Recycling A to Z

Our website is full of information on what you can recycle and where, but if you can't find what you're looking for, try this page.

Useful links:

• Recycle Now Locator - this tool covers hundreds of items!
• Household Waste and Recycling Sites (Leicestershire County Council)
• Recycling Banks (textiles, paper, glass, aluminium and steel cans, books and music)
• Home Composting Information
• Junk Mail Information (Contacting the Mail Preference Service).
• Kerbside Recycling Collections

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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

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A

Aerosols - These can be recycled in your red boxes. More on aerosol recycling.

Aluminium cans - These can be recycled in the same red box as your plastics and tins. More on aluminium recycling.

Aluminium foil - Aluminium foil can be recycled in the red box if it's clean. It can only be recycled if it passes the "scrunch test" - this is when scrunched up it does not spring back.

Plastic coated foil such as crisp packets can be recycled alongside carrier bags and plastic film at most supermarkets that offer this service. You can also recycle them at home if you are part of our plastic bags and wrapping collection trial.

Asbestos - Asbestos is a hazardous material so care must been taken when handling and transporting it. Cement bonded asbestos can be disposed at Coalville Recycling and Household Waste Site by applying for a free permit.

B

Batteries - can be collected from households on your recycling day. Please put your batteries in a recyclable container with a lid and put it out next to your red boxes. We will recycle the container too!

All shops that sell more than 32kg of batteries a year also have to provide a place for residents to drop them off. So when you go to buy some more batteries, take your old ones back. Car batteries can be recycled at any of the Leicestershire County Council Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Bed linen - Pillow cases, sheets, blankets etc. can be recycled in some textile banks. We also provide a household collection of dry, clean sheets and linen. Please put them in a carrier bag (no charity bags or black bags please) and put it out next to your red boxes. Please tie the top to stop any water getting in.

Bicycles - Bicycles can be donated to the B Buddies bike recycling scheme. Donated bikes will be fixed up and passed onto those who need them or sold with profits going to local community projects. Bikes that are beyond repair will be used for parts on other donated bikes.

Bicycles can also be taken to Leicestershire County Council's Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Black plastic - We can accept black plastic food packaging such as meat/fish trays, fruit punnets and ready meal trays in the red box.

Blister packs - These can be recycled in the red box with your plastics, cans, tins and foil. Please try to tear off as much off the foil as you can to help during the recycling process. They can also be recycled at Superdrug pharmacies.

Books - Books can be donated to charity shops or given away/sold on sites such as ebay and Facebook. Don't forget you can also borrow books from your local library or try book swapping or book crossing.

Bras - Unwanted bras, in both good and poor condition, can be donated to the Against Breast Cancer reuse and recycling scheme. Bras can be taken to a donation bin at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre.

Bric-a-brac - Good quality household items that are no longer needed can be donated to charity shops.

Bubble wrap - If it cannot be reused, this can be recycled with plastic carrier bags and film at many large supermarkets. If you are on our FlexCollect trial, we will collect it from your home.

C

Car batteries - please see batteries.

Cardboard - cardboard can be recycled in the yellow bag at home. Large cardboard boxes which do not fit in your yellow bag(s) can be left next to your red boxes - but they must be flattened to no larger than 2ft x 2ft. Find out more on how to recycle cardboard at home.

Cards (greetings) - can be recycled in the yellow bag. Please tear off any glittery parts or ribbons first and dispose of these in the black bin.

Carpets - can be reused if in very good condition by donating it to charity, or listed on reuse website such as Freecycle or Gumtree.

Carpets cannot be recycled but can be collected as part of our bulky waste collection service. Carpets can also be taken to your local Recycling and Household Waste Site.

Carrier bags - You can only recycle carrier bags at home if you are on our plastic bags and wrapping collection trial. They can also be recycled at most large supermarkets. Find out what you can recycle at these points.

Don't forget you can also reuse your carrier bags (e.g. next time you go shopping or as bin bags etc). Many supermarkets also have "bag for life" schemes where you can purchase a better quality bag for a small fee.

