Reduce My Rubbish
What can you do?
MoreThings That Should Not Be Put In Your Recycling
- Nappies – The box your disposable nappies come in is recyclable, but the nappies themselves, in Norfolk, are not. Nappies (used or unused) must not go in your recycling bin. They make otherwise clean recycling dirty and someone has to remove them by hand. Find out more on our page about nappies.
- Tissues and used kitchen wipes. This is because they are made of very short fibres that are simply not high enough quality to be recycled.
- Food waste – This will spoil the rest of your recycling. Food waste must either go into your normal rubbish bin or food waste container of provided by your council.
Soft plastics – crisp packets, sweet wrappers, toothpaste tubes, carrier bags, food wrapping e.g. cellophane wrap found round food punnets/trays, cling film, shrink wrap, bubble wrap and baby and pet food pouches. They are not accepted as they will clog up the recycling processing machinery. Some magazine wrappers (such as those from National Trust) can now be safely home composted, look out for the TUV Austria certification logo.- Hard plastics – toys or broken garden furniture, plant pots and polystyrene. As with soft plastics, they can clog up machinery.
- Sharps items – this can range from a discarded needle right up to a full-sized axe! These items are dangerous to bin collectors and recycling facility workers, and do not belong in your home recycling bin. Please dispose of responsibly.
- Clothing and shoes. Their short fibres make them difficult to recycle. Click here to find out what you can do with your textiles.
- Electrical and electronic items. This is because they are classed as hazardous waste due to some of their components. To find out what to do with these items please click here.
- Glass cookware and ovenware, drinking glasses or ceramics – although it may sound unusual, these items cannot be collected for recycling from your home. Use our Bin Genie to find your nearest recycling facility for these items.
- Cutlery, crockery, pots and pans cannot be recycled at home but can be taken to your local recycling facility.
- Batteries, these should never go in your recycling bin. Rechargeable batteries and lithium-ion batteries are hazardous and could cause fires in bin lorries, or recycling facilities. This includes small AAA batteries, those from mobile phones, power tools and vape pens. Instead, take them to any Norfolk Recycling Centre, or recycling points at some local supermarkets.
Gas Bottles – You should return gas bottles or cylinders to the supplier that you purchased them from for re-use or disposal. Camping gas bottles or canisters can cause serious damage at the recycling facilities. Please don’t put gas canisters into your recycling bin at home.
Top tips to recycle right
Leave metal caps and lids on glass jars and bottles- Don’t forget to recycle items from all rooms in the house – e.g. shampoo bottles from the bathroom.
- If in doubt, don’t put into your recycling bin. Check out BinGenie for alternative methods of getting rid of these items.
- Empty and rinse all containers and remember, all materials should be placed in your recycling bin Clean, Dry & Don’t Bag It.
- Clean – empty and rinse containers so they are free of food and liquids.
- Dry – after rinsing, shake off excess water as liquids can make other things soggy and not fit for recycling.
- Don’t Bag It – different materials need to go in your bin loose. Please don’t put things in carrier bags, bin bags or boxes as they will not be opened at the recycling sorting facility and will end up in general waste.
