The A-Z of recycling
Not sure what to do with your old bicycle or water filters? Find out more with our comprehensive guide.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Aerosol cans:
Unfortunately we are not able to recycle aerosol cans but they can be disposed of in your black rubbish bin.
Aluminium cans:
Please place cans in your orange-lidded bin. It takes 95% less energy to make a new aluminium can from an old one rather than making a new can from raw materials.
Aluminium foil:
This is made from a different metal alloy to aluminium cans and needs to be recycled separately. There are several aluminium foil bins around the District. If you are unable to recycle your foil at one of these sites, it should be placed in your black rubbish bin.
Asbestos:
We cannot accept Asbestos at any of our sites. Please contact a licensed contractor to organise disposal.
B
Batteries:
Household batteries and car batteries can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre. The sites have designated bins where all batteries should be placed.
Bedding/blankets:
A good general rule is that if it can fit in your washing machine, then it can be put into one of the textile banks in the District. Alternatively, a local charity shop might be able to accept them. If textiles are in good condition they will be reused, if they are in poor condition they can be recycled.
Bicycles:
Bikes in good condition could be sold through websites such as e-Bay or by placing an advert in your local paper. Alternatively, you can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org.
Books:
Books can be donated to charity shops or recycled at a number of book banks around the District.
Building waste:
Small quantities can be disposed of at the Household Waste Recycling Centre. If you have a larger amount, please consider hiring a skip. For more information and advice please contact Bedfordshire County Council on (01234) 408386 or visit www.bedfordshire.gov.uk
C
Car batteries:
Car batteries can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Cardboard:
This can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. Please tear corrugated cardboard into magazine size pieces, bulky cardboard blocks the machinery at the recycling facility. Thin cardboard such as cereal boxes can go into the bin whole. If you have large cardboard boxes that are too large for your bin you can take them to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Catalogues:
These can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. Please do not shred catalogues and ensure they are clean, dry and loose.
Clinical waste:
There is a special collection for clinical waste. Please contact the council on 01582 472222 for more information. Please do not dispose of clinical waste in your black rubbish bin.
Clothing:
Good quality clothing can be sold on by charities who use the money to fund their activities. Clothing which is of a poorer quality may be recycled into industrial cleaning rags or stuffing for car upholsteries. Local charity shops will be happy to accept donations during opening hours. Alternatively please use one of the textile/clothing banks in the District. Over 70% of the world's population use second hand clothes.
CDs/DVDs/videos:
Local charities will be happy to accept these items, which they will then sell through their shops, or place in one of the recycling banks in the District. Alternatively, you can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org.
Cooking Oil:
Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to recycle cooking oil at present in Bedfordshire. Solid oil can be made into bird feed or used to cook roast potatoes. Liquid fat needs to be placed in a secure container and put in your black bin.
Computers/IT equipment:
You can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org. You can also take items to the Household Waste Recycling Centre. If you have a large amount of computer equipment visit www.cambridge-computer-recycling.co.uk. They may be able to collect any computer related equipment free of charge. Monitors and printers are sent for refurbishment, other equipment is broken down and turned back into raw materials for recycling.
D
Directories:
Place these in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. Please do not shred them and ensure they are clean and dry.
E
Electrical goods:
Items which are working and are in good condition can be donated to charity shops, white goods that are not working can be donated to Noah Enterprise, a charity who refurbish and recycle as many as possible. Bulky items can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre or collected by the council for a charge. Click here for more information about the council's bulky collection service.
Energy saving lightbulbs:
Please take them to one of the Household Waste Recycling Centre and place in the lightbulb container with the fluorescent tubes.
Envelopes:
These can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. There is no need to remove the window, stamps or the gummed strips.
F
Fridges/freezers:
Items which are in a working condition can be donated to charity shops or alternatively, you can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org.Goods which are no longer of use can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre for recycling or collected by the council for a charge. Click here for more information about the council's bulky collection service. Please dispose of these items responsibly. They contain harmful gases, which contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer.
Furniture:
Items in good condition should be donated to Noah Enterprise who offer a collection service. Please visit their website www.noahenterprise.org for more information. Alternatively, you can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org. Goods which are no longer of use can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre or collected by the council for a charge. Click here for more information about the council's bulky collection service.
G
Garden waste:
Home composting is the best option for dealing with your garden waste. Alternatively put garden waste in your green bin and we compost it for you. The Household Waste Recycling Centre will take excess garden waste for composting.
Gas bottles:
Return your bottles to the retailer when you buy a new one, they will be refilled. Gas bottles can also be disposed of at the Household Waste Recycling Centre. Alternatively a local outdoors shop might be able to reuse them. Please do not place gas bottles in your black bin.
Glass bottles/jars:
The South Bedfordshire Villages receive an alternate weekly glass collection scheme. If you do not have a collection service please take your glass to one of the recycling sites in the District. Please do not use these bottle banks for Pyrex, window glass or drinking glasses, these are made of different grades of glass. Please DO NOT put your glass into your orange-lidded recycling bin.
Gift wrap:
Gift wrap that is 100% paper can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. Gift wrap that is more like crisp packets contains a high proportion of plastic and foil which means it cannot be recycled. Please consider reusing good quality wrapping paper.
I
Ink cartridges:
Many charities collect these and return them to the manufacturer for refilling. For more information please visit www.recycle4charity.co.uk/recycling_info.html
J
Juice cartons/tetra paks:
Please take to one of the recycling sites in the District for recycling.