Cartons / Tetra Paks - We can't collect cartons/Tetra Paks in your household recycling collections as they are made from a mix of paperboard, plastic and foil. The recycling companies who collect our cardboard and plastics are unable to separate and recycle these materials. However, they can be taken to Recycling and Household Waste Sites across the district and placed in the cardboard bays.

Cassettes - Old music cassettes can given to charity shops for reuse.

Cat food pouches - Please see advice regarding pet food pouches.

Catalogues - Catalogues can be recycled in the blue bag at home. Please remove any hard-back covers and put in the yellow bag (e.g. Next Directory hard-back covers).

CDs - CD's can be donated to charity shops. Don't forget you can also rent CD's from your local library.

Ceramics and china - These types of items can be donated to charity shops or jumble sales. If broken they could be repaired (try China and Glassware Repairs in the Yellow Pages) or used for drainage in plant pots.

Child car seats - Baby/child car seats should be taken to a Recycling and Household Waste Sites. They can be reused but please check the manufacturers safety guidance on how many years a child seat should be used for.

Christmas cards - can be recycled in the yellow bag at home, along with your cardboard. Please tear off any glittery parts or ribbons first and dispose of these in the black bin.

Christmas trees - Real Christmas trees can be recycled as garden waste. Please put the tree inside your garden bin. The bin lid should be fully closed so you may need to cut/trim the tree for it to fit. You can also take it to one of Leicestershire County Council's Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Clothes - These can be left in a carrier bag (not black sacks or charity bags, as legally we cannot collect them) next to the red box. You can also donate textiles to charity shops, or take them to textile banks. There may also be clothing repair workshop in your area, such as Oh Sew Splendid at Coalville C.A.N.

Unwanted bras can be donated to the Against Breast Cancer reuse and recycling scheme. Bras can be taken to three donation bins in the district:

• Castle Donington Community Hub
• Measham Leisure Centre
• Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre.

Rags can be taken to the YMCA charity shop in Coalville. Please bag them up and write 'rags' on it.

Clothes hangers - We cannot accept clothes hangers in your plastics recycling. Please see "hard rigid plastics" for more information.

Coffee bags/pouches - these can be recycled through a free TerraCycle scheme. If you are unable to recycle them through TerraCycle, they will need to be placed in the black bin.

Coffee cups - Single use takeaway coffee cups cannot be recycled in our kerbside collections - please put them in the black bin. Some coffee shops will take their cups back to be recycled, please check with your local coffee shop. Switching to a reusable coffee cup that can be refilled is a great way to reduce your waste!

Coffee pods - Aluminium and plastic coffee pods can be recycled in the red box with your plastic, cans and tins - as long as they are completely made of aluminium, or completely made of plastic (not a mix of both). Please give them a quick rinse first. Foil lids/seals can be recycled in the red box too but any plastic film lids/seals will need to be put in the black bin. Podback also offer a service where you can request a bag to fill with your aluminium or plastic coffee pods and take it to a Collect+ drop off point so it can be sent for recycling.

Coins - Old and foreign coins can be donated to Help the Aged , Oxfam and the British Red Cross.

Corkboard - This can be recycled at some of the Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Corks - Corks from drinks bottles can be recycled by Recorked UK.

Compost bags - empty compost bags can be recycled at some garden centres, including all Dobbies Garden Centres. 

Compostable bags - These cannot be composted in your garden bin as the facility your garden waste is sent to does not accept them. You can find out more here.

Computers - Please see information under "Tech".

Crisp packets - Crisp packets can be recycled alongside carrier bags and plastic film at most supermarkets that offer this service. You can also recycle them at home if you are part of our plastic bags and wrapping collection trial.

Cushions - Dunelm offers a take back scheme for cushions, pillows, duvets and bedding, find out more.

D

Dental items - You can recycle mouthwash bottles and toothbrush / toothpaste packaging at home, but we can't accept items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes. However they can be recycled through TerraCycle, take a look.

