What do I put in my different bins?

Wheelie bins

Green wheeled bin

Your green bin is for:

  • Grass cuttings and garden trimmings, weeds, prunings, twigs and leaves
  • Garden or house plants with as much soil as possible shaken off
  • Cardboard packaging (unless it  is wax/plastic coated, or has been in direct contact with food)
  • Rabbit, guinea pig and rodent bedding but not for cat or dog litter or bird cage linings
  • A small quantity of shredded paper provided it is contained in a cardboard box (no plastic bags or bin liners)

If you are taking part in the food waste testing phase you can also put the following into your green bin which will be collected weekly:

  • Food waste including cooked and raw vegetables, meat & fish, fruit, dairy, tea bags, coffee grounds, rice, pasta and bread. You can use newspaper, paper bags or cornstarch bags (provided they carry the compostable logo) to wrap up your food waste
  • Cardboard which has been contaminated with food such as pizza boxes

Please do not put bones or carcasses or liquid in your green bin.

Please do not put greetings cards in your green bin.

Please do not put turf in you green bin

 

What do I put in my different bins if I am not on the food waste testing phase?

We cannot empty your green bin if you have put non compostable items in, such as plastic bags and bin liners, or food waste if you are not part of our food waste testing phase. Our crews check the bins for contamination each time they empty them.

We will not collect extra material left next to the bin, but an additional green bin can be purchased for  £37.50.  Please contact the Streetcare Helpdesk for details.

Green recycling box

Your green recycling box is for:

  • Glass bottles and jars (please rinse)
  • Food and drink cans (please rinse)
  • Empty aerosol cans (remove tops)
  • Aluminium foil (squash clean foil into a bag)
  • Clothes and textiles (please keep dry in a bag)
  • Shoes (tied together in a bag)
  • Car batteries (leave next to the box)
  • Household batteries (in the polythene battery bag provided or a clear plastic bag)
  • Engine oil (in a sealed container (1 gallon max) next to the box)
  • Newspapers and magazines (if you do not use your green bag)

Please try and keep items sorted in your box and if you use carrier bags to keep items separate. Please don't tie the handles.

Green bag

Your green bag is for:

  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Junk mail and leaflets (please take out of envelopes and plastic wrappers)
  • White office paper
  • Catalogues and brochures (made from paper without plastic or metal bindings)
  • Yellow Pages and all directories

Please do not use your green bag for envelopes, cardboard, books, greetings cards, wrapping paper or any other low grade paper such as wallpaper or school art projects, or shredded paper.  Shredded paper can go in a cardboard box in your green bin 

Black wheeled bin

Your black bin is for:

  • Any rubbish from your household that cannot be recycled.

Side Waste

We will not empty black or green bins with the lids up or collect any rubbish left by the side of the bin.  The only exception to this policy is for the first black bin emptying after the Christmas holiday.

General information about bins and boxes

Please:

  • ensure your bins and recycling is out by 7.00am on your collection day with the lid closed
  • do not put items in your bin which may damage the bin or collection vehicle, eg hot ashes, bricks, rubble, oil, paint, large pieces of wood or metal
  • do not put very heavy items in your bin

For safety reasons the collection vehciles will not empty bins weighing more than 50kg