Centres (HRCs). Fridges or freezers from businesses will not be accepted at HRCs, and nor will ammonia fridges from camper vans or boats which are not the place of residence.

More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website. Please note that we are not able to collect oversize American-style fridge-freezers.

Green bin

Fruit pits or stones can be added to a home compost bin, but they take an extremely long time to break down. Those put into the green bin will go through a shredder and high temperature process giving them a better chance, and will continue to break down slowly when the compost is in use.

Household recycling centre

These can be recycled with scrap metals at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop. Check that large items are accepted. Here are some charities which offer a local collection service for good quality items:

• British Heart Foundation
• Cambridge Re-use
• Emmaus

You can also pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Compost at home

Some garden waste can be added to your home compost bin or heap. For more information, go to Recycle Now's website.

Green bin

More information on how the soil improver is made from your garden and food waste can be found on RECAP’s website.You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household recycling centre

If you have excess garden waste this can be taken to Household Recycling Centres, with the exception of Japanese Knotweed. Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Re-use

Large gas bottles can be refilled or swapped at gas suppliers, or passed on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. 

Household recycling centre

Both larger domestic gas bottles and small portable camping gas canisters can be taken to the Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Reduce waste

Do you need to use a gift tag? If you are seeing the person you a giving to, maybe not. For family members you could use reusable gift tags, and use them again next year, and for birthdays. You can have personalised ones made, or use chalkboard versions that wipe clean.

Or you could write directly onto the wrapping!

Green bin

Plain card tags, without ribbon ties, glitter or other embellishments, can be composted at home or added to your green bin.

Black bin

Gift tags are too small to be sorted correctly along with other card. Paper items smaller than postcard size often drop through sorting machinery and conveyors, ending up with glass, where they then have to be removed. 

Blue bin

All colours of glass bottles and jars, including those from perfume and medicines, can be put in your blue bin. Please rinse and replace the caps on the bottles - this helps stop the small caps falling out of the sorting process. No need to remove spray pumps. They are separated from the glass when it is broken.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste collection web page.

Blue bin

Rinse and replace the lid on the jar before putting in the blue bin.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household reycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Re-use

Donate it to a charity shop if not broken or chipped.

Black bin

Broken wine glasses, tumblers or other glass drinking vessels should be carefully wrapped in newspaper or carrier bags, bagged and put in your black bin.

Small fragments of broken bottles and jars should also be bagged and put in the black bin, unless they can be contained in another jar.

Compost at home

Add to your home compost bin, if you have one. Grass cuttings are a great 'activator', helping your compost to heat up and rot down faster, but they need to be layered with other drier materials (for example, prunings, shredded paper) so that they don't go sludgy.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use BioBags or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and reduce the quality of the compost made. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

You can wash and re-use ordinary greaseproof paper a couple of times before it needs to be replaced.

Look out for reusable greaseproof paper (for example, Magic Non-Stick Liner), which you can cut to the shape of your favourite baking tins and then wash after each use. 

Green bin

Check whether your greaseproof paper has a silicone coating. If it does not you can add it to your home compost bin or your green bin.

Black bin

If your greaseproof paper has a silicone coating, or if you are not sure, please put it in your black bin.

Reduce waste

When buying greetings cards avoid glitter and metallic elements, as these make the card unsuitable for recycling.

Look out for cards which are not plastic-wrapped, many shops have a selection of these now.

Re-use

The front of greetings cards are great for making gift tags, or for children's crafts.

Blue bin

All greetings cards that do not have glitter, metallic elements or other non-paper adornments can be recycled in your blue bin.

Black bin

Tear off any parts of the card which have glitter, metallic elements or other non-paper adornments and put these in your black bin. These elements can cause problems in the paper recycling process.

Compost at home

Pet and human hair is technically compostable, but it does take a long time to break down. Don't include hair that has been treated with chemical flea treatments, and ensure you mix large quantities of hair with other materials.

Black bin

Pet and human hair for disposal at the kerbside should be placed in your black bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree or apps like Depop.

Local recycling points

Put in a textile/clothing bank in various car parks around the district (for example, supermarkets). Find your local recycling points.

Black bin

If it is unsuitable for re-use or recycling (e.g. it is mouldy, wet or soiled) put it in your black bin.

Re-use

These hard MDF-type hard board punnets can not be recycled and are not suitable for green bins either. They can be useful as storage trays though – for example, to organise your fridge or cupboards.

Black bin

If you can't reuse these items, put them in your black bin.

Blue bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into very different items with different thicknesses, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, High Density Polyethylene, (HDPE) can be used to make hard plastic toys and pipes, which are not accepted for recycling in the blue bin, as well as milk bottles and shampoo bottles which are.

That said, most everyday HDPE packaging items that you are likely to be wondering whether you can recycle in your blue bin can be, including:

• Juice and milk bottles
• Yoghurt pots
• Margarine tubs
• Cleaning product bottles

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Specialist disposal

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check what they accept first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Local recycling points

Clean and dry blankets, sheets, duvet covers, tea towels and other fabric homewares (even if worn out) can be put in textile and clothing banks in various locations around the district. For example, supermarket car parks.

These textiles are accepted in all clothing banks, even those which are only marked 'clothes and shoes'.

Find local recycling banks.

Please note that duvets and pillows are not accepted in these banks.

Specialist recycling

The Dunelm Textile Take-Back Scheme accepts a range of home textiles including tea towels, sheets, bath mats, table cloths and curtains.

They also do accept duvets, pillows and cushions (which are not accepted at local recycling points).

Black bin

Soiled, mouldy or wet items not suitable for donation can be put in your black bin.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Duvets and pillows will not be recycled and are disposed of with general waste, but blankets can be recycled with textiles.

Re-use

Plastic ice cream tubs are great for storage - use them for home-made ready meals in the freezer, or for craft materials, or to organise drawers.

Blue bin

Ice cream tubs can be recycled along with all your other clean plastic pots, tubs and trays in your blue bin.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Specialist disposal

Please take to your local pharmacy. Some pharmacies are part of a specialist recycling scheme, those that are not will be able to safely dispose of them.

Reduce waste

Make your own instant porridge. Buy oats loose at a refill shop, or in a paper bag and measure out yourself - 1/2 a cup of oats to 1 cup of milk, and heat for 2 minutes in the microwave.

Black bin

Instant porridge sachet which appear to be made of paper usually have a thin layer of plastic, in order to measure out the milk needed. This means they are not recyclable.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Reduce waste

Many local volunteer-run Repair Cafes offer some jewellery repairs, for example repairing broken chain links. Check the details of your local event.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Please put these in your black bin.

