There's loads of information about what you can recycle - and where - on our website. But if you can't find out about something specific, try this page.
Useful links:
- Household Waste and Recycling Sites (Leicestershire County Council)
- Recycling Banks (textiles, paper, glass, aluminium and steel cans, books and music)
- Home Composting Information
- Junk Mail Information (Contacting the Mail Preference Service).
- Kerbside Recycling Collection Service
| 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 can be recycled in the red box if it's clean. It can only be recycled if it passes the "scrunch test" - this is when scrunched up it does not spring back. Plastic coated foil such as crisp packets cannot be recycled in the red box, but can be recycled via TerraCycle's scheme. Find out more and locate your nearest drop off point here. (You can put them in our designated bin in reception at the Council Offices). 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 - We provide a household battery collection, please put your batteries in a recyclable container with a lid and put it out next to your red boxes. We will recycle the container you put them in and send the batteries to be recycled. All shops that sell more than 32kg of batteries a year also have to provide a place for residents to drop them off. So when you go to buy some more batteries, take your old ones back. 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. We also provide a household collection of dry, clean sheets and linen. Please put them in a carrier bag (no charity bags or black bags please) and put it out next to your red boxes. Please tie the top to stop any water getting in.
Black plastic - We can accept black plastic food packagaing such as meat/fish trays, fruit punnets and ready meal trays in the red box.
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.
Bubble wrap - If it cannot be reused, this can be recycled with plastic carrier bags and film at many large supermarkets (usually in the car park).
C
Car batteries - see batteries.
Cardboard - cardboard can be recycled in the yellow bag.
Cards (greetings) - can be recycled in the yellow bag.
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.
Cartons - Although we can't collect drinks cartons at the moment, as our paper recycling processor cannot cope with the plastic coating. We have some carton banks at recycling sites in the district. Simply rinse out the cartons, flatten them and pop them in a bank.
Cassettes - Old music cassettes can given to charity shops or put in our book and music banks.
Catalogues - Catalogues can be recycled in the blue bag or at paper banks Please remove any hard-back covers and put in the yellow bag (e.g. Next Directory hard-back covers).
CDs - 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.
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.
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 cut your tree in half if more than five foot and put it next to your garden waste bin or take it to one of the Household Waste and recycling Sites.
Clothes - These can be left in a carrier bags(s) (not charity bags, as legally we cannot collect them) next to the red box. You can also donate textiles to charity shops, or take them 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 electrical appliances (large and small) - 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).
Duvets - cannot be recycled. Some animal charities or a neighbour may be able to use them as pet bedding, otherwise they will need to go into the general waste.
E
Egg boxes - carboard egg boxes can be recycled in the yellow bag. They are also 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 electrical appliances.
Envelopes - Envelopes can be recycled in the blue bag, there's no need to remove the plastic windows.
F
Food waste - Vegetable peelings, fruit, tea bags etc can all be home composted. Food waste cannot be collected with our garden waste collections, as it requires specialist facilities to compost it commercially. We are currently trialling food waste collections with 2,000 households in Measham and surrounding villages.
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 - Good quality furniture can be donated to charity. Try 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.
Glass bottles - Glass bottles and glass jars can be recycled in the red box or at glass banks throughout the district.
Greeting cards - can be recycled in the yellow bag.
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 - This can be recycled in the blue bag. To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive please contact the Mail Preference Service.
K
Kitchen oil - Kitchen oil can be disposed of at the Household waste and Recycling Sites.
Kitchen waste - See Food Waste.
L
Light bulbs - these can be recycled at Household Waste and Recycling Sites. If you don't already, you could 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. Please do not dispose of light bulbs in the general rubbish as they contain mercury, which can be harmful to the environment.
M
Magazines - Please recycle these in the blue bag or at 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. You can put it in a recyclable container with a lid (e.g. a plastic takeaway tub), and leave it out next to your red boxes. If accessible, please remove the battery and recycle this separately. Mobile phones can also be taken back to suppliers, taken to some supermarkets, taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Sites or there are a number of charities who collect them and also Envirofone 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 the blue bag or in a paper bank.
O
Oil - Engine oil can be disposed of at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites.
Oil (kitchen) - Kitchen 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. Empty or dried up paint tins can be disposed of at Whetstone Household Waste and Recycling Site, near Leicester. For further paint disposal enquires please contact the County Council.
Paper - paper, newspapers, magazines, junk mail, notepaper etc. can all be recycled in the blue bag or at a paper bank.
Pillows - these cannot be recycled. Some animal charities or a neighbour may be able to use them as pet bedding. Otherwise they will need to go into the general waste.
Pizza boxes - If not contaminated with food waste and grease, these can go in the yellow bag. More on cardboard recycling.
Plant pots - We can accept taupe coloured plastic plant pots in the red box as they have been specially designed to be recyclable. Find out more here. We can't recycle black, red or terracotta plant pots - if they can be reused, your local garden centre may take them.
Plastics - Plastic Bottles such as pop bottles, shampoo bottles, plastic milk bottles, household cleaners, cooking oil bottles, mineral water, squash, ready meal trays (including black trays) etc. can all be recycled in the 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.
Polystyrene - polystyrene cannot be recycled at the kerbside, therefore please dispose of it in your black bin. For large pieces of polystyrene please break it down so it does not become jammed in your bin when we empty it. Alternatively, you can dispose of it at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites in the general waste skip.
Q
R
Records (LPs) - 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 the 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 - These can be left in a carrier bags(s) (not charity bags, as legally we cannot collect them) next to the red box. Charity shops and textile banks are also 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 which there may be a small charge for.
U
V
Vegetable peelings - Vegetable peelings are ideal for home composting.
Vegetable oil - Vegetable oil can be disposed of at the Household Waste and Recycling Sites.
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 .
Wrapping paper - wrapping paper can be put in the blue bag if it passes the scrunch test. Try scrunching your wrapping paper into a ball, if it stays scrunched it can go in the blue bag. If it springs back, it has plastic content and should go in the black bin.
X
Y
Yellow Pages - Yellow Pages can be recycled in the yellow bag or at any paper bank.
Z
Last updated: Thu 9 January, 2020 @ 15:27