What can I recycle?
Choose an item to check preparation advice and the types of recycling point that may accept it. Site rules differ, so check the location details before you travel.
Recycling guides from A to Z
- Aerosol cans
Empty household aerosol cans such as deodorant, air freshener and furniture polish cans.
6 listed locations accept this item
- Aluminium foil and trays
Clean kitchen foil, foil trays and aluminium takeaway containers.
47 listed locations accept this item
- Asbestos
Household building material that contains, or may contain, asbestos fibres.
23 listed locations accept this item
- Bathroom suites
Household toilets, sinks, baths, shower trays and related ceramic or acrylic fittings.
- Beauty and grooming packaging
Empty makeup, skincare, haircare and grooming containers made from mixed materials.
- Bicycles
Adult and children's bikes, bike frames and reusable bicycle parts.
11 listed locations accept this item
- Books
Reusable books and damaged paperbacks or hardbacks that are no longer suitable to read.
118 listed locations accept this item
- Bricks, rubble and hardcore
Small amounts of household DIY waste such as bricks, concrete, tiles, stones and rubble.
99 listed locations accept this item
- Bubble wrap
Clean flexible plastic bubble wrap used to protect parcels and household goods.
- Cardboard
Clean corrugated boxes, cereal boxes, card sleeves and other dry household card.
299 listed locations accept this item
- Carpets and underlay
Old household carpet, carpet tiles, rugs and separate underlay.
- CDs, DVDs and cases
Usable or unwanted discs, games and their plastic cases.
21 listed locations accept this item
- Ceramics and crockery
Plates, mugs, bowls, plant pots and household ceramic items.
- Clothes
Wearable and damaged household clothing such as tops, trousers, coats and underwear.
390 listed locations accept this item
- Coffee pods
Used aluminium or plastic coffee capsules from compatible home coffee machines.
1 listed locations accept this item
- Cooking oil
Used vegetable oil, frying oil and other edible household oils.
100 listed locations accept this item
- Corks
Natural cork bottle stoppers and synthetic wine corks.
- Crisp packets
Empty flexible plastic snack bags, including metallised plastic packets.
- Disposable coffee cups
Paper-based takeaway cups with a thin plastic lining.
- Disposable nappies
Used disposable baby nappies, incontinence products and related absorbent hygiene waste.
- Electrical items
Household products with a plug, battery, cable or crossed-out wheelie bin symbol.
235 listed locations accept this item
- Engine oil
Used mineral or synthetic oil from household vehicle and machinery maintenance.
126 listed locations accept this item
- Fire extinguishers
Used, expired or unwanted household fire extinguishers and small fire suppression cylinders.
- Fluorescent tubes
Straight fluorescent lamps and compact fluorescent lamps from household use.
98 listed locations accept this item
- Food and drink cartons
Fibre-based cartons for milk, juice, soup and other food or drink products.
133 listed locations accept this item
- Food waste
Unavoidable household food scraps, peelings, leftovers, bones and used ingredients.
- Fridges and freezers
Domestic fridges, freezers, fridge-freezers and small cooling appliances.
- Furniture
Household tables, chairs, sofas, beds, wardrobes, cabinets and similar large items.
46 listed locations accept this item
- Garden waste
Grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings, plants and small branches from household gardens.
279 listed locations accept this item
- Gas bottles and cylinders
Refillable or disposable household gas cylinders for barbecues, camping, heating and carbonated drinks.
69 listed locations accept this item
- Glass bottles and jars
Empty food, drink, medicine and cosmetic bottles or jars made from container glass.
476 listed locations accept this item
- Glasses and spectacles
Unwanted prescription glasses, reading glasses, sunglasses and usable frames.
- Hard plastic items
Rigid household plastics such as storage boxes, buckets, toys and garden furniture.
172 listed locations accept this item
- Hearing aids
Unwanted hearing aids, battery packs and small hearing equipment.
- Household batteries
Portable batteries including AA, AAA, button cells and rechargeable battery packs.