Re-use

Keep and re-use, pass on to friends or family or offer on Freegle (those who sell things on internet auction sites will be glad of them!).

Black bin

These are usually a mixture of plastic and paper, or in the case of Amazon Prime envelopes a mixture of different plastics, and cannot be recycled.

Reduce waste

If you receive unsolicited addressed mail, you can opt out by using the Mailing Preference Service.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Compost at home

If you have a worn out jute or cotton shopping bag and you're confident it contains no plastic, you can add this to a home compost bin or heap. It will take many months to break down.

Black bin

If you do not have a home compost bin or heap put your worn out bag in your black bin. Clean cotton bags can be recycled with clothes in clothing collection banks. Fabrics and jute are not accepted in green bins as they can jam the shredding machinery and take too long to compost.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check they accept electrical items first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Specialist recycling

Small electrical items can be recycled at Curry's stores as part of their in-store electrical recycling scheme.

Household recycling centre

Recycle with electrical items at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Re-use

If in good working condition, donate to a charity - some will collect from you - or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check if they accept them first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Specialist recycling

Ride-on lawn mowers are vehicles and as such require end-of-life vehicle recycling. Search for vehicle scrap collectors online, ensuring that they have a valid Waste Carriers License.

Blue bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into items with different properties, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) can be used to make black bin bags, which are not accepted for recycling in the blue bin, as well as bags from sliced bread which are. 

That said, most common LDPE packaging items from your home probably would be accepted your blue bin, including:

• Plastic grocery bags (not biodegradable ones)
• Peel-off film lids from punnets etc
• Plastic wrap from toilet roll packs
• Squeezy bottles

Look up a description of your item rather than the plastic code to see if it is recyclable, e.g. 'shampoo bottle'.

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Re-use

Love your leftovers! An average family of four could save £60 a month just by using up food before it goes to waste. Find lots of recipe inspiration and practical tips at Love Food Hate Waste. 

Green bin

All cooked and uncooked food waste can go in your green bin.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

Metal and plastic lids from jars and bottles can be put in your blue bin.

Although it sounds counter-intuitive, ideally please rinse (and squash if plastic) your bottles and jars, then put the lids back on. Because lids are small, this helps them to go through the sorting process without getting lost, before being separated from the glass later on.

You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household recycling centre

Energy-saving light bulbs and LED bulbs can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow, which can also accept long fluorescent tubes. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. Bulbs (not long fluorescent tubes) can also be recycled at some recycling points in Cambridge .

For fluorescent tubes from commercial premises, a company called Envirogreen recycles lamps. They charge for storage and collection. Visit Envirogreen's website.

Energy-saving light bulbs (including fluorescent tubes) contain small amounts of mercury so care should be taken when disposing of them.

Black bin

Halogen bulbs and traditional incandescent bulbs do not contain mercury like compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's) and can be safely disposed of to landfill.

They should never be placed in glass recycling or mixed recycling bins, as they are a different type of glass from bottles and jars.

Reduce waste

You can avoid the need to recycle liquid soap bottles by using solid bars of soap.

Re-use

Why not refill your liquid hand soap bottle? You can find a list of local refill shops in our Reducing Waste section.

Blue bin

The bottle from liquid soap can be placed in the blue bin.

The dispenser pump must be removed, as this contains a small metal spring and is not currently recyclable via the blue bin. Please put the pump in the black bin.

Re-use

If opened carefully at one end, magazine wrappers can be re-used, for example for putting your batteries in for recycling on top of your bin lids, or as dog poo bags (check first for holes).

Blue bin

Ordinary polythene or cellophane plastic magazine wrappers can be recycled in your blue bin. Compostable 'plastic' wrappers can not be recycled.

Compost at home

Compostable plastic magazine wrappers are not accepted in your green bin, but you can try putting them in a home composter or compost heap if you have one.

Black bin

Compostable 'plastic' magazine wrap (for example, made from corn starch) does not break down quickly enough in the fast composting process used for green bin material. Please put it in your black bin.

Black bin materials go through a Mechanical Biological Treatment plant prior to being landfilled. You can read more about this processing on the RECAP website.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

Plastic bottles and pots, glass jars and cardboard boxes can all be rinsed out and recycled in your blue bin.

Specialist recycling

TerraCycle® and Burt's Bees have partnered to create a free recycling program for all brands of empty makeup packaging. This includes compacts, tubes, eyeliner pens, mascara wands, lipsticks, lip glosses and lip balms. Find out more about The Burt's Bees personal care free recycling program.

Most Boots stores also accept make-up packaging and other hard-to-recycle packaging (like toothpaste tubes or travel minis) from products they sell that cannot be collected in council recycling services in their Recycle at Boots scheme. You can scan the items and get Boots Advantage points.

The John Lewis BeautyCycle scheme rewards My John Lewis members with £5 off beauty products when you take in 5 beauty empties (jars, tubes, bottles and make-up products) to recycle.

Black bin

Flexible plastic tubes and flexible plastic / foil pouches can’t be recycled in your blue bin, so if you can’t drop them off at a collection point please put them in your black bin.

Blue bin

Please rinse and put in the blue bin with all your other clean plastic pots, tubs and trays.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (some, like British Heart Foundation, will collect clean mattresses with a valid fire label). Alternatively pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Unfortunately we are unable to recycle mattresses through these services at present.

Specialist recycling

If you are buying a new mattress, some retailers will take away your old one when they deliver the new one. This is the easiest way to get your mattress recycled.

If this is not an option, you can pay for a specialist company to collect your mattress and recycle it. Search online for 'mattress recycling'.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Black bin

Please remove from the plastic tray and put in your black bin.

Reduce waste

Prevent medicine waste and lower NHS costs by only ordering what you need. Find more tips at Medicine Waste UK.

Specialist disposal

Even if you never open them, once medicines have left the pharmacy, they cannot be recycled or used by anyone else.

Take unused medicines to your pharmacy for safe disposal. Never dispose of your unused or unwanted medicines down the toilet.

Blue bin

Please rinse and crush. Beer cans with widgets are accepted.

Only household metal packaging materials (food tins, drinks cans, aerosol cans, biscuit tins, foil and foil trays e.g. from quiches or pies) can be accepted in the blue bins. Other metal items can damage the sorting machinery, so please keep these out. This includes items like frying pans, car parts, taps, coat hangers and furniture which would be classed as scrap metal.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

Only household metal packaging materials (food tins, drinks cans, aerosol cans, biscuit tins, foil and foil trays e.g. from quiches or pies) can be accepted in the blue bins. Other metal items can damage the sorting machinery, so please keep these out. This includes items like frying pans, car parts, taps, coat hangers and furniture which would be classed as scrap metal.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check that they are able to accept them first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Household recycling centre

Mini-kegs from beer, cider etc are recyclable, but should not be put into blue bins because their size can cause problems with sorting equipment designed for smaller cans and tins. 

