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Recycling A-Z List

Below is an A-Z list showing how to recycle, re-use or dispose of particular materials.

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z


A


Aerosols - These can be recycled in your red boxes. More on aerosol recycling.

Aluminium Cans - Look for the ALU sign. These can be recycled in our can banks or in your red box. More on aluminium recycling .

Aluminium Foil - Aluminium foil has to be recycled separately from cans as it goes through a different process. We are working hard to find a way for residents to recycle foil. N.B Foil can only be recycled if it passes the "scrunch test". That is when scrunched it does not spring back. Plastic coated foil such as crisp packets is not recyclable. More on aluminium recycling .

Asbestos - Asbestos is a hazardous material so care must been taken when handling and transporting it. Cement bonded asbestos can be disposed at Coalville Household Waste and Recycling Site although a permit is required (25 sheets maximum).


B


Batteries - All shops that sell more than 32kg of batteries a year, have to provide a place for residents to drop them off. So when you go to buy some more batteries, take your old ones you are sure to be able to recycle them. Car batteries can be recycled at any of the Household Waste and Recycling Sites . Household batteries can be taken to the site at Ashby Road in Coalville. More on battery recycling

Bed Linen - Pillow cases, sheets, blankets etc can be recycled in our textile banks .

Books - Books can be donated to charity shops or taken to our book banks . Don't forget you can also borrow books from your local library or try book swapping or book crossing .

Bric-a-Brac - Good quality household items that are no longer needed can be donated to charity shops .


C


Car Batteries - see entry under batteries.

Cardboard - Some areas receive a collection of cardboard as part of our kerbside recycling collections. Cardboard can also be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Sites at Coalville and Lount.

Carrier Bags - Many of the larger supermarkets have carrier bag recycling points but don't forget that you can also reuse your carrier bags (e.g. next time you go shopping or as bin bags etc). Many supermarkets also have "bag for life" schemes where you can purchase a better quality bag for a small fee and have it replaced when needed.

Ceramics and China - These types of items can be donated to charity shops or jumble sales. If broken they could be repaired (try China and Glassware Repairs in Yellow Pages ) or used for drainage in plant pots.

Cartons - Although we can't collect drinks cartons at the moment (our paper recycling facilities cannot cope with the plastic coating), it is possible to recycle this material via a specialist reproccessor. Cartons need to be sent directly to the reproccessor. Simply rinse out the cartons and flatten. Place a number in a cardboard box and when you have a box full, send off to Smith Anderson and Co .

Cassettes - Old music cassettes can given to charity shops or put in our book and music banks .

Catalogues - Catalogues can be recycled via paper banks or the red box. Please remove any hard covers (e.g. Next Directory).

CD's - CD's can be donated to charity shops or put in our book and music banks . Don't forget you can also rent CD's from your local library.

Christmas Cards - You can recycle your Chirstmas cards in the yellow bags along with your cardboard.

Christmas Trees - Real Christmas trees can be recycled as garden waste. Please chop up your tree and put it in your garden waste bin or take it to one of the Household Waste and recycling Sites .

Clothes - These can be donated to charity shops or taken to textile banks .

Coins - Old and foreign coins can be donated to Help the Aged , Oxfam and the British Red Cross .

Corks - These can be recycled by Complete Wasters .

Corkboard - This can be recycled at some of the Household Waste and Recycling Sites .

Computers and Computer Equipment - Computers can be donated to Complete Wasters for refurbishment.


D


Directories - White directories such at Thomsons and the BT Phone Book can be recycled at paper banks or in your blue bag. For Yellow Pages see separate entry.

Domestic Appliances - If these cannot be repaired they can be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Site or they can be collected via our Bulky Household Collection Service . N.B. When buying appliances look for the energy rating (A is the most efficient and G is the least efficient).


E


Egg Boxes - Egg boxes can't be recycled with cardboard as they are made from such low grade material however they are brilliant for home composting .

Egg Shells - Egg shells can be home composted . The shell material helps to balance acidic material creating a good environment for worms.

Electrical Appliances See Domestic Appliances.


Envelopes - Envelopes can't be recycled with other paper as the glue used affects the reprocessing machinery. There are also problems with envelopes that contain plastic windows. They can however be home composted . Just remove any plastic windows and scrunch up.


F


Food Waste - Vegetable peelings, fruit, tea bags etc can all be home composted . We are also investigating the use of Green Cones which digest meat and other food waste. Food waste cannot be collected with our garden waste collections, as it requires specialist facilities to compost it commercially.

Fridges and Freezers - These can either be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Sites or picked up via our Bulky Waste Collection Service . N.B Some retailers now also take back your old fridge or freezer when you buy a new one - ask if this service is available.

Furniture - Furniture can be donated to charity. Try REACT based at the Marlene Reid Centre in Coalville (telephone 01530 510515). Furniture can also be collected for disposal via our bulky waste collection service .