Deodorants - Plastic roll on deodorants and aluminium spray deodorants can be recycled in the red box with your plastic, cans and tins.

Directories - White directories such at Thomson's and the BT Phone Book can be recycled in your blue bag. For Yellow Pages see separate entry.

Dog food pouches - Please see advice regarding pet food pouches.

Domestic electrical appliances (large and small) - It can be cheaper and kinder to the environment to repair broken electrical items. The repair bench, Men in Sheds or Leicester Fixers may be able to help. A good rule of thumb is to avoid spending more than 50% of the cost of a new product on repairing an old one. You can also sell your old tech and mobile phones for recycling through lots of online sites such as Compare and Recycle.

If items cannot be repaired they can be taken to a Household Waste and Recycling Site or they can be collected via our Bulky Household Collection Service.

When buying appliances look for the energy rating (A is the most efficient and G is the least efficient).

Duvets - Dunelm offers a take back scheme for duvets, pillows, cushions and bedding, find out more. Some animal charities or a neighbour may also be able to use them as pet bedding.

E

Egg boxes - cardboard egg boxes can be recycled in the yellow bag. They are also brilliant for home composting.

Egg shells - Egg shells can be home composted. The shell material helps to balance acidic material creating a good environment for worms.

Electrical appliances - see Domestic electrical appliances.

Envelopes - White and coloured envelopes can be recycled in the blue bag, there's no need to remove the plastic windows. Please recycle brown envelopes in the yellow bag with your cardboard - find out why.

F

Fire and smoke alarms - please take these to your local Recycling and Household Waste Site so they can be recycled with other small electrical items.

Fire extinguisher (domestic) - please see advice for disposing of domestic fire extinguishers on the Leicestershire County Council website.

Food waste - Vegetable peelings, fruit, tea bags etc. can all be home composted. Food waste cannot be collected with our garden waste collections, as it requires specialist facilities to compost it commercially. We are currently trialling food waste collections with 2,000 households in Measham and surrounding villages.

Fridges and freezers - These can either be taken to the Recycling and Household Waste Sites or picked up via our Bulky Waste Collection Service. N.B Some retailers now also take back your old fridge or freezer when you buy a new one - ask if this service is available.

Furniture - Good quality furniture can be donated to charity. Try the Marlene Reid Centre in Coalville (telephone 01530 510515). Furniture can also be collected for disposal via our bulky waste collection service.

Fuses - Please take these to your local Recycling and Household Waste Site.

G

Garden waste - This can be home composted or put in the brown lidded bins for collection. Garden Waste can also be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Sites

Gas bottles (empty camping gas, bbq gas & helium canisters) - can be recycled at some Leicestershire County Council Recycling and Household Waste Sites. Use the Recycle Now website to find which local sites accept gas bottles.

Gas cylinders - If a cylinder is no longer needed it should be returned to a local dealer of the company owning the cylinder. Most cylinders carry the name of the owner company on them.

Glass bottles and jars - Glass bottles and glass jars can be recycled in the red box or at glass banks throughout the district.

Glass (other) - Glass such as shower glass, Pyrex, window glass and drinking glasses cannot be recycled at home. Smaller glass items can be wrapped and put in the black bin, or taken to a Recycling and Household Waste Site. There may be charges to dispose of some types of sheet glass.

Drinking glasses can also be donated to charities.

Globe light (from solar lighting) - The glass globe on garden solar lights cannot be put in your red box for recycling. This item will need to be taken to a Recycling and Household Waste Site or disposed of in your black bin.

Greeting cards - can be recycled in the yellow bag. Please tear off any glittery parts or ribbons first and dispose of these in the black bin.

H

Hard rigid plastics  - We cannot accept "hard" or "rigid" plastics such as clothes hangers, storage boxes, buckets and children's toys in the red box as the companies that process your plastic cannot recycle it.

