What goes in your bins

2. Blue bin (metals, plastics and cartons)

Your blue bin will be collected every four weeks as per your bin collection calendar. Bins should be placed out the night before collection day, however in some town centre areas bins may require to be placed out on the day of collection.

Check your bin collection day

Collections will take place between 1.45pm – 10.00pm (Mon-Thur), 1.15pm – 9.00pm (Fri). If your bin was not collected please report a missed bin collection.

What goes in my blue bin?

DO put in your blue bin

  • Metals:
    • Aerosols cans
    • Bottle/Jar lids
    • Rinsed tins and cans from food and drink packaging (labels included)
  • Plastics:
    • Empty plastic bottles including tops from: food and drink products
    • Rinsed plastic food trays (all colours)
    • Rinsed plastic food tubs and pots
    • Tablet and medicine bottles
    • Empty plastic containers - toiletries/cleaning/beauty products
    • All rinsed where possible
  • Cartons:
    • Food and drink cartons (commonly manufactured by Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc) used for milk, fruit juices, smoothies, chopped tomatoes, passata, soup, pulses, custard (rinsed where possible)

DO NOT put in your blue bin (alternative option)

  • Metals:
    • Batteries (accepted at retailers and Recycling Centres)
    • Cutlery and kitchen utensils
    • Electrical items (accepted at retailers and Recycling Centres)
    • Food or Drink Pouches (non-recyclable bin)
    • Pots, Pans and Oven Trays (typically accepted in ‘scrap metal’ waste at Recycling Centres)
  • Plastics:
    • Bubble wrap (non-recyclable bin)
    • Cartridges e.g. ink (refill or return to producer)
    • Compostable packaging (food waste)
    • Hard plastics including CD/DVD boxes, coat hangers and plant pots (Reuse online or non-recyclable bin)
    • Hard plastic including garden furniture and toys (Donation to charity or HWRC for reuse, recycling or disposal)
    • Plastic bags and film i.e. shopping bags, bags for life, bread bags and cling films (recycled at supermarkets where this service is available or disposed in non-recyclable bin)
    • Plastic netting
    • Polystyrene – rigid or expanded (non-recyclable bin)
    • Toothpaste tubes (non-recyclable bin)
    • Wrappers e.g. biscuit and crisp wrappers. (non-recyclable bin)
  • Cartons:
    • Dried baby formula packs (Non-recyclable bin)
    • Pouches (Non-recyclable bin)
    • Stacked Crisps tubes (non-recyclable bin)

Do not place any additional bags next to your blue recycling bin. You can take any excess recyclates to your local recycling centres or points.

You can now be fined up to £1,000 for deliberately contaminating your recycling containers.

Request a bin

Additional information

If you are not sure whether a certain item can be placed in your blue bin please contact the recycling helpline on 0300 123 0900.

  • A trade waste charge is applied to commercial premises for servicing of blue bins.
  • Householders and permit holders who are unable to place their blue bin at the kerbside will receive assistance where necessary.