G


Garden Waste - This can be home composted or put in the brown lidded bins for collection. Garden Waste can also be taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Sites
Gas Cylinders - If a cylinder is no longer needed it should be returned to a local dealer of the company owning the cylinder. Most cylinders carry the name of the owner company on them. Help with finding the owner of your cyclinder .

Glass bottles - Glass bottles and glass jars can be recycled at glass banks throughout the district.


H


Hazardous Waste - Including chemicals, pesticides, cleaning fluids etc. For asbestos please see seperate entry. For disposal advice please contact Leicestershire County Council on 0116 265 7240. For disposal of medicines please speak to your local chemist or surgery.


I

J


Junk Mail - To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive please contact the mail prefrence service.


K


Kitchen Waste - See entry under Food Waste.


L


Light Bulbs - Unfortunately, ordinary light bulbs cannot be recycled. Lightbulbs can be disposed of with your general rubbish. Please take care to avoid the hazard of broken glass. You could also try energy efficient light bulbs. Each energy efficient bulb can reduce your lighting cost by £10 per year. Energy efficient lightbulbs also last 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs. Energy saving lightbulbs can be recycled at the local Recycling and Household Waste Site, please do not dispose of energy saving lightbulbs in the general rubbish.

M


Magazines - Please recycle these in your blue bag or via a paper bank .

Medical Aids (including wheelchairs) - If these can't be returned to the hospital they came from then they can be donated to the British Red Cross for their national loan service. Un-needed hearing aids can be donated to Help the Aged .

Mobile Phones - There are lots of options for recycling your mobile phone. They can be taken back to suppliers, taken to some supermarkets, taken to the Household Waste Sites or there are a number of charities who collect them. See more on electronic equipment recycling .


N


Nappies - Disposable nappies take up lots of space in landfill and in your bin. Real Nappies have a lot to offer and not just for the environment. Leicestershire County Residents also get £30 cash back on buying or laundering costs.

Newspapers - These can be recycled in your blue bag or in a paper bank.


O


Oil - Engine oil can be disposed of at the Household waste and Recycling Sites.


P


Paint - Wherever possible it is best to buy only enough paint for the job you are doing or to reuse old paint for odd jobs. Paint in useable condition can be donated to a community repaint scheme. Blaby District Council and Leicester City Council run such schemes. Empty or dried up paint tins can be disposed of at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites . For paint disposal enquires please contact the County Council.

Paper - Office paper, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, notepaper etc. can all be recycled in the blue bags or at a paper bank .

Plastics - Plastic Bottles such as pop bottles, shampoo bottles, plastic milk bottles, household cleaners, cooking oil bottles, mineral water, squash etc. can all be recycled in your red box or at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites . More on plastics recycling (including why we can't recycle other types of plastic at the moment).

Plastic Vending Cups - Offices who use plastic cups from vending machines for tea and coffee may be able to join the save-a-cup scheme to have their cups collected for recycling.

Printer Cartridges - Many cartridges can be sent back to the supplier for reuse. There are also a number of companies that will refill printer cartridges or reuse them. A number of charities also collect them to raise funds.

Q

R


Records (LP's) - These can be donated to charity shops or put into a book and music bank .


S


Scrap Metal - Scrap metal can be recycled at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites or via a scrap metal merchant.

Stamps - Oxfam can find a home for postage stamps Once you have collected a bag full just pop them into your local Oxfam shop.

Shoes - Shoes can be donated to charity shops or put into a textile bank . Don't forget shoes can also be repaired (re-heeled etc).

Steel Cans - Steel cans are those which will stick to a magnet. Steel cans can be recycled in your red box or in a can bank .

Spectacles - These can be donated for use in developing countries. Unwanted glasses can be taken to Help the Aged shops, Oxfam or Donald and Aitchison opticians.


T


Textiles - Charity shops and textile banks are able to take clothes, bed linen, blankets, curtains, hats etc. Damaged clothing can be cut up and used for cleaning cloths.

Toys and Games - These can be donated to charity shops , jumble sales etc. You could also ask if they are needed by local doctors surgeries, playgroups etc.

Tyres - Rubber has been banned from landfill since 2003, and it's not just tyres. Anything made from rubber has to be kept away from landfill. So most mechanics and garages that fit tyres will take away your old ones for a small charge (normally £1-2). 


U

V


Vegetable Peelings - Vegetable peelings are ideal for home composting .

Videos - These can be donated to local charity shops or put in our book and music banks . Don't forget that you can also rent videos instead of buying them.


W


Wood - Certain types of wood can be recycled at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites . Good reusable pieces of timber from old buildings may be of interest to architectural salvage companies. See Salvage and Reclamation in the Yellow Pages .

X

Y


Yellow Pages - Yellow Pages can be recycled in any paper bank , and during the time of delivery also at the Council Offices and through some of the schools in the district.

Z

Last updated: Mon 5th September, 2011 @ 09:00

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