You can recycle mini-kegs with other metals at Household Recycling Centres.

Black bin

Mirror glass can not be recycled with container glass (bottles and jars). Small amounts can be put in your black bin.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our bulky waste web page.

Reduce waste

Choose a new phone carefully. For example, a Fairphone is designed to last longer by allowing software upgrades and being repairable, with a replaceable battery.

When your provider offers you a phone upgrade, consider whether you really need it. You could keep your current handset on a cheaper contract.

There are lots of shops which offer repair services for mobile phones, and you can even order kits online with instructions to replace broken screens. Keep your phone going for longer.

Re-use

Various charities collect mobile phones, some in their shops and, if you have several, by post. Just search for 'recycle mobile phone for charity' online for details. You can gift your working smartphone to someone who needs one but cannot afford one through Community Calling.

Household recycling centre

Recycle with small electricals at one of our pink banks, through a retailer take-back scheme or at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. You can find all locations at Recycle Your Electricals.

Black bin

Please ensure your bin lid closes fully.

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. Please note that bin lids must be properly closed.

Household recycling centre

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Household recycling centre

Contact a local garage or take to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Never pour used engine oil down the drain. It will cause pollution and it is also an offence. Engine oil is classed as a hazardous waste and must be disposed of properly. If you spill engine oil, use sand or earth to absorb it – never hose it down.

Avoid mixing used engine oil with other materials as this makes it difficult to separate and recycle.

Re-use

Used orchestral instruments – strings, woodwind, brass and percussion can be donated to children if in good condition, ask if your local school would like it, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

It is difficult to remove the varnish and the bottles are too small to be captured during the recycling process.

Re-use

Newspaper can be used for wrapping food waste to go in your green bin, and for lining a kitchen caddy if you have one. 

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Household recycling centre

Nitrous oxide canisters from household use only can be taken to Household Recycling Centres. You will be asked to sign a disclaimer form when disposing of these items. Canisters from commercial use should be returned to suppliers.

Specialist disposal

If you have seen large nitrous oxide canisters dumped or littered please do not collect them yourself. Report this as a fly-tip so we can remove them.

If you are organising a litter-pick and want to know how to deal with canisters you might find please contact streets@scambs.gov.uk

Re-use

If you have an open fire or woodburner, nutshells can be used as part of your kindling.

Green bin

Nutshells can be put in a home compost bin, but they take an extremely long time to break down. When added to the green bin they pass through a shredder and a high temperature process, giving them a better chance. They will also continue to slowly break down while the compost is in use.

Compost at home

Dissolvable or compostable packing chips can be added to a home compost bin. Make sure they are not polystyrene first!

Black bin

Please bag, tie the bag and put in your black bin, to prevent litter when the bin is emptied.

Some packing chips are now made from biodegradable or dissolvable materials, but these are not accepted in the green bin. Black bin materials go through a biological process to break down any compostable elements.

Household recycling centre

Never put paint in your household bins - the tins will get crushed in the bin lorry and the paint will leak out onto the roads. Take tins of paint to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Paint is sorted and distributed to charities, community groups or individuals who need it by the Community RePaint scheme.

Community RePaint is a scheme run by the Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network (CCORRN) that sorts unwanted leftover paint and makes it available to charities, community groups, schools, organisations and individuals at low cost.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

If you regularly buy coffee when on your way to work or out and about, buy a reusable cup to take with you. There are lots of options from metal and ceramic to lightweight bamboo ones, some of which may be available at the coffee shop itself. Some coffee chains even give a discount if you take your own cup!

If you are buying disposable cups for a party, consider using reusable plastic ones. If washing up or storage is an issue, choose disposable plastic cups, which can be recycled in the blue bin.

Recycle points

You can take single-use coffee cups back to some branches of Costa for recycling, even if they are not from Costa.

Black bin

Paper cups, even those with a recycle mark, are not easily recyclable unless collected as part of a dedicated scheme (see above) and can not be put in the blue bin.

Compostable paper cups (e.g. Vegware, Edenware) have a layer of compostable 'plastic' which makes them unsuitable for putting in the green bin. Compostable plastic can take up to 12 weeks to break down, and the process we use takes 6-8 weeks. Compostable cups put into the black bin will have a chance to break down during the biological process they are put through before landfilling.

Reduce waste

Reduce waste by using washable cloths for cleaning up spills.

Green bin

Paper towels or kitchen roll (but not wet wipes) can be put in your green bin. Please do not put them in your blue bin as the paper is low quality and not suitable for recycling, as well as usually being wet or dirty.

Black bin

Plastic parcel strapping is not suitable for recycling at the kerbside. In fact, it can cause serious problems in the sorting facility, where it becomes tangled around machinery. Machines have to be shut off so that it can be cut free.

Terracycle recycling

It is possible to recycle pens (including highlighters, markers and correction fluid pots) via Terracycle collection points at some schools and stationers. Wooden pencils and crayons are not accepted.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Reduce waste

Disposable period or incontinence pads, liners and tampons cannot be recycled and most contain plastic. Consider reusable alternatives - many different styles of washable pads and period pants are now available, as well as alternatives such as menstrual cups. There are also disposable options that do not contain plastic. Find out more about Plastic-Free Periods from City to Sea. You can get a 10-20% discount off the cost of reusable period or incontinence products from selected suppliers using our Zero-Waste Product Discount Scheme.

Black bin

Disposable period products should be wrapped or bagged and put in your black bin. Never flush them down the toilet as they cause blockages and can end up in the sea.

Blue bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into very different items, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, Polyethylene terephthalate, (PET) can be used to make fleece fabric, which is not accepted for recycling in blue bins, and plastic fizzy drink bottles, which are.

That said, most PET packaging items that you are likely to be unsure of if they can be recycled in your blue bin can be, including:

• water, juice and pop bottles
• trays from biscuits
• clear yoghurt pots
• salad dressing bottles

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Specialist recycling

Many Co-op and Tesco supermarkets now accept soft plastic packaging, including clean pet food pouches, in their in-store recycling bins. You can find soft plastic packaging recycling locations at Recycle Now. 

Black bin

These type of pouches are made from layers of plastic and aluminium which are very difficult to separate out, and therefore they can not be recycled at the moment. Please put in the black bin.

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Black bin

Photos are made from various different kinds of plastic or coated paper, and can not be recycled.

Blue bin

It's important that cardboard for recycling is fairly clean and dry. Remove any food, and tear off any parts which look greasy (the greasy cardboard can be put in your green bin for composting).

