The Complete A-Z Waste and Recycling Guide

By law, car batteries must not go in household bins. You can take car batteries to a recycling centre. When buying a new battery from a car garage, they may be able to take the old one and dispose of it safely. Battery acid can burn clothing, skin and even cause blindness if it leaks. Use protective clothing where appropriate.

Cardboard is widely recycled in domestic waste collections, and it should go in your mixed recycling bin which is often the blue bin. Cardboard can be recycled unless it's contaminated, i.e. cardboard that contains food residue, dirt or paint. For business waste, cardboard recycling bins are a great cost-effective solution that can reduce your waste disposal costs.

Carpet can be donated to charity shops if in good condition. You can, however, take it a recycling centre if it is no longer of any use. Note that any waste produced by tradespeople, e.g. carpet fitters that carry out home improvement work is classed as business waste. Business waste cannot go in domestic bins and requires a waste carriers licence to transport it to an appropriate facility.

Chemical cleaning products including gels, liquids and powders mostly can be disposed of how they are used either. This can be down the toilet or drain, depending on the purpose of the product. Products with hazardous chemicals should be taken to your local waste and recycling facility or disposed of by a licensed waste management company.

Real Christmas trees are recyclable, but because artificial trees are made of a combination of materials they cannot be recycled. Remember to remove all decorations, tinsel and pots/stands before recycling your real Christmas trees. For more information about how trees are recycled in your local area, check with your local council for specific details. Christmas tree recycling schemes can be different throughout the country.

Unfortunately cling film is generally not recyclable. Cling film should go in your general waste bin. Like other non-recyclable plastics plastic wrap ends up in landfill sites. Usually, plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose. Looking for alternatives to single-use plastics will help protect the environment.

Clinical waste is usually produced in healthcare settings such as hospitals, GP surgeries and dental practices. Clinical waste is divided into four categories: sharp, infectious, redundant medical waste and anatomical. The four types must be segregated and put into separate containers and disposed of by licensed professionals.

There are many great and convenient ways to recycle and donate clothes. Councils often provide textile recycling solutions. You can also drop off any unwanted items at recycling points at clothing and textile banks commonly found in supermarket car parks. You can also donate clothes to charity shops and donation banks in retail stores such as Primark.

Single-use coffee pods and capsules are not usually accepted in residential recycling bin collections; these must go in your general waste bin. However, some pods are made of compostable materials. Check for information on the packet for further details about the materials used.

Trade or commercial waste of any description is not accepted at any of the household waste recycling centres or in household bins. You can be fined for incorrect management of commercial waste. Get in touch for safe, responsible and environmentally friendly waste management services for commercial premises.

Computer monitors are classed as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) waste. Recycling of WEEE is a specialist part of the waste and recycling industry. WEEE includes the majority of products and devices that have or plug or require batteries. Your local recycling centre should accept computer monitors for recycling. In a commercial setting, we can provide WEEE disposal services.

All Computers, including desktop PCs, Macs and laptops as classed as WEEE waste. Disposal and recycling of WEEE items cannot go in household waste as it is a specialist sector of the waste management industry. For more information about computer recycling, check out our computer recycling guide.

Under UK laws, companies must comply with the Data Protection Act, which includes the secure disposal of confidential waste help by companies. Confidential waste refers to documents and records held by businesses that can expose private and personal information about employees, customers and any other suppliers. See our confidential waste services.

Copper is one of the most valuable scrap metals on the market, and it can be found in almost all industrial and construction projects. Recycling Copper is easy, speak to us to find the best prices for your scrap Copper. Copper can be worth over £3 per kilogram for good Copper. We provide competitive prices for Copper, get in touch for more information about our scrap metal recycling.

Crisp packets are not currently recyclable in council recycling services, but there are options out there available to recycle them. Check out Terracycle to find out more about the recycling scheme. Walkers® offers a free and straightforward crisp packet recycling scheme, and it accepts all brands. Find your local drop off point here.