The green or blacks bins, and black sacks are for your non-recyclable household waste only, including food waste.
No. Some plastics are fine. All the obvious stuff can go in the green bin: newspapers, books, magazines, cardboard, cereal boxes, plastic bottles, plastic containers, tin cans and aluminium cans are fine. There are a lot of symbols on packaging.
Garden waste items such as leaves, twigs, grass cuttings and dead flowers can be placed in the bin.
Fashion labels offer donation binsYou can check whether your local stores stock a donation bin online. Both brands accept unwanted clothes from any fashion label and in any condition.
If you prefer, you can simply put your food scraps straight into your green organics bin, or wrap them up in newspaper first.
Please place all items placed in your recycling bin dry, please ensure no wet paper goes in your recycling bin and that all your cans and bottles are empty first. Glass will also stick to the wet paper and cardboard meaning the paper and cardboard cannot be recycled.
What goes in the black bin
- disposable nappies.
- used tissues and kitchen roll.
- sanitary towels and incontinence pads (bagged)
- polystyrene packaging.
- pet waste or cat litter (double-bagged)
- broken crockery (wrap first to avoid injury)
- cigarette ends and ashtray contents.
- coal and wood ash (cooled)
Stainless steel pots and pans can't be put in single-stream recycling bins. Instead, you can drop it off at a metal recycler.
What can't be recycled and why
- What is contamination? Any materials put in the Smart Sacks or Smart Banks or green recycling bins which can't be recycled are called contaminants.
- Food waste.
- Garden waste.
- Polystyrene, plastic bags and film.
- Aluminium foil, milk bottle tops or yoghurt pot lids.
- Aerosol cans.
- Clothes, textiles and shoes.
- Broken glass.
Bubble wrap is recyclable, making it a great option for businesses who want to go green with their protective packaging. However, recycling bubble wrap isn't as simple as tossing it into your curbside recycling bin. Your customers will need to take a few extra steps to do their part in protecting the environment.
As long as tin foil, foil milk bottle tops, and foil food trays are clean, they can be collected in kerbside recycling. If they're made of suitable material, give them a rinse and pop them in the recycling.
What to do with old clothes you can't donate
- Consider repairing them. Hold on a second…
- Get creative. If your clothing is definitely beyond repair, why not get creative with it?
- Give them to a fabric recycler. Another option to dispose of unwanted clothing is to donate them to a textile recycler.
- Upcycle the fabric yourself.
Most curbside recycling programs accept magazines and paperback books as mixed paper. Some programs specifically exclude hardcover books because of the binding, unless you remove it. Companies like Better World Books and Discover Books will accept books in good condition to sell them online.
Almost 100% of household textiles and clothing can be recycled, regardless of quality of condition. Recycling clothing and textiles benefits charities, reduces solid waste, and provides employment to Texans.
Recyclable plastic usually comes with a little recycling symbol printed on the bottom and depending on the product, there might be a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 stamped in the center of the symbol. It's easy to miss, but this tiny digit is actually pretty important, because it's an ID.
You should only use your blue recycling bin for:
- cardboard.
- cartons - including fruit juice cartons, milk cartons, Tetra Pak.
- food tins and drinks cans.
- mixed glass, bottles and jars - lids and tops can be either left on or off.
- mixed paper.
- plastic bottles - lids and tops can be either left on or off.
It's important that you remove lids and throw them out before tossing the plastic container in the recycling bin. They usually have a higher melting point and can ruin the entire load of plastic that is trying to be recycled. Remember to always unscrew the lid or cap from your plastic containers before recycling.
Yes, bread can easily be composted. Bread will decompose quickly and add a source of nitrogen to your compost pile. But any food scraps can also attract pests. Your decision whether or not to compost bread mostly depends on your method of composting.
Most animal bones, meat and seafood can be composted, albeit at a much slower rate than other items. It is recommended that large animal bones and whole carcasses are cut into smaller pieces and that meat is cooked and in chunks before it is added to the HOTBIN in a bid to speed up their decomposition.
QUESTION: Can you put raw chicken in the compost? ANSWER: Any meat product, whether cooked or raw, should not be included in your compost. For one thing, these materials can result in a very unpleasant smell as they break down.
Refrain from composting milk, cheese, yogurt and cream. While they'll certainly degrade, they are attractive to pests.
If you're looking for the greenest way of disposing of food waste, composting is the answer. You can pick up a small compost bin to sit in your kitchen to house things like egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, potato peels or leftover food on a plate. You can turn the food scraps into the garden every couple of days.
Empty packaging only food items go in the Green Bin. (e.g. cigarette butts, wine corks, cotton balls, baby wipes, gum, pet feathers and fur, etc.) While it's okay to line either of your containers with plastic bags, it is not okay to include plastic baggies, overwrap and other plastic packaging.
Cooked or uncooked rice – Here is another one that most folks would probably think is just fine to add into their compost, but it is best to avoid both cooked and uncooked rice. Uncooked rice is going to attract rodents to your yard, while cooked rice can lead to the growth of unwanted bacteria.
No, you shouldn't compost fats and oils. The benefit of adding waste fats and oils to a compost heap are vastly outweighed by the potential problems.
7 healthy ways to use food scraps
- Use leftovers to make a soup. Every money savvy restaurant chef knows this one: use what didn't sell yesterday to make today's soup du jour.
- Crush eggshells and feed your garden.
- Save bread scraps for future baked goods.
- Add flavour to your water.
- Offer pumpkin to your pet.
- Clean your drain with baking soda.
- Compost!
As a rule, it is always better to dispose of your dog's waste at home: In your domestic waste bin (black bin). Make sure you double wrap the waste to prevent smells. Biodegradable dog waste bags are available from some retailers and provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic bags.
One user asked if putting your rubbish in someone else's bin was illegal. The answer is that it's a form of antisocial behaviour and it's technically illegal as it's classed as fly-tipping.
Electrical items should not be put in your rubbish bin. Electrical items are any items that take a battery or have a plug.
Stuffed items such as duvets can't be recyled, please take them to your nearest community recycling centre. Cardboard that won't fit into your bin should be flattened and tied in a bundle. Please leave this next to your bin. To keep it dry, you can put it in a clear bag (not a black or coloured bag).
Generally, small garden waste such as grass trimmings, branches, weeds, plants should be disposed of by the green lid rubbish bin. Things such as food waste, treated timber and a large quantity of soil or sand should not be thrown in the green lid bin.
Take It to a Landscape SupplierIf you have a truck and some time on your hands, you can dispose of soil by taking it to a landscape supplier. Some local home and garden centers can accept dirt and soil for a small fee.
Wood and timber are not accepted in your household recycling bin but you can take it to most household waste recycling centres. There are also wood recycling organisations, such as Community Wood Recycling, which will collect re-usable wood for recycling, often for less than the cost of hiring a skip.
Technically, carpet can be thrown away in the garbage. However, because it is generally thrown out in such large amounts, it may not be accepted in your curbside trash can. You may need to wait for bulk pick-up days or bring your carpet to a designated drop-off.