316 listed locations accept this item
- Household chemicals
Unwanted household cleaners, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals and similar products.
- Household textiles
Clean curtains, towels, sheets, blankets and other fabric household items.
77 listed locations accept this item
- Lamps and light fittings
Household table lamps, ceiling fittings, outdoor lights and other powered lighting equipment.
- Laptops and computers
Personal computers, laptops, tablets, monitors, keyboards and related household equipment.
- Large household appliances
Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, cookers and other large domestic electrical appliances.
63 listed locations accept this item
- Light bulbs
Household LED, halogen, incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs.
66 listed locations accept this item
- Mattresses
Adult, child and cot mattresses made from springs, foam, fabric or mixed materials.
- Metal cans and packaging
Empty steel and aluminium food tins, drinks cans, clean trays and household metal packaging.
394 listed locations accept this item
- Mobile phones
Working and broken mobile phones, smartphones and their chargers.
32 listed locations accept this item
- Paint
Usable leftover household paint and unwanted water-based or solvent-based paint in secure tins.
50 listed locations accept this item
- Paper
Clean newspapers, magazines, envelopes, office paper, leaflets and paper packaging.
416 listed locations accept this item
- Pet food pouches
Empty flexible pouches used for wet pet food and treats.
- Plasterboard and gypsum
Clean household plasterboard sheets, offcuts and gypsum-based board from small DIY work.
78 listed locations accept this item
- Plastic bags and film
Clean carrier bags, bread bags, produce bags, wrapping film and other flexible plastic packaging.
18 listed locations accept this item
- Plastic bottles
Empty drinks, milk, detergent, shampoo and cleaning product bottles made from accepted household plastics.
206 listed locations accept this item
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays
Empty food pots, margarine tubs, meat trays, fruit punnets and similar rigid plastic packaging.
82 listed locations accept this item
- Polystyrene
Expanded foam packaging, protective blocks, beads and rigid polystyrene household items.
- Printer ink and toner cartridges
Used inkjet cartridges, laser toner cartridges and selected printer consumables.
41 listed locations accept this item
- Scrap metal
Household metal items such as pots, pans, tools, pipes, shelving and metal furniture parts.
310 listed locations accept this item
- Shoes and footwear
Paired wearable or damaged shoes, boots, trainers and slippers.
175 listed locations accept this item
- Soil and turf
Small household quantities of clean garden soil, turf and subsoil.
37 listed locations accept this item
- Televisions
Working and broken televisions, display screens and household monitors.
5 listed locations accept this item
- Timber and wood
Household timber offcuts, untreated wood, boards, doors and dismantled wooden fittings.
226 listed locations accept this item
- Tyres
Used household car, motorbike and bicycle tyres, with or without rims.
70 listed locations accept this item
- Unwanted medicines
Unused, expired or unwanted household tablets, liquids, creams, inhalers and prescribed medicines.
- Vapes and e-cigarettes
Disposable and rechargeable vaping devices with built-in batteries and electrical parts.
- Vehicle batteries
Lead-acid and other starter batteries from household cars and motorbikes.
94 listed locations accept this item
- Wrapping paper
Paper gift wrap without plastic film, foil, glitter or heavy decoration.
Browse by facility type
- Specialist recycling schemes
- Clothes and textile banks
- Paper and card banks
- Charity donation points
- Food waste collections
- Reuse shops and centres
- Electrical recycling points
- Soft plastic collection points
- Battery recycling points
- Bring banks and recycling points
- Household hazardous waste services
- Garden waste sites and collections
- Household waste recycling centres
- Glass bottle and jar banks
- Retailer take-back points
National take-back and reuse services
These services can help with items that a local recycling point may not accept.
- Find your local council
- Emmaus
- Recycle4Charity
- Sue Ryder charity shops
- Community pharmacy medicine return
- Podback
- Currys electrical recycling
- Community RePaint
- Recycle Now
- TerraCycle UK
- British Heart Foundation
- Electrical retailer take-back
- Portable battery retailer take-back
- British Red Cross charity shops
- Local hazardous waste disposal service