A-Z of recycling and waste

Aerosols: 

Recycle: Empty aerosols can be recycled in your blue bin or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Ensure aerosol cans are empty before recycling. Do not pierce, crush, or flatten them. 

Animal bedding: 

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Home compost: If the bedding is from vegetarian animals (e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters), sawdust shavings, shredded paper, straw, or hay can be home composted. 

Do not place these materials in your green bin. 

Asbestos: 

Dispose: Asbestos can be disposed of at some Staffordshire Recycling Centres. 

Do not dispose of asbestos in your household bins. 

 

Ashes (coal):

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Ensure ashes are cooled before placing in your grey bin. 

Batteries:

Reuse: Consider using reusable batteries instead of disposable ones. 

Recycle: Place small household batteries in a carrier bag and present them next to your grey bin on collection day. You can also recycle household batteries at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre or at some local shops. 

Blankets: 

Reuse: Before throwing away, consider if they can be reused, repaired, or upcycled. 

Recycle: at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre, where they will be turned into rags. Stuffed items such as duvets and pillows cannot be recycled. 

Dispose: In your grey bin where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Biscuits and sweet tins/tubs: 

Reuse: Tins and tubs can be reused to store small items such as crafting materials. 

Recycle: In your blue bin or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Bleach/cleaning bottles: 

Reuse: Some brands now offer refillable cleaning solutions and bottles to minimise packaging. 

Recycle: In your blue bin or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Ensure bleach and cleaning bottles are completely empty before recycling. 

Books: 

Reduce: why not join your local library instead of buying a new book? Have you considered using e-Books or audiobooks? 

Reuse: Books in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 

Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Remove the cover from hardback books and dispose of this in your grey bin. 

Bubble wrap: 

Reuse: Could you re-use this when sending parcels, or to protect fragile goods in storage or in transit? 

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Bulky household items:  

Reuse: Can the items be reused, repaired, or upcycled? Bulky items in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 

Recycle/Dispose: We offer a bulky waste collection service which can be booked online. You can also dispose of bulky waste at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Cans/Tins: 
Reduce: Instead of buying cans on the go, consider taking a reusable drinks bottle. 
Recycle: Empty food and drinks tins/cans, aerosols, aluminium takeaway containers and tin foil can be recycled in your blue bin or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Ensure food and drinks cans, aerosols and foil takeaway containers are empty before recycling. Food tins and foil containers should be rinsed to remove any crumbs. 
 

Card: 
Reduce: Consider sending an e-Card or virtual message rather than a physical card. 
Reuse: Any blank card could be used for note-taking and some greetings cards can be cut up and used to make gift tags or for other craft projects. 
Recycle: Cards free from glitter or embellishments can be recycled in your blue bag or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Home compost: Small amounts of card (free from glitter or embellishments) can be added to a home compost bin.  
Dispose: Cards with glitter or embellishments should be disposed of in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Do not dispose of cards in your green bin. 

Cardboard: 
Reduce: Is it possible to choose a product with less packaging? Could you consider shopping locally rather than online? 
Reuse: Cardboard boxes could be reused as storage boxes or for posting parcels. 
Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Home compost: Small amounts of torn cardboard can be used in a home compost bin. 
Do not dispose of cardboard in your green bin. 

Catalogues: 
Reduce: Consider signing up to online catalogues and contacting companies to be asked to be removed from postal catalogue deliveries. 
Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Ceramics/Crockery: 
Reuse: Undamaged ceramics in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 
Dispose: At any Staffordshire Recycling Centre.  

Cereal boxes: 
Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Christmas decorations: 
Reduce: If you are crafty, consider making some homemade decorations. 
Reuse: If in good working order, you could reuse them again next year. Consider donating to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 
Dispose: Damaged decorations should be disposed of in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Do not dispose of decorations which contain electrical parts such as lights in your grey bin. These should be recycled with electrical waste. 

Cling film: 
Reduce: Consider using aluminium foil instead, which can be recycled. 
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Clothing and Shoes: 
Reduce: Only buy what you really need and give second-hand clothing a chance from local charity shops or online. 
Reuse: Can your clothing/shoes be reused, repaired, or upcycled?  
Recycle: Clothes and shoes can be taken to Staffordshire’s Recycling Centres or a local textile bank. Good quality clothing is exported to areas in need of clothing. Items not suitable for reuse are recycled. 
Dispose: Well-worn or damaged clothing can be disposed of in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Coat hangers: 
Reduce: When purchasing new clothes, don’t accept the hanger unless you really need it. 
Reuse: Keep existing coat hangers for new or replacement clothing. 
Recycle: At any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Dispose: Damaged coat hangers can be disposed of in your grey bin where they will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Do not put coat hangers in your blue bin. 