Hard, rigid plastics were previously accepted for recycling at the county council's Recycling and Household Waste Site however it is now difficult to find a market for recycling hard plastics.

Unless the items can be passed onto someone else to reuse or re-purpose, they will need to go into the general waste.

Hazardous waste - Including chemicals, pesticides, cleaning fluids etc. Please apply for a Household Chemical Waste Permit. These are free of charge from Leicestershire County Council. Please see separate entry under 'A' for Asbestos Disposal. For disposal of medicines please speak to your local chemist or surgery.

I

Inhalers - All used inhalers should be returned to a pharmacy to be disposed of safely.

Inkjet cartridges - Many printer ink cartridges can be sent back to the supplier for reuse. There are also a number of companies that will refill printer cartridges or reuse them. Recycle4Charity and The Recycling Factory offer recycling services with options to raise funds for charities. Curry’s / PC World also provide recycling bins for ink cartridges at most of their stores. 

J

Junk mail - This can be recycled in the blue bag. To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive please contact the Mail Preference Service. Please recycle any brown envelopes in the yellow bag - find out why.

K

Kitchen oil - Kitchen oil can be disposed of at Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Kitchen waste - See Food Waste.

Knives - Knives should be taken to a Recycling and Household Waste Site. To prevent injury, knives should be wrapped securely before disposing.

L

Light bulbs - Ordinary incandescent and halogen light bulbs can be put in the black bin. You can also take them to a Recycling and Household Waste Site so they can be recycled. Any fluorescent or energy saving light bulbs will need to be taken to a Recycling and Household Waste Site as they contain harmful chemicals or components that require special handling.

If you don't already, try switching to energy efficient light bulbs. Each energy efficient bulb can reduce your lighting cost by £10 per year. Energy efficient lightbulbs also last 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.

M

Magazines - Please recycle these in the blue bag or at a paper bank.

Medical aids (including wheelchairs) - If these can't be returned to the hospital they came from then they can be donated to the British Red Cross for their national loan service. Un-needed hearing aids can be donated to Help the Aged.

Medicine packagaing - Blister packs can be recycled in the red box with your plastics, cans, tins and foil. Please try to tear off as much off the foil as you can to help during the recycling process. They can also be recycled at Superdrug pharmacies.

Any unopened, unused and out-of-date medicines should be returned to pharmacies for disposal.

Inhalers should not be put in the waste bin as they contain gases which are harmful to the environment. Instead they can be recycled at any pharmacy.

Mobile phones - There are lots of options for recycling your mobile phone. You can put it in a recyclable container with a lid (e.g. a plastic takeaway tub), and leave it out next to your red boxes. If accessible, please remove the battery and recycle this separately. Please remove all confidential data from the phone before disposal.

If the phone is still working or can be repaired, then it can be reused. Consider advertising it on Freecycle, Gumtree, Facebook, ebay or in your local paper. The phone could also be sold online, donated to charity or taken to a Household Waste and Recycling Site. You can also send them to various reuse and recycling organisations such as Green Smart Phones and Compare and Recycle.

N

Nappies - Disposable nappies take up lots of space in landfill and in your bin. Trying real cloth nappies can save money whilst reducing black bin waste and helping the environment.

Newspapers - These can be recycled in the blue bag or in a paper bank.

O

Oil - Engine oil can be disposed of at the Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

Oil (kitchen) - Kitchen oil can be disposed of at the Recycling and Household Waste Sites.

P

Paint - Wherever possible it is best to buy only enough paint for the job you are doing or to reuse old paint for odd jobs. For ideas on how to use up leftover paint or give it away, take a look at Paint Care.

Paint can only be disposed of at Whetstone Recycling and Household Waste Site, near Leicester - you will need a free waste permit before you visit. For more advice on paint and paint tin disposal, please visit Leicestershire County Council's website.

Paper - Paper, newspapers, magazines, envelopes, junk mail, notepaper etc. can be recycled in the blue bag. However, any brown paper should be recycled in the yellow bag with your cardboard. Find out why.