Green bin

Please put any cheesy or greasy parts of your pizza box in your green bin.

Black bin

If you do not have a green bin and your pizza box has a lot of grease or food on it, it's best to put it in your black bin rather than your blue bin.

Terracycle recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled by Terracycle. You need to save up your air fresheners and drop them off at a collection point.

Find out more about the Air, Home and Laundry Care Recycling Programme.

Black bin

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, so if you can’t drop them off at a collection point please put them in your black bin.

Reduce waste

Keep a few reusable cloth bags in handy places like your handbag, coat pocket, car, bike bag etc so you always have one when you need it.

Re-use

If you don't have a use for plastic bags yourself, some charity shops and small independent shops will be grateful for them.

Blue bin

Put empty bags in your blue bin. Please do not use bags to contain other items - it means we can't see the items inside properly to check they are accepted, and we may not empty your bin.

Never put plastic bags in your green bin.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

Put in your blue bin. Includes drink, shampoo and detergent bottles. Please rinse, squash and put lids back on. 

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

Look at what you are buying in plastic bottles and consider alternatives that reduce the number of new plastic bottles you buy.

• Instead of bottled still water could you use a water filter? (Check out our entry on water filters for the lowest-waste options!)
• Instead of sparkling water or fizzy drinks how about a SodaStream?
• Instead of liquid cleaning products could you buy dilutable tablets, concentrates or refills? (Check out local refill shops here)
• Instead of shampoo and shower gel try refills or solid bars

Black bin

Empty plastic bottles which contained chemicals such as anti-freeze, motor oil or white spirit should not be recycled.

Household recycling centre

If your bottles still contain chemicals, they can be disposed of at a Household Recycling Centre.

Reduce waste

Avoid disposable plastic cutlery by keeping a set of cutlery in your bag, or in your car glove box (don’t forget to wash it between uses and return it there!). For parties, choose finger-food, hire cutlery or buy extra from charity shops.

Black bin

Only plastic packaging can be recycled in your blue bin.

Blue bin

Recycle with other pots, tubs and trays in your blue bin.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

Clear and coloured plastic punnets from fruit or vegetables and food trays from ready meals can be recycled in your blue bin.

Unfortunately sorting equipment at the Materials Recycling Facility where items from blue bins are sent cannot detect the colour black and therefore black plastic trays can not be recycled. This is an issue across the UK and work is being done to find a solution. See more information about black plastic recyclability issue

Reduce waste

Avoid nets by buying fruit and vegetables loose.

Specialist recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging, including crisp and snack packets, in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

Black bin

These cannot be recycled at present.

Blue bin

Rinse and recycle with other pots, tubs and trays in your blue bin.

Blue bin

Please make sure bottles are empty and rinsed out. Put loose in your bin, not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

Avoid unnecessary plastic packaging by:

• Choosing loose produce where possible
• Taking your own shopping and produce bags to the shops
• Buying refills or refilling your own containers

Check out our list of local refill shops.

Specialist recycling

1500 Co-operative food stores nationwide now accept clean soft plastic packaging (also called flexible plastic, or plastic films and wrappers)  for recycling, including these items that we don't collect in the blue bin:

• Plastic pouches – microwave rice, pre-cooked mussels, petfood, etc
• Plastic fruit & veg nets
• Plastic sauce sachets
• Crisps, nuts & snack packets
• Chocolate and sweets bags and wrappers
• Cheese packets or bags
• Biscuit wrappers
• Tea and teabags, ground coffee etc packets
• Pet-food wrappers

Find out more and your nearest participating store on the Co-Op Soft Plastic Packaging recycling page.

Other supermarkets including Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury's also accept some soft plastics in their carrier bag recycling bins. Find out more at Recycle Now.

Blue bin

• yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and fruit punnets
• trays from meat, vegetables or ready meals
• shampoo, fizzy drink, milk or cleaning spray bottles
• thin moulded plastic packaging from Easter eggs, toy packaging, packs of batteries etc

The following plastic films are accepted and will be recycled when markets are available:

General

• thin plastic peel-off lids of all types
• plastic wrappers from kitchen towel, toilet roll, nappy pack, cotton wool, magazines (except compostable plastic)
• plastic fruit and veg bags and wrappers

Bags

• Ordinary carrier bags
• Bread bags
• Multipack crisps outer bags
• Bags from:
  • Cereal and porridge
  • Dried goods – dried fruit, pasta, rice, sugar, pulses, etc
  • Frozen foods and ice cubes
  • Grated cheese

Wrappers and Film

• Cling film
• Pizza wrapping film
• Bread product wrappers:
  • Croissants
  • Pancakes
  • Naan bread
  • Pitta bread
  • Fresh pasta
• Wrappers or packets from:
  • Cheese, pastry, cakes
  • baby wipes, etc
• Flower wrapping (cellophane)

Due to market fluctuations it is not always possible to find recycling outlets for plastic films collected in the blue bins. Under these circumstances they will be used to generate energy instead.

Black bin

Very dirty items and those with food left inside should either be cleaned before recycling or put in the black bin.

Some examples of plastic packaging that can not be recycled in the blue bin include:

• CD and DVD cases
• shiny metallic plastic pouches from pet food, coffee or drinks (can be taken to participating Co-Op stores)
• crisp packets with a shiny foil coating on the inside (can be taken to participating Co-Op stores)
• polystyrene foam cartons, for example, from takeaways
• moulded, protective polystyrene - for example, from a new TV
• foam or sponge packaging, for example from a new computer
• multi-material wrappers, a mix of paper and plastic or paper and foil, for example some cheese wrappers or peel off lids on coffee jars.

Specialist recycling

Due to their size thin flexible peel-off plastic lids are less likely to be successfully sorted in the Materials Recycling Facility that blue bin materials are sent to.

1500 Co-operative food stores nationwide now accept a wide range of clean soft plastic packaging, including peel-off lids from yoghurt, cream etc. Find out more about the Co-op Soft Plastic Packaging recycling scheme.

Re-use

Pass on to friends or family, give away via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree, donate to local allotments or charity gardening projects (check if they need them first), or take back to garden centres which have a collection/pick-up area for them.

Blue bin

Smaller plastic plant pots (smaller than about the size of an A3 piece of paper) which are not black can be recycled via your blue bin if they are clean. Rinse off soil or compost.

Household recycling centre

Larger (more than 5 inches in diameter) brown and coloured plant pots which are clean and empty can be recycled with rigid plastics at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Very dirty pots and all black pots are not recyclable, please put in your black bin.

Unfortunately, recycling sorting equipment cannot detect the colour black and therefore black plastic items can not be recycled. This is an issue across the UK and work is being done to find a solution to reduce black plastic recyclability issues.

