What to put in your blue top recycling bin (2024)

Use your blue top bin for dry recyclable items.

When recycling:

• put items straight into your bin without using a bag
• wash out your items before you put them in the bin or we cannot recycle anything in the bin

You can use clear recycling bags if you do not have a blue top bin.

Items to put in your blue bin

You can recycle:

• glass bottles and jars
• plastic bottles, tubs and trays unless it’s black plastic
• tins, cans and empty aerosol cans
• kitchen foil and foil meal containers
• cardboard like cereal boxes, toilet roll tubes, food and drink cartons
• cartons and Tetrapaks (often used for juice cartons)
• cards without glitter
• newspapers, magazines, catalogues, phone books and paperback books
• letters, envelopes, junk mail, copier paper

See a full list of what to put in your blue top bin

Or use our A-Z listto check where to recycle, donate or get rid of items

You may be able to use Terracycle to recycle some of the items you cannot put in your blue top bin.Find Terracycle drop off points

Items not to put in your blue bin

• black plastic
• personal protective equipment (PPE) like face masks, gloves
• nappies, wipes or tissues
• wrappers and packets
• pouches and tubes
• polystyrene and bubble wrap
• plastic wrap, film or carrier bags

Instead put these in your black top bin.

Check what to put in your blue bin in ourleaflet

Find out what hapens to your waste

Learnmore about recycling

• Recycling symbols explained
• Know your plastics
• How to reduce your waste