Paper cups - These cannot be recycled in your blue or yellow bag, please put them in the black bin. Some coffee shops will take their cups back to be recycled - check with your local coffee shop.

Perfume bottles - Empty perfume bottles can be recycled in your red box with other glass recycling. The lid can be left on.

Pet food pouches - Cat and dog food pouches cannot be recycled in the red box. However clean pouches can be recycled alongside carrier bags and plastic film at most supermarkets that offer this service. It's always best to check with your local supermarket first.

Photographs - old photographs cannot be recycled due to the chemicals used in the printing process. Someone in your local community or school may like them for use in an arts or craft project. If they cannot be reused, they can be put in the black bin.

Pillows - Dunelm offers a take back scheme for pillows, cushions, duvets and bedding, find out more.  Some animal charities or a neighbour may also be able to use them as pet bedding.

Pizza boxes - If not contaminated with food waste and grease, these can go in the

Plant pots - Plastic and terracotta plant pots should be reused wherever possible. We can only accept non-black plastic plant pots in the red box.

Some garden centres provide a recycling collection point for all kinds of plastic plant pots so it is worth checking at your local garden centre.

Plastic film and carrier bags - Many of the larger supermarkets have plastic film and carrier bag recycling points. Find out what you can recycle at these points. Don't forget that you can also reuse your carrier bags!

Plastics - Plastic Bottles such as pop bottles, shampoo bottles, plastic milk bottles, household cleaners, cooking oil bottles, mineral water, squash, ready meal trays (including black trays) etc. can all be recycled in the red box or at the Recycling and Household Waste Sites. More on plastics recycling.

Unfortunately we cannot recycle plastic bags, plastic film, plastic containers over 5 litres or hard/rigid plastics. Find out more.

Plastic vending cups - Offices who use plastic cups from vending machines for tea and coffee may be able to recycle them with other types of plastics.

Pringles / crisp tubes - Please recycle these at a TerraCycle collection point.

Printer cartridges - Many cartridges can be sent back to the supplier for reuse. There are also a number of companies that will refill printer cartridges or reuse them. Recycle4Charity and The Recycling Factory offer recycling services with options to raise funds for charities. Curry’s / PC World also provide recycling bins for ink cartridges at most of their stores. 

Polystyrene - Curry's / PC World have a recycling scheme for polystyrene from TV packaging - find out more. Polystyrene cannot be recycled at the kerbside, therefore please dispose of it in your black bin. Please break down large pieces of polystyrene so it does not become jammed in your bin when we empty it. Alternatively, you can dispose of it at the Recycling and Household Waste Sites in the general waste skip.

Q

R

Records (LPs) - These can be donated to charity shops and record shops or given away/sold on sites such as Olio, Freecycle, Gumtree, Facebook marketplace and ebay.

S

Scrap metal - Scrap metal can be recycled at the Recycling and Household Waste Sites or via a scrap metal merchant.

Stamps - Stamps can be saved up and sent to the RNIB to raise funds to help people living with sight loss.

Sheds - Ready Shed offer a shed removal service, where they can collect your old or unwanted shed for recycling or refurbishment.  Find out more.

Shoes - Shoes can be donated to charity shops or put into a textile bank . Don't forget shoes can also be repaired (re-heeled etc).

Smoke and fire alarms - please take these to your local Recycling and Household Waste Site so they can be recycled with other small electrical items.

Soil - We cannot accept soil, compost, turf or peat in the brown lidded garden bin as it can make the bin very heavy and difficult to empty, and inhibits the composting process. Please remove as much soil / compost as possible from the roots of plants before placing them in the bin.

Someone in your local area may need soil, compost, turf or peat for a gardening project, so try offering it to friends, family and neighbours for reuse. Soil and turf can also be taken to Leicestershire County Council's Recycling and Household Waste Sites in Lount, Coalville and Shepshed. Please note there is a charge to dispose of soil and turf at these sites.