Blue bin

These can be recycled with other plastic pots and tubs in your blue bin.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Broken ones can be recycled with hard plastic items at the Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

If you can't get to a Household Recycling Centre, you can put it in your black bin. They can not be recycled in your blue bin.

Black bin

Some retailers are moving away from polystyrene meat trays, so try to seek out recyclable plastic trays where possible. If not, polystyrene trays should go in the black bin.

Black bin

Please put polystyrene in your black bin. Bag any broken pieces to avoid them blowing out when the bin is emptied and causing litter.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Black bin

Due to their sticky strip Post-It notes tend to get stuck onto other items and sorted incorrectly. Their size also makes them difficult to sort, and they usually end up contaminating the sorted glass. Please put them in the black bin.

Re-use

Give them to charity - ask your local charity shop or call a national charity to see if you can post to them.

Many charities collect postage stamps, where they can be sold in bulk. Cut around postage stamps and leave a good margin, do not steam off.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Blue bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into items with different properties, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, Polypropylene (PP) can be used to make coat hangers, which are not accepted for recycling in the blue bin, as well as yoghurt pots, which are. 

That said, most common PP packaging items from your home probably would be accepted your blue bin, including:

• Microwave meal trays
• Yoghurt pots
• Bottle tops (keep attached to bottles)
• Pill bottles
• Margarine tubs

Look up a description of your item rather than the plastic code to see if it is recyclable, for example, 'yoghurt pot'.

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Reduce waste

Washable fabric face masks, and even gloves, can be washed and re-used over and over again. You can buy them online, or make your own using instructions online.

Black bin

All medical waste and disposable PPE (such as face masks and gloves) should be disposed of using your black bin, or a litter bin if outside. If there are no litter bins outside, take the waste home.

If you are suffering from Coronavirus symptoms, any medical waste and PPE should be bagged separately and left for 72 hours (3 days) before going into your black bin.

Re-use

If in good condition and not outdated, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Re-use

You may be able to return your printer cartridges to a shop or manufacturer to be refilled. Some stationers, for example, Ryman do this, as well as the Smart Cartridge Shop in Cambridge (01223 464 100).

Specialist recycling

There are many charities which collect used cartridges, or organisations that collect on their behalf. You can find details of all the options at Every Cartridge.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Protective foam or sponge packing materials, such as those used to protect electronic goods in transit, can not be recycled in your household collections. Please put these in your black bin.

If the materials have been marked as recyclable you may wish to contact the retailer and ask if they provide a scheme for recycling these, since they will not be recyclable in any council schemes in the UK.

Black bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into items with different properties, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, Polystyrene (PS) can be used to make expanded foam packing material, which is not accepted for recycling in the blue bin, as well as some small yoghurt pots, which are. 

That said, most common PS packaging items from your home probably would NOT be accepted your blue bin, for example:

• Packing chips/peanuts
• CD cases
• Disposable plastic cutlery
• Egg cartons

Look up a description of your item rather than the plastic code to see if it is recyclable, for example, 'foam packaging'.

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Black bin

Even if made from a material that is technically recyclable, these are too small to be sorted correctly by machinery for recycling.

Black bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into very different items with different thicknesses, some that we can recycle and some that we can't. For example, Polyvinyl Chloride, (PVC) can be used to make shower curtains, which are not accepted for recycling in the blue bin, as well as shampoo bottles which are.

Most common PVC items are not recyclable in your blue bin, for example:

• Clothing
• Disposable gloves
• Music records
• Signage, stickers and tapes
• Pipes

Look up a description of your item rather than the plastic code to see if it is recyclable, e.g. 'shampoo bottle'.

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Broken Pyrex should never be put in a recycling bin or bank with other glass. It has a very high melting point, and will cause other glass that is with it to be wasted and result in problems for the glass recycling facility.

Reduce waste

More and more people are switching to traditional razors, which use a permanent metal handle with separate steel blades. The blades last a long time and can be recycled.

Specialist recycling

TerraCycle® and Gillette® have partnered to offer free recycling envelopes for any brand of razors and razor blades.

Each household can request 4 envelopes per year, and you can send a maximum of 16 razors and/or razor blades in each envelope. Get your razor recycling scheme envelopes.

Household recycling centre

You can put traditional flat steel razor blades into a steel food tin, pinch the tin and turn the top over using pliers to seal them in, and put in the scrap metal section at a Household Recycling Centre. Please do not put them in your blue bin – there is some hand-sorting of materials which could make this hazardous.

Black bin

Wrap in paper or tissue, bag with other waste and put in your black bin.

Black bin

Due to their size, receipts are difficult to sort correctly and often end up contaminating the sorted glass. 

Some thermal receipts also contain BPA plastic which is associated with health risks, and therefore should not be used in recycled paper products.

Re-use

Many different styles of washable pads are now available, as well as alternatives such as menstrual cups. Find out more at Plastic-Free Periods.

Black bin

If your pads or cup have come to the end of their life, they need to be disposed of in the black bin.

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Blue bin

Cardboard type binders (not plastic-covered) can be dismantled by removing the metal rings. The cardboard part can then be put in the blue bin. The metal part can be taken with other scrap metals to a Household Recycling Centre, or put in the black bin.

Black bin

Plastic or plastic-coated binders not suitable for re-use should be put in the black bin. Plastic or plastic-coated binders not suitable for re-use should be put in the black bin.

Blue bin

Both plastic and glass empty roll-on deodorant bottles and their lids (replace the caps on the bottles) can be recycled via your blue bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to charity or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

If too dirty/damaged, large rugs should be taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre. Small mats can be put in your black bin.

Blue bin

Sandwich boxes can be recycled along with other cardboard packaging. Just remember to make sure that they are empty of food first. The plastic versions can also be recycled.

Some boxes are designed so that the plastic lining and window can be removed before recycling. If it’s easy to remove it then you can do so. These should be put in your black bin.

Black bin

If your sandwich packet has a lot of mayonnaise or other food stuck on it, please put it in your black bin.

Compost at home

Sawdust, shavings, newspaper, hay and straw from small pets can be added to a home compost bin or heap.

Green bin

Soiled sawdust or wood shavings from rabbit/guinea pig/hamster/gerbil cages can be put in your green bin. If you have large amounts please put in a paper bag, as the sawdust can blow out over the bin collectors when emptying the bin.

Re-use

For branded items check whether your school has a uniform swap or sell scheme, or pass on to other parents through local Facebook groups or similar. Generic items can be donated to charity shops.

Local recycling points

Clothing (either in good condition or worn out) can be taken to clothing banks at recycling points around the district. Please tie in bags.

