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Environment and greener living
Recycling at home
Nearly two-thirds of all household rubbish can be recycled. Recycling saves a lot of energy and raw materials, and avoids waste going to landfill. Find out how to recycle a wide range of goods, including batteries, clothes, mobile phones and TVs.
The wider issue
Kerbside recycling collections are now available to nine out of ten households
Recycling reduces the need for landfill and saves new materials and energy, helping to tackle climate change. Recycling one aluminium can, for example, saves enough energy to run a television set for three hours.
People in the UK are recycling three times more rubbish than they were ten years ago - but an average family can still double or even treble the amount they recycle.
Doorstep recycling and community recycling banks
Seven out of ten people in the UK say they recycle
Many Councils now collect paper, glass and plastics, and some also collect metal and organic waste. Your local council will be able to tell you what it can and can’t recycle. Many recycling bins and facilities also show pictures of what can be put in them.
Some points to remember are:
- paper and card are easy to recycle
- some plastics can be recycled too, like plastic milk bottles, water bottles and bottles of household cleaning products
- plastic food trays and wrappings are sometimes recyclable – check on the packaging for details
- bottle banks are not just for bottles – they’re for all glass packaging, including jars
The links below will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local council website. Here, you can find out about collection points and how you can recycle more.
Remembering to recycle
Make it easier to remember to recycle by:
- putting your recycling bin next to your main bin
- making a note on your calendar or fridge of when your recycling is collected, and what can and can’t be recycled.
Recycling throughout the house
It’s not only the kitchen where you can recycle, so don’t forget the other rooms in your house. The bathroom is a prime spot; rinsed shampoo bottles, cardboard packaging and toilet roll tubes can go straight into your recycling.
Recycling clothes and textiles
More than half of clothing that's thrown away could be recycled.
Most charity shops deal with clothing for re-sale, or you could take your unwanted clothing to clothing banks. Some councils also take textiles in doorstep recycling collections.
Recycling batteries
Using rechargeable batteries is a great way to reduce waste and can save you money in the long run.
It’s important to dispose of rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries correctly at the end of their lives. They can contain hazardous substances that can damage the environment.
Some battery recycling banks do exist, although they aren’t yet widespread. Alternatively, some Councils have collection schemes – contact yours to find out more. Some manufacturers and retailers will also take old batteries back.
Finally, you can always dispose of batteries safely, including car batteries, by taking them to your local civic amenity site (waste and recycling centre).
Recycling mobile phones
Handsets are designed to last many years, so try to keep yours longer by avoiding unnecessary upgrades. When you do need to get rid of your mobile phone, there are an increasing number of options for recycling and reusing them. Many phone shops will now take back old handsets for recycling, and there are organisations and charities that accept mobiles for refurbishment and recycling.
Recycling printer cartridges
Many charities and workplaces collect print cartridges for refilling. More than a third of the 40 million used in the UK each year are already re-manufactured.
Why do recycling services vary?
Recycling services provided by different Councils can vary for many reasons, including:
- the different challenges of collecting materials in rural and heavily built-up urban areas
- variations in the availability of landfill
- varying access to sorting equipment and markets where recyclable materials are in demand
Check with your local council for more information.
Other items
A wide range of other things can be recycled – you can find out more from the RecycleNow website.
Recycling in difficult economic times
The global economic downturn has led to a reduced demand for raw materials, including recycled materials. However, the vast majority of material put out for recycling in the UK is still being recycled and there’s no evidence of large scale stockpiling.
It’s important to keep recycling; it saves energy, reduces the amount of raw materials being used and helps to combat climate change.
In most circumstances, recycling paper, card, glass, plastics and metals is preferable to burning or sending them to landfill. Recycling these materials saves an estimated 18 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases per year.
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