Spectacles - These can be donated for use in developing countries. Unwanted glasses can be taken to Help the Aged shops, Oxfam or Donald and Aitchison opticians. Specsavers also accept spectacles for recycling.

Stationery - Stationery items cannot be recycled in the red box but they can be recycled through a TerraCycle scheme. Find out more, including your local collection point.

Steel cans - Steel cans are those which will stick to a magnet. Steel cans can be recycled in the red box or in a can bank.

T

Tech - It is worth contacting the retailer you bought the item from as they may be legally required to help you dispose of your old tech. If the tech is in good working order, it is worth seeing if it can be donated to any local charities. Electrical items can also be taken to the Recycling and Household Waste Sites for recycling.

Tetra Paks - We can't collect cartons/Tetra Paks in your household recycling collections as they are made from a mix of paperboard, plastic and foil. The recycling companies who collect our cardboard and plastics are unable to separate and recycle these materials. However, they can be taken to Recycling and Household Waste Sites across the district and placed in the cardboard bays.

We're working to make more Tetra Pak recycling banks available throughout the district as part of Recycle more.

Textiles - These can be left in a carrier bags (not charity bags, as legally we cannot collect them) next to the red box. Charity shops and textile banks are also able to take clothes, bed linen, blankets, curtains, hats etc. Damaged clothing can be cut up and used for cleaning cloths.

Rags can be taken to the YMCA charity shop in Coalville. Please bag them up and write 'rags' on it.

Unwanted bras can be donated to the Against Breast Cancer reuse and recycling scheme. Bras can be taken to three donation bins in the district:

Toothpaste tubes - Standard toothpaste tubes cannot be recycled at home but can be recycled at TerraCycle collection points. Pump action toothpaste tubes can be recycled at home - please recycle them with your plastics, cans and tins. 

Toys and Games - These can be donated to charity shops and jumble sales. You could also ask if they are needed by local doctors surgeries, playgroups and community groups.

TerraCycle also offer a recycling scheme for Hasbro toys and games.

Tyres - Please do not place car or motorbike tyres in your general waste bin or recycling.

If you replace the tyres on your car, the garage where you had them fitted should take your old tyres away for recycling. If you change your tyres yourself, check if the shop you bought them from will take your old tyres away for recycling. You can also search online for local businesses who recycle tyres.

Car and motorbike tyres can also be reused and upcycled in many ways - take a look at these ideas.

Bicycle tyres and inner tubes can be taken to a local Velorim Centre to be recycled - please note that a small contribution towards this is usually requested.

U

V

Vaping units - Please take vaping units (disposable and re-chargable) to a Recycling and Household Waste Site. Here they can be placed with other small domestic appliances but all gas canisters and/or chemicals must be removed first. Please do not put them in your black bin as they are a fire risk. Many vape shops also offer recycling bins for your used disposable vapes.

Vegetable peelings - Vegetable peelings are ideal for home composting.

Vegetable oil - Vegetable oil can be disposed of at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites.

Videos - These can be donated to local charity shops. Don't forget that you can also rent videos instead of buying them.

W

Water filters - Water filters cannot be recycled in the red box but there are specialist recycling schemes for Brita and Aqua Optima filters.

Wood - Certain types of wood can be recycled at Recycling and Household Waste Sites. Good reusable pieces of timber from old buildings may be of interest to architectural salvage companies. See Salvage and Reclamation in the Yellow Pages .

Wood dye (water based) - Water based wood dye should be disposed of at Whetstone Recycling and Household Waste Site, near Leicester. This site is run by Leicestershire County Council.

Wrapping paper - wrapping paper can be put in the blue bag if it passes the scrunch test. Try scrunching your wrapping paper into a ball, if it stays scrunched it can go in the blue bag. If it springs back, it has plastic content and should go in the black bin. Please put brown wrapping paper in the yellow bag with your cardboard. Find out why.

X

Y

Yellow Pages - Yellow Pages can be recycled in the yellow bag or at any paper bank.

Z