Reduce waste

If your scissors or knives are blunt, you can find out how to sharpen scissors using everyday items.

Household recycling centre

If your scissors or knives are entirely made of metal, you can recycle them with scrap metal at a Household Recycling Centre.

Household recycling centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Black bin

Wrap sharp items in newspaper in a separate bag before adding to your bagged general waste in your black bin.

Re-use

Pass on out-grown scooters to friends, family or neighbours via sites like Facebook marketplace or Freecycle.

ScooterAid is a scheme by Micro scooters to revamp and rehome used Micro Scooters with children in need across the UK. They can renovate Micro scooters that need replacement parts so they can be donated.

Specialist disposal

An unwanted vehicle may be worth a small amount as scrap. See the local telephone directory for a list of scrap dealers. 

Alternatively visit Give a Car, who can collect the car for free and recycle it with any proceeds donated to the charity of your choice.

Abandoned vehicles can be taken away by us.

Re-use

Scrapstores gather useful scrap materials to pass on to schools and community groups - find your closest one at ReusefulUK. Otherwise, consider if it can be upcycled and used for another purpose at home, pass on to friends or family, give away or donate to charity. 

Local recycling points

Fabric scraps from sewing projects can be bagged and placed in clothing collection banks for recycling. They can be used as rag, furniture stuffing or have their fibres re-spun to make recycled fabric.

Fabrics are accepted in all clothing banks, even those which are only marked 'clothes and shoes'.

Household recycling centre

Only household metal packaging materials (food tins, drinks cans, aerosol cans, biscuit tins, foil and foil trays for example from quiches or pies) can be accepted in the blue bins. Other metal items can damage the sorting machinery, so please keep these out. This includes items like frying pans, car parts, taps, coat hangers, old nails or screws and furniture which would be classed as scrap metal.

Scrap metals can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Blue bin

Empty sealant tubes from DIY work can be put in the blue bin for recycling. 

Black bin

Dispose of tubes which contain old sealant in your black bin. They cannot be recycled with the sealant inside.

Reduce waste

Consider using paper tape, available from plastic-free shops and online, which can be recycled or composted along with the paper or card it is stuck to after use.

Washi tape is a decorative paper tape alternative - but check whether the centre it's wrapped around is plastic, as this can't be recycled!

Re-use

If in good condition, donate spare rolls to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Although not recyclable itself, small amounts of sellotape do not need to be removed from paper or boxes before putting them in the blue bin. 

Whole rolls of un-useable sellotape should be put in the black bin.

Reduce waste

Sewing machines can be repaired via local sewing-supplies shops, or at volunteer-run Repair Cafes.

Re-use

Old treadle or hand-powered machines can be donated to Africa via Tools For Self Reliance - they can be taken to Mackays in Cambridge who act as a collection point, or you can contact them to find out if there are other volunteers collecting near you.

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. Treadle machines will usually be taken even if not working, as they can be re-purposed into chic furniture.

Specialist recycling

You can recycle portable electrical sewing machines at Curry’s stores free of charge. Most other electrical retailers will take back your old electrical items for recycling on a like-for-like basis if you are buying a new item.

Participating repair cafés have a small wheelie bin for recycling small electrical items. Check information for your next local event.

Household recycling centre

Broken electric sewing machines can be recycled with other electricals at Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Re-use

Thinner shells like mussels can be crushed and used in the garden to deter slugs around vulnerable plants. Larger decorative shells can be used to edge flowerbeds etc. Scallop shells make a great soap dish!

Black bin

Shells are made of the mineral calcium carbonate. They are inorganic and will not compost, so should not be put in the green bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Local recycling points

Tie in bags to keep pairs together and put in clothing banks at recycling points around the district. Even worn out shoes can be accepted.

Household recycling centre

Clothing and shoes can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Blue bin

Please put shredded paper in an old envelope or paper bag to prevent it blowing out when the bin is emptied and littering the street. Large quantities can be put in a transparent sack (available in supermarkets). 

Compost at home

Small amounts of shredded paper can be added to your home compost bin.

Re-use

Borrow a BBQ or buy a second-hand one that can be used again, by you or someone else. If you're BBQ-ing away from home choose a portable BBQ.

Blue bin

The aluminium tray from single-use BBQs can be recycled in a blue bin or a litter recycling bin.

Ensure the charcoal has fully cooled before emptying it in a rubbish bin. The wire mesh can only be recycled with scrap metals at a Recycling Centre, so if that's not an option this will need to go into a rubbish bin too.

Reduce waste

When purchasing electrical items, choose brands which are durable and repairable, with spare parts available. Consider buying good quality second hand appliances on SecondHand or eBay or in local charity shops like British Heart Foundation or Emmaus.

Before recycling broken gadgets, see if you can get them fixed.

• Check out local repair shops for items like phones and computers.
• Take small items to a local volunteer-run repair café – we are lucky to have a great network of these locally.
• If you want to try repairing it yourself, get support at iFixit or check out repair videos on YouTube.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. Not all charity shops can accept electrical items as they have to be safety tested, so check before donating.

Local recycling points

We have special pink recycling bins for small electrical items at the following locations in South Cambridgeshire:

• Cambourne: Morrisons car park (near Just For Pets)
• Melbourne: Village car park on the High Street
• Bar Hill: Tesco car park
• Fulbourn: Tesco car park

Most small items which take batteries or have a plug or cable and will fit in the banks are accepted. If batteries are removable please recycle these separately (in shops or on top of any of your wheelie bins in a bag). In general items will fit in the banks if they are able to pass through an opening about the size of an A4 piece of paper.

Please note that smoke detectors, light bulbs, e-cigarettes, batteries, paints, chemicals or aerosols are not accepted in these banks. 

For more information see what to do with your old electricals.

Specialist recycling

Small electrical items like toasters, phones or hairdryer and including wires, plugs and cables can be recycled at in-store electrical recycling points at Curry's and B&Q stores. John Lewis also accepts very small electrical items less than 25cm on their longest side.

You can find all locations for recycling small electrical items on the recycle your electricals website. 

All large retailers of electrical appliances with over 400 square metres of retail space dedicated to electrical products must take back your old appliances for recycling on a like-for-like basis if you are buying a new item as part of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations, and accept all very small WEEE items as described above for John Lewis. If you buy a new item you have 28 days to take in your old equivalent item for recycling with a receipt.

Household recycling centre

All electrical items can be recycled at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste collection web page.

Household recycling centre

Household smoke detectors can be taken to Household Recycling Centres - please hand to a member of staff.

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Specialist recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

Black bin

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, so if you can’t drop them off at a collection point please put them in your black bin.

Household recycling centre

Take to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website.

