Recycling services

We offer recycling services for residents to recycle household items from their homes, including recyclable packaging, food waste, garden waste, small electricals, batteries and textiles.

Blue bin recycling

You will have your own blue wheelie bin or a larger blue communal bulk bin for dry, mixed recyclable materials. Some people with limited boundary space will have clear recycling sacks.

Please place all your items loose in the recycling bin and do not use bags or sacks as this may cause your recycling bin to be marked as contaminated and not emptied.

Empty, rise and squash! Items need to be clean - you can use the water from your washing up or pop the items in the dishwasher. Items that contain food residue are hard to recycle. Don’t forget to squash down bottles or containers and flatten boxes to make more space in your recycling bin. If you still find your bin is overflowing you can request a new bin. You can also place one flattened cardboard box next to your recycling bin.

Place your blue bin at the front boundary of your property by 7am on your collection day. 

Find your bin day
 

Items we collect

Your recycling is collected weekly.

You can recycle almost all of your everyday food and drink packaging including:

  • Aerosol cans (do not pierce or squash).
  • Aluminium foil (clean).
  • Books.
  • Butter and margarine tubs.
  • Cardboard – break down and remove tape.
  • Cartons.
  • Catalogues and directories.
  • Drinks cans.
  • Envelopes.
  • Food cans.
  • Foil trays and containers.
  • Glass bottles and jars including lids.
  • Junk mail.
  • Magazines.
  • Newspapers.
  • Paper.
  • Plastic trays.
  • Plastic bottles including lids.
  • Shredded paper – small amounts only.
  • Tetrapak food and drink cartons.
  • Wrapping paper – without foil or glitter.
  • Yoghurt pots.

Do not put these materials in your bin

If your blue bin is found to contain these items, it may only be emptied on your next collection day when you have removed them.

Do not put any of these materials in your blue recycling bin:

  • Asthma pumps and medical devices or equipment.
  • Batteries including household or car batteries and battery packs.
  • Bubble wrap.
  • Clinical waste.
  • Crisp packets.
  • Disposable nappies and wipes – used or clean.
  • Disposable takeaway cups.
  • DIY waste.
  • Flowerpots and flower packaging.
  • Food waste.
  • Furniture or homeware.
  • Garden waste.
  • Hard plastics.
  • Hot food containers.
  • Light bulbs.
  • Packaging tape.
  • Pet food packaging.
  • Polystyrene.
  • Prescription bottles.
  • Sanitary products and wipes.
  • Shopping bags.
  • Textiles.
  • Tissues, kitchen roll and paper towels – clean or used.
  • Toys.
  • Vapes.
  • Wood.

Where does my recycling go?

All dry mixed recycling collected in the borough goes to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Crayford, where it’s sorted first by hand and then by specialist machines. It is then baled into respective waste streams for processing.

Take a short tour of the Crayford MRF via video.