Plastics: The type of plastic determines whether it can be recycled or will end up in landfill. Plastics can be identified by a logo printed or embossed on the product (though many items and packaging materials do not state this). The logo is made up of three arrows making a triangle with a number inside and a code in letters underneath.
- 1 (or 01) PETE = Polythene Terepthalate. Most drinks bottles are made of this.
- 2 (or 02) HDPE (or PEHD) = High Density Polythene. Includes bottles for bleach and other household cleaning products, plastic pill bottles, shampoos, milk bottles.
- 3 (or 03) V = PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride).
- 4 (or 04) LDPE = Low Density Polythene. Includes packaging typically found on fresh fruit in supermarkets.
- 5 (or 05) PP = Polypropylene.
- 6 (or 06) PS = Polystyrene. This includes yoghurt pots.
- 7 (or 07) OTHER = Items made from other types of plastic.
- Typically doorstep collections are made for types 1, 2 and 3 above. You may be able to recycle some of the other plastics by taking them to a local recycling centre - check first.
Yes: Plastic carrier bags; plastic bread bags (shake crumbs our first); plastic cereal bags, e.g. for porridge oats (not inner liners from boxed cereals); plastic wrappers and ring joiners from multi-packs of cans and plastic bottles; plastic wrappers from toilet roll and kitchen towel packs; plastic freezer bags; plastic magazine and newspaper wrap (the type used for home delivery); thin bags used for fruit and veg at supermarkets; bubble wrap.
No: Cling film and other types of film; food and drink pouches (e.g. for coffee, baby food or cat food); crisp packets; film lids from ready meals and food trays.
Paper and Cardboard: These can be recycled but must be separated for different processes.
- Paper, newspapers, magazines, catalogues.
- Paper with confidential information (e.g. bank & credit card statements). It is often recommended that these are shredded but shredded paper is often excluded from paper and cardboard collections as it is very bulky for its weight. Your bank may be willing to shred statements. Another option is to put such items into your garden compost bin, where it will break down.
- Cardboard may include greetings cards. On hygiene grounds, items with food residue on them should not be included.
- Typically there are doorstep collections for paper, and increasingly for cardboard.
- Glass containers for food and beverages are 100% recyclable.
- Other kinds of glass, like windows, ovenware, Pyrex, crystal, etc. are made using a different process. If they are introduced into the glass container manufacturing process, they can cause production problems and defective containers.
- Separating recycled glass by colour allows the industry to ensure that new bottles match the color standards required by glass container customers.
- Typically there are doorstep collections for glass bottles.
Metals:
- Aluminium - drinks cans and foil - is made from bauxite ore, which is mined causing huge environmental damage. The same energy is needed to make 20 recycled aluminium cans or just one new one.
- Steel cans be recycled time and time again, without any loss of quality.
- Typically there are doorstep collections for metal cans and aluminium foil.
Batteries: We use an increasing number of batteries in everyday life.
- Wet-cell acid batteries used to power vehicles and by industry.
- Dry-cell non-rechargeable: zinc-carbon, zinc chloride and alkaline manganese are the most common household types.
- Primary button cells: mercury oxide (hearing aids, pacemakers), zinc air (hearing aids, radio pagers), silver oxide (watches, calculators) and lithium (watches and photographic equipment). These are also increasinlgy found in children's toys and books.
- Dry-cell rechargeable: e.g. nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride and lithium ion. Used in mobile phones, laptop computers, cordless appliances, power tools, etc.
- You can take your batteries to most household waste recycling centres and most supermarkets now have collection points too. Some councils also offer a kerbside recycling service - check with your council to see if they do.
- Vegetable peelings and leftover boiled vegetables that are not re-used (e.g. for soup or in a stirfry) can be added to your garden compost bin.
- It is also a good idea to buy local / British where possible as these items will have travelled less air miles to get to your local shops.
- Some local authorities have doorstep collections for food waste.
- Includes lawn mowings, weeds, hedge clippings, tree and shrub prunings.
- Does not include soil, stones, and building materials. These must be taken to local recycling centres.
- Local authorities often make doorstep collections, but there may be an a fee for this service.
Nappies: It is not clear whether reusable nappies or disposable nappies (and nappy sacks) are better environmentally, if all costs of production (and in the case of washable nappies, laundry costs) are taken into account. A third option is biodegradeable disposable nappies (and nappy sacks); these need to be composted to break down efficiently (landfill lacks the environment to help them do this).
Textiles: Increasingly people buy cheap clothing and wear it little before it is discarded, creating a large amount of discarded clothing. Depending on the fibre used and the quality of the item, clothing can be recycled.
- Items in good condition (especially branded items in demand) can be donated to charity shops or sold to vintage / collectables shops or online.
- Clothing and shoes can be recycled.
- Other textiles ( bedding, towels) can also be recycled.
- There are doorstep collections by (or on behalf of) charities. Otherwise, take items in good condition to a charity shop or to a local recycling centre.
Various sources (April 2015) including:
https://londonrecycles.co.uk/a-to-z/plastic-film-carrier-bags
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