Do not put in bins - it will make them too heavy.

Small amounts on roots of plants are acceptable in the green bin. Soil and stones are not compostable and larger amounts can cause problems in the composting process.

Re-use

Unwanted spectacles can be sent to other countries for re-use. Check with your local opticians and library as many have a collection point.

Reduce waste

There are now compostable alternatives to standard washing up sponges and scourers, made from natural materials like coconut fibre or loofah. You can find these in plastic-free shops or online.

Compost

Natural scourers made from coconut fibre or loofah can be put in your home compost bin or your green bin for composting.

Plastic-free sponges may be made from bio-plastics. You can add these to a home compost bin but please do not put them in your green wheelie bin as we do not accept any compostable plastics at this time. Compostable plastics require sustained high temperatures for an average of at least 12 weeks, and our composting process is shorter than this.

Black bin

Most sponges are synthetic, especially those used in the kitchen. If you are not sure, please put it in the black bin.

Plastic or wooden washing-up brushes can not be recycled. 

Reduce waste

You can avoid plastic toothpaste packaging by trying tooth tabs instead. These are tablets of tooth powder which you chew and then brush. They are often available in cardboard packets by post, which you can transfer to a jar.

Blue bin

Tubes from cosmetics or toothpaste which do not have a metal lining inside can be put in your blue bin for recycling, with the lid on. You'll need to cut the tube open to check for metal lining, and to rinse the product out of it as it needs to be clean for recycling.

Specialist recycling

Tubes containing a metal lining, like most toothpaste tubes, can’t be recycled in your blue bin. They are accepted along with other hard-to-recycle beauty and personal care packaging at Boots stores in their Recycle at Boots scheme.

Find your closest location to recycle tubes with metal lining at Recycle Now.

Black bin

If you can't take tubes with a metal lining to a Boots store for recycling, they need to go in your black bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check they can accept electrical items first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Local recycling points

Clean worn-out bags can be put in textile banks at various supermarkets and car parks around the district.

Household recycling centre

Broken suitcases can be taken to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste web page.

Reduce waste

Compost at home

Add plastic-free tea bags and coffee grounds to your home compost bin, if you have one.  If your tea bags contain plastic this will remain as a fine mesh in your finished compost, becoming visible when it rains after spreading it. If you are not sure, split the bags open to compost the tea leaves and put the bags in your black bin.

You can find out more about composting on Recycle Now page.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use BioBags or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and reduce the quality of the compost made. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Specialist recycling

These can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled at some shops which accept soft plastic packaging in their in-store recycling bins. You can find local soft plastic recycling locations at Recycle Now.

Black bin

Tea and coffee packets are usually made from metallised plastic, and can not be recycled. You can do the scrunch test - foil will not spring back when scrunched, but plastic will.

Blue bin

Thin aluminium cases from tealights, which do not have any wax remaining in them, can be put in your blue bin for recycling.

Black bin

Tealight cases still containing candles or wax should be put in your black bin. 

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check first - some cannot take electrical items, and those that do will not take older models) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Old TVs can be recycled with other electrical items at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection via our bulky waste page.

Household recycling centre

If you break a mercury thermometer you must not handle it without gloves. If it is indoors, immediately ventilate the room by opening windows and/or doors. Remove pets or children from the room.

Using gloves, wrap the pieces well in newspaper or similar, bag them, tie the bag, place in another sealed bag, take it to a Household Recycling Centre and hand it to site staff. Unbroken thermometers can also be handed to site staff.

Re-use

Leftover, unused tiles can be donated to some charity shops (please check with them first) or passed on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Broken or used tiles can be recycled with hardcore at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Re-use

Save and reuse any tissue paper. This can be for wrapping presents or putting some tissue paper in the top of a gift bag to hide the gifts.

Green bin

Before putting your tissue paper in the green bin please make sure that any sellotape has been removed.

Reduce waste

Using washable fabric handkerchiefs saves waste, and they are less likely than paper tissues to make your nose sore when you have a cold!

It can be tricky to find handkerchiefs off-line, but larger department stores usually have them, or you can make your own from light cotton sheeting.

Green bin

Tissues are not suitable for recycling. Even if they were clean, the paper is too low-quality with fibres too short to be made into new paper. Tissues can go into your green bin to be composted.

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not use biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

When purchasing a toaster choose one which is repairable, with spare parts available.

Check if there is a local Repair Cafe that can help you repair your broken toaster.

Re-use

If in good clean working condition, donate to a charity shop (check they accept electrical items first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Recycle with electrical items at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Reduce waste

Bamboo or wood toothbrushes are available which are biodegradable. Usually the bristles are not - so when you are finished with your toothbrush you will need to snap off the head and put that in your black bin. Untreated wood or bamboo handles can be put in your green bin.

Re-use

Re-use your toothbrush for cleaning shoes and getting in those hard to reach cleaning spots.

A toothbrush with replaceable heads will also save waste as the handle can be re-used many times.

Specialist recycling

Plastic toothbrushes can’t be recycled in your blue bin, but they can now be recycled by Terracycle. You need to save them up and drop them off at a collection point. For every batch of items collected, Terracycle will donate to charity. 

Find out more about the Philips Dental Care Recycling Programme including local collection points.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

You can avoid plastic toothpaste packaging by trying tooth tabs instead, often available in cardboard packets by post, which you can transfer to a jar. These are tablets of tooth powder which you chew and then brush.

Blue bin

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop, Women's Aid or homeless shelter (check what they will accept first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

If in clean but worn condition check if animal shelters would like them for pet bedding.

Re-use worn out towels at home for wipes or rags. To make washable baby wipes cut old towels into squares and hem them to stop them fraying (ask a relative or friend if you don't sew!).

Local recycling points

Clean, dry towels in any condition can be put in textile banks at recycling points.

Towels are accepted in all clothing banks, even those which are only marked 'clothes and shoes'.

Black bin

Dirty, oily or wet towels can not be re-used or recycled.

Re-use

If in good condition, pass on to friends or family, donate to a charity shop (check they accept them first) or pass on via networks such as Facebook, Freegle or Gumtree or apps like YoungPlanet.

Household recycling centre

There are toy collection banks at some Household Recycling Centres.

Some hard plastic toys can be recycled with hard plastics, and electronic toys can be recycled with electrical items at Household Recycling Centres. Large broken toys that can not fit in your black bin can be disposed of here too. 

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. 

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

Large useable pieces in good condition can be passed on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Small pieces of treated wood (for example, parts of varnished or stained furniture) can be put in your black bin. 

Household recycling centre

Larger pieces which will not fit into your bin need to be taken to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Treated wood should not be put in your green bin.

