Blue bins
We provide every household with a blue wheelie bin for items that can be recycled - including glass, plastic and card.
We empty blue bin(s) together with your blue bag(s)/purple bin every two weeks (on alternate weeks to your non recyclable/black bin waste) - find out more about blue bag/purple bins.
What to put in your blue bin
Please wash dirty items before putting them in your blue bin.
Please only put the following clean items in your blue bin:
- plastic containers, including margarine and ice cream tubs, yoghurt pots, bottles and plastic food trays etc - read our plastic recycling guide.
- aluminium foil, food trays or cans (foil that doesn't scrunch up can't be recycled)
- glass bottles or jars and lids
- aerosol cans and roll-ons
Please do not put the following in your blue bin
- bin bags of any colour to bag up recycling - we have had substantial volumes of recycling rejected by our recycling partners because they contain filled plastic bin bags and it is not possible to see what is in them. If loads are rejected they incinerated, rather than being recycled. Please help us by putting recycling items into your blue bin loose.
- carrier bags and plastic wrappers
- cartons, including juice, milk and soup - find out more about Tetrapaks
- general waste
- food waste
- nappies/sanitary products (clean or used)
- pyrex
- garden waste
- animal bedding
- polystyrene
- rigid plastics such as garden furniture, toys, coat hangers etc
- plant pots and garden trays
- foil that doesn't stay together when scrunched up (such as crisp bags, tea/coffee packets and pet food pouches)
- bubble wrap
- textiles/fabric
- mirrored glass
- electricals and batteries (these should go to your local tip)
- wallpaper and wallpaper backing
- used tissues, kitchen roll or paper towels
Need an extra recycling bin?
If your blue bin is regularly overflowing, you can order a second blue bin for free.
A-Z of recycling points
If you would prefer not to throw away waste that cannot be recycled in your blue bin/bag, why not find out about local recycling points that take specific items, such as paint, batteries and more.