Coffee pods/capsules: 
Reuse: Consider switching to refillable and reusable coffee pods. 
Recycle: Schemes such as Podback work alongside various coffee pod brands to recycle these items.  
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Contact lenses/cases: 
Recycle: Through a TerraCycle UK drop-off point or ask your optician if they provide recycling. 
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Cooking oil:

Recycle: Used oil can be taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Do not dispose of cooking oil within your household waste bins. It should not be poured down sinks as it can cause blockages. 

Cotton buds/wool: 
Dispose: in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Do not flush these down the toilet as they can block systems and pollute the environment. 

Crisp packets: 
Recycle: At a TerraCycle drop-off point. 
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Cutlery: 
Reduce: Avoid using disposable cutlery where possible. 

Recycle: metal cutlery can be recycled at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. Do not put cutlery in your blue bin. 
Dispose: In your grey bin where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Egg boxes: 

Reuse: Egg boxes can be used as seed planters, and in lots of home crafts. You might also be able to buy local eggs and reuse your egg box for these. 

Recycle: Cardboard egg boxes can be recycled in your blue bag, and plastic egg boxes in your blue bin. Both can be taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Small amounts of torn cardboard can be used in a home compost bin. Do not dispose of within your green bin. 

 

Electrical appliances (large) (e.g., televisions, fridges): 

Reuse: Items in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 

Recycle: We offer a bulky waste collection service which can be booked online. Some retailers offer collection and disposal of your old items when they deliver new items. 

 

Envelopes: 

Recycle: Paper envelopes can be recycled in your blue bag or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Dispose: Padded envelopes with bubble wrap can be disposed of in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Remove the plastic windows from paper envelopes before recycling. The plastic can be disposed of in your grey bin. 

Flowers: 

Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Cut flowers can often be composted in a home compost bin. 

Foil food trays: 

Recycle: Foil food containers and tin foil can be recycled in your blue bin or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Ensure foil food containers are empty and rinsed out before recycling. 

Food and drink pouches: 

Recycle: some food, drink, and pet food pouches are recyclable through Terracycle.  

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Food waste: 

Reduce: Plan meals in advance, write a shopping list, and only buy what you need. Consider storing foods in the freezer that are safe to do so.  

Reuse: Love Food Hate Waste offer great recipes and tips for using up your leftovers. 

Home compost: Uncooked fruit and vegetables, coffee grounds and teabags can all be placed in a home composting bin. Do not home compost cooked foods or any fish or meat. 

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Furniture: 

Reduce: Consider repairing or reupholstering furniture to give it a new lease of life. 

Reuse: You can donate furniture for reuse at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre.  Items in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to the Katharine House Reuse Shop at Cannock Recycling Centre, local charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 

Recycle/Dispose: We offer a bulky waste collection service which can be booked online. Some retailers offer collection and disposal of your old items when they deliver new items. 

Garden tools: 

Reuse: If in good, working condition, they could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle.  

Recycle: At any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Gas bottles: 

Reuse: Many retailers and suppliers will allow you to return your gas bottle for a replacement, once used. 

Recycle: Empty gas bottle containers can be recycled at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Do not dispose of gas bottles within your household waste bins as they may explode. 

Glass bottles and jars: 

Reuse: Jars could be reused as storage containers. 

Recycle: Empty glass bottles and jars can be recycled in your blue bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Glasses (spectacles): 

Reuse: Your local opticians may have a reuse point for glasses. 

Glassware: 

Reuse: If in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle, or other online marketplaces. 

Recycle: at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Tempered glass, such as Pyrex, is not recyclable but can be disposed of at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Grass: 

Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Grass provides a great source of nitrogen for your home compost bin. 

Hedge trimmings: 

Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Hedge trimmings are suitable for a home compost bin. 

Hard plastics:

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Junk mail: 

Reduce: You can stop junk mail by signing up to the Mailing Preference Service online. 

Recycle: Any paper and envelopes in your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Dispose: Any plastic packaging, bubble wrap and wrapping can be disposed of in your grey bin or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Leaves: 

Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Leaves can be used in home composting. 

Light bulbs/fluorescent tubes: 

Reduce: Consider replacing broken bulbs with LED bulbs where compatible, as they are more energy efficient and longer lasting. 

Recycle: All lightbulbs including fluorescent tubes and low energy bulbs can be recycled at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. Some local shops provide bulb collection points. 

Do not dispose of in your household waste bins. 

Magazines: 

Reduce: Consider reading a digital magazine on your phone, tablet, or PC. 

Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Any plastic wrapping should be disposed of in your grey bin. Some magazines offer a biodegradable potato starch wrapper, this cannot be disposed of within your green bin, so should be disposed of in your grey bin. Biodegradable wrappers may be home compostable 

Medicine bottles: 

Recycle: Empty medicine bottles can be recycled in your blue bin or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Dispose: Empty blister packs should be disposed of in your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Unopened, unused, and out of date medicines should be return to pharmacies for disposal. 

Mobile phones: 

Reuse: If your unwanted phone is in good working condition, some online resellers and high street shops will purchase these from you. Speak with the retailer who you purchased your new phone with to see if they have a reuse/recycling scheme. 

Recycle: Remove the battery and place in a carrier bag and present it next to your grey bin on collection day. You can also recycle mobile phones at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre (the battery must be removed first and recycled separately at the Centre) 

Do not dispose of mobile phones in your household waste bins as they contain hazardous materials and can cause fires. 

Nappies: 

Reduce: Consider switching from disposable nappies to reusable ones. Not only is it better for the environment but it may cost you less. 

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

 

Newspapers: 

Reduce: Consider switching to an online newspaper instead. 

Reuse: There are many ways that newspaper can be reused e.g. shelf lining, as packing material and for cat litter trays. 

Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Small amounts of newspaper can be added to a home compost bin. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Paint: 
Reduce: Only buy as much paint as you need. 
Reuse: Close the lid tightly and store safely for use at a later date. 
Recycle: Paint and paint tins at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Do not dispose of paint or paint tins in any of your household waste bins. 

Paper: 
Reduce: Think before printing sheets of paper.  
Reuse: Blank sheets of paper can be used for note-taking or crafts. 
Recycle: In your blue bag or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Shredded paper can be recycled in your blue bag, but please contain it within newspaper, or bundle it within an envelope or cardboard box. Do not use a carrier bag. 
Home compost: Waste paper can be used in home composting bins. 

Pizza boxes: 
Recycle: Tear off and recycle the lid so long as the pizza has not touched the top of the box. 
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Although made of cardboard, pizza leaves grease and food on the box, which means it cannot be recycled. 

Plant pots (ceramic/plastic): 
Reuse: Consider whether it can be reused, repaired or upcycled before throwing away. 
Recycle: Hard plastic and ceramic plant pots can be recycled at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Dispose: Plastic plant pots can be disposed of in your grey bin. 

Plants and weeds: 
Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 
Home compost: Most garden plants are suitable for a home compost bin. 
Do not put invasive species in your bins or composter at home, these require specialist disposal to prevent them damaging the environment. 

Plasterboard: 
Recycle: Some Staffordshire Recycling Centres accept this waste.  
Never place in your household waste bins. 
 
Plastic bags: 
Reduce: Consider whether you need to use a bag in the first place. 
Reuse: Your existing carrier bags and reusable bags when out shopping. 
Recycle: Some supermarkets accept plastic bags and carrier bags for recycling. 
Dispose: Of in your grey bin or at a Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 
Do not put plastic bags in your blue bin 

Plastic drinks bottles: 
Reduce: Consider taking reusable drinks bottle instead of buying bottled drinks on the go. 
Reuse: plastic drink bottles can be cleaned and reused many times. 
Recycle: Empty drinks bottles in your blue bin or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre.  

Polystyrene: 
Reuse: Consider reusing if you regularly post parcels or need to transport or store fragile items. 
Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Saucepans: 

Recycle: At any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Do not put in your blue bin. 

Shampoo/bathroom plastic bottles: 

Reduce: Consider products with less packaging such as shampoo bars. Some companies offer refillable products to minimise packaging waste. 

Recycle: In your blue bin or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre.  

Small branches and twigs: 

Recycle: In your green bin if you are signed up for collections, or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Home compost: Small branches and twigs are suitable for a home compost bin.  

Small electricals (e.g. hairdryer, iron): 

Reuse: Items in good, useable condition could be considered for donation to charity shops or on reuse networks such as Freecycle and Freegle. You could also consider selling them using an online marketplace. 

Recycle: Place small household electrical items in a carrier bag and present them next to your grey bin on collection day. You can also recycle them at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Soil: 

Reuse: Consider using soil in other garden projects, or advertise locally as someone else may be able to use it in theirs. 

Recycle: At any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Do not place soil in your bins at home. 

Toothpaste boxes and tubes: 

Recycle: Any cardboard packaging can be recycled in your blue bag,or take to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Dispose: Toothpaste tubes should be disposed of in your grey bin or taken to any Staffordshire Recycling Centre

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Vacuum cleaner dust: 

Dispose: In your grey bin or at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Waxed Cartons (Tetra Pak): 

Recycle: at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre. 

Dispose: In your grey bin where it will be sent to a Staffordshire energy recovery plant. 

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.  

Want to suggest an item? Contact us at waste@sstaffs.gov.uk.