Junk mail:
Any junk mail you receive can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling. The Mail Preference Service (MPS) is a free service funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and home addresses in the UK removed from or added to lists used by the industry. For more information please visit www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/
K
Kitchen waste:
Home composting is a good way of dealing with your kitchen and garden waste. A wormery is also a fun way of producing compost and using up kitchen leftovers. If are unable to compost at home, please use your black rubbish bin for kitchen waste. To keep you bin clean, it is a good idea to wrap waste in a bag or sack.
L
Light Bulbs:
See Energy Saving light bulbs
M
Magazines:
You may wish to donate these to your local dental surgery, hairdresser or community group. They can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling, put in one of the paper bins at one of the recycling sites in the Borough or at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Margarine tubs:
Along with other types of mixed plastic, we are not able to recycle these because of the limited reprocessing facilities available in the UK. Local Primary schools often welcome donations of margarine tubs and yoghurt pots for use in arts and crafts lessons. Alternatively please place any plastic that is not bottle shaped in your black bin.
Mobile phones:
Many charities collect these and recycle them. Many primary schools collect unwanted mobile phones in unwanted phones for cash schemes. For more information please visit www.recycle4charity.co.uk/recycling_info.html
Motor oil:
This can be safely disposed of at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
N
Nappies:
Choosing reusable nappies can save you money and help protect the environment. Modern reuseable nappies are much more sophisticated than terry squares. Disposable nappies should be tied up in bags and disposed of in your black rubbish bin.
Newspapers:
These can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling, placed in the paper banks at one of the Districts recycling sites or Household Waste Recycling Centre.
P
Paint:
RePaint Initiative will accept surplus, useable paint and donate it to charitable and voluntary groups as well as people living on a low income. For more information please visit www.communityrepaint.org.uk Alternatively paint can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Paper:
Clean, dry paper can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling, including newspapers, magazines, letters, envelopes, junk mail and telephone directories. Paper can also be recycled through one of the Districts paper banks found at the recycling sites. Please only shred paper if it contains personal information, large amounts of shredded paper cause operational difficulties at the Materials Recycling Facility. Please put shredded paper into an envelope or cardboard box that you are going to recycle anyway, this helps to contain it. Please do not put shredded paper in plastic bags. Plastic bottles: These can be placed in your orange-lidded recycling bin, squashed and with the lids on. We can accept any empty plastic bottle used in the household including, shampoo, milk, fizzy drinks, squash and household cleaning product bottles.
Plastic carrier bags:
We recommend using reuseable bags to reduce waste. Every plastic bag takes around 500 years to rot away. Plastic bags cannot be recycled in the kerbside scheme, please do not place them in the orange-lidded bin. Try reusing carrier bags or take the to Tesco or Sainsburys who have plastic bag recycling points.
Plastic food trays:
Along with other types of mixed plastic, we are not able to recycle these because of the limited reprocessing facilities available in the UK. Please put food trays in the black bin and try to buy fruit and vegetables loose or in cardboard containers.
Polystyrene:
Along with other types of mixed plastic, we are not able to recycle these because of the limited reprocessing facilities available in the UK. If you have large quantities, which will not fit in your black rubbish bin, please dispose of it at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
S
Scrap metal:
This can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Shredded paper:
Please only recycle paper that contains personal information. Small pieces of paper cannot be sorted at the Materials Recycling Facility, please put shredded paper in an envelope or cardboard box that you are going to recycle anyway. Alternatively, shredded paper can be composted in your Home composting bin.
Shoes:
Good quality items can be donated to your local charity shop or placed in a shoe bank at any of our recycling sites. Please ensure they are in pairs.
Spectacles:
Both Vision Express and Dollond and Aitchison collect old glasses and donate them to people in developing countries. Please take your old pair to your local store.
T
Televisions:
Please take to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre. Alternatively they can be collected by the council for a charge. Click here for more information about the council's bulky collection service.
Tetra paks:
Please take to one of the collection banks at any of our recycling sites across the District.
Tin cans:
These can be placed in the orange-lidded bin for recycling or one of the mixed material banks at our recycling sites. Please ensure they are clean, dry and loose.
Toys: Good quality items can be donated to a local playgroup, community group or school. Alternatively, you can 'Freecycle' it. This is a community network similar to e-Bay, but does not involve money. For more information please visit www.freecycle.org.
W
Water filters:
All components of the Brita cartridge are recyclable. Cartridges returned to Brita will be sent to their own recycling plant in Germany where the component parts are separated and processed for secondary use. Cartridges can be returned via their Freepost address: BRITA RECYCLING, FREEPOST NAT17876, Bicester, OX26 4BR. All other brands of water filter should be disposed of in your black refuse bin.
WEEE:
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) covers anything from fridges to hairdryers. You can take any electrical or electronic equipment to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. For more information on this issue visit the Environment Agency website.
Wood:
This can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Y
Yellow Pages:
These can be placed in your orange-lidded bin for recycling or the mixed material banks at recycling sites. If you find that you no longer use your Yellow Pages and prefer to search online, you can cancel your Yellow Pages delivery by calling the Directory Sales team on 0800 671 444.
Yoghurt pots:
Along with other types of mixed plastic, we are not able to recycle these because of the limited reprocessing facilities available in the UK. Please click here for more information on yoghurt pots.
Updated 30 May 2008