Blue bin

Leave triggers on your empty spray bottles and put them in your blue bin, these can be recycled along with bottle caps.

Materials from your blue bin are sorted and turned into new products. Please put things in the bin loose and not in bags. This helps us process it. You can find out more about processing by visiting RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity (check with them first - some are able to collect large items, for example, the British Heart Foundation) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Reduce waste

Make turkey stock or broth. If you don't have time right away, put the carcass in a freezer bag, label it and freeze it for later.

Green bin

Once you have used your turkey carcass to make stock, broth or gravy, it can go in your green bin to be composted. Bones are mostly made of the protein collagen, so they are organic and will break down when shredded and composted at high temperatures.

Black bin

We don't recommend using the codes marked on plastic items to decide whether they can be recycled in your kerbside collections. This is because the same type of plastic can be made into items with different properties, some that we can recycle and some that we can't.

This is particularly true for items marked with a 7. This covers a wide range of different plastics which just aren't one of the six most common types used for packaging. For example acrylic, nylon or fibreglass. 'Other' plastic items are very unlikely to be recyclable except in specialist schemes.

Look up a description of your item rather than the plastic code to see if it is recyclable, for example, 'yoghurt pot'.

Find out more on our Plastic Recycling page.

Re-use

You can burn untreated wood in a wood burner after seasoning for a year. If you have a lot of wood from a fallen tree for example, and don't have a wood burner, consider passing on via  Freegle or Gumtree.

You could also make a wood pile in your garden as a wildlife habitat.

Green bin

Branches and pieces of bark up to the thickness of a broom handle can be accepted in the green bin. Larger pieces can be added if they are split first.

Sawn timber is not suitable for composting as it may have been pressure treated or contain nails.

Household recycling centre

Large branches thicker than a broom handle can be taken to Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Reduce waste

21 million Brits (around half of us) will receive at least one unwanted gift this Christmas. Clothing, cosmetics and fragrances are the most likely gifts to be unwanted, so if you're not sure, perhaps avoid those.

Have conversations with friends and family about gift-giving: 

• maybe just do gifts for children, and not the grown-ups
• for groups, try Secret Santa and ask everyone to include a hint of what they would like alongside their name
• Ask! If you don't want to ask the person themselves, get help from a partner, parent or family member
• Try gifting subscriptions to magazines, meal kits, music streaming services, coffee, veg boxes or animal adoptions
• Try gifting experiences like ice skating, climbing walls, hot air balloon rides or visits to attractions

Re-use

If you can't return an unwanted gift, pass it on to a charity shop, regift it or sell it or give it away online via Facebook, Gumtree, Freegle or Freecycle. Don't put it in your bin!

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page. 

Reduce waste

Vacuum cleaners can often be repaired. First check it is properly emptied, and give it a thorough clean including filters- that may be all it needs.

See the Circular Cambridge Directory for a list of repairers.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check if they accept electrical items first) or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Vacuum cleaners can be recycled with other electricals at Household Recycling Centres near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Specialist recycling

Please do not put disposable vapes in any of your bins. They contain lithium-ion batteries which can easily ignite when damaged, causing costly and dangerous fires in bin lorries and at recycling centres.

Disposable vapes with built-in batteries can be taken back to shops which sell vapes, large supermarkets or electrical shops which have recycling schemes such as Curry's or John Lewis.

Removable batteries from reusable vapes can be recycled with other batteries by putting them in a small plastic bag and leaving it on top of any of your wheelie bins. You can also recycle batteries at most large shops.

You can find all locations accepting vapes for recycling on the recycle your electricals website.  

Household recycling centre

Disposable vapes with built-in batteries can be recycled as Waste Electrical or Electronic Equipment (WEEE) at a Household Recycling Centre.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Broken glass or ceramic vases can not be recycled (the glass may be a different type from container glass).

Reduce waste

Reduce waste by not peeling your veg when possible - just give it a scrub instead!

If you do peel, try making potato-skin crisps or vegetable stock with the peelings.

Compost at home

Put in your home compost bin or heap, if you have one.

Green bin

You can put things straight into the green bin. You can wrap food waste in newspaper or put it in a paper bag. Please do not biodegradable 'plastic' or corn starch bags. These do not break down quickly enough and result in extra processing costs. Your bin could also be refused collection. More information on how the compost is made can be found on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Re-use

Some charity shops still accept CDs and DVDs in good condition (e.g. some Oxfam stores), but do check as many no longer do. Older media including VHS tapes, cassettes, and minidisks are not accepted, but there is a small market online for some items such as Disney videos and audio books on tape, so it might be worth offering them on websites such as eBay, Freecycle, Gumtree, or Facebook marketplace.

There are lots of creative ideas for re-purposing old CDs etc online.

Specialist recycling

Terracycle offers a paid service for recycling media storage, so if you have a large collection to dispose of this may be worth considering. Find out more about the Terracycle Zero Waste Bag scheme.

Black bin

Video and audio cassettes, CDs, DVDs and minidisks are not recyclable in your kerbside collections. If you can not find an alternative use for them they must be disposed of in your black bin or at a Household Recycling Centre.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop (check they are accepted first), sell or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree. 

Made from PVC, vinyl records are often 're-purposed' into new stylish ornaments, wall art or tableware - so even scratched records may be wanted by somebody.

Black bin

Vinyl records can not be recycled. If broken, put in your black bin.

Re-use

Unused surplus rolls of wallpaper can be donated to some charities (check first) and Scrapstores, or reuse at home for children's artwork on the back.

You can also use suitably decorative wallpaper as wrapping paper.

Black bin

Wallpaper not suitable for reuse should be put in the black bin.

Re-use

If in good condition, pass on to friends or family or via networks such as Facebook, Freegle or Gumtree.

Local recycling points

Clean and dry cloth nappies can be recycled in clothing/textile bank in various car parks (for example, supermarkets) around the district.

Clean cloth nappies are accepted in all clothing banks, even those which are only marked 'clothes and shoes'.

Re-use

If in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Household recycling centre

Household Recycling Centres are near Milton and Thriplow. More information can be found on Cambridgeshire County Council’s website. We also collect bulky goods for a fee. You can find out the costs and book a collection on our website.

Re-use

Repair, or if in good condition, donate to a charity shop or pass on via networks such as Freegle or Gumtree.

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.

Reduce waste

Some kinds of water filters produce less waste than traditional plastic cartridges. Phox water filters can be refilled with sachets, or an activated Binchotan charcoal stick filter can be recharged, lasting up to six months.

Specialist recycling

Black bin

Black bin items go through a mechanical and biological sorting process before going to landfill. Find out more on RECAP’s website. You can find out your bin collection days on our bin collection day page.