Some of our online payments including garden waste and licensing will be unavailable from 2pm Thursday 28 March until midday Tuesday 2 April due to essential maintenance.

Check what you can and can’t put in your different bins and recycling containers.

The Recycle Now website has a handy tool for you to check which items you can recycle where.

Green recycling boxes and bags

We provide two green boxes for you to sort and separate your recycling. Do not use other tubs, bins or buckets for recycling. If you cannot fit everything in the two boxes you can order extra green boxes free of charge.

You can also put extra card in a cardboard box and extra plastics and cans in a plastic bag next to your containers. Check how to sort your recycling with three boxes.

Recycling bags

We no longer provide bags for recycling plastic, cardboard and paper as these can all go in your green boxes.

If you still have these bags you can continue to use them if you wish and sort your recycling as follows:

  • white bag for plastics and cans mixed together.
  • green bag for cardboard, greetings cards (without glitter or plastic) and brown paper
  • green box for glass bottles and jars, paper, textiles (in a plastic carrier bag), small electricals, batteries and vape pipes (in a clear plastic bag) – keep these items separate in the box

Green recycling boxes

In box 1 you can put in:

  • plastics, cans, tins, empty aerosols and aluminium foil (food and drink packaging must be emptied and rinsed)
  • cardboard, cartons, greetings cards (without glitter or plastic) and brown paper

You can mix the plastics, cans and aerosols and foil together, but keep the cardboard and cartons separate from the plastics and cans.

In box 2 you can put in:

  • glass bottles and jars (labels do not need to be removed from glass and jars)
  • newspapers, magazines, leaflets, envelopes (with plastic windows removed), wrapping paper (without glitter or plastic), shredded paper (which will need to be in a carrier bag)
  • small electrical items (put these next to your box if they don’t fit inside)
  • batteries (in a small, clear plastic bag such as a bread bag)
  • vapes (in a small, clear plastic bag such as a bread bag)
  • clothes and paired shoes, towels, sheets and blankets (in a loosely tied carrier bag)

Keep glass and paper separate.

You can not put any of the following in your recycling boxes:

  • black plastic, plastic bags, bubble wrap, pet food pouches, crisp packets etc.
  • scrap metal e.g. pots or pans
  • packaging containing food or liquid
  • compostable plastic packaging
  • take away pizza boxes
  • polystyrene or plastic packing material
  • card with glitter or plastic attached
  • broken glass
  • window or oven proof glass
  • drinking glasses
  • paper with plastic wrapping
  • paper with glitter or plastic attached
  • wallpaper
  • kitchen towel
  • duvets, pillows, cushions, toys, soft furnishings
  • items in black plastic bags
  • car or vehicle batteries
  • electrical items larger than the green box e.g. televisions, mini fridges
  • gas canisters

You can recycle soft plastics like plastic bags, bread bags, crisp packets, pet food pouches and wrappers at most supermarkets.

Food recycling bin and caddy

Line your food bin or kitchen caddy with an ordinary plastic bag, newspaper or compostable bag.

You can put in:

  • cooked and uncooked food waste
  • leftovers
  • fruit and vegetable peelings
  • tea bags
  • coffee grounds
  • egg shells
  • pet food

You can’t put in:

  • any other household waste
  • liquids
  • compostable plastic packaging

Black wheelie bin

Most household waste can be recycled from home every week. One black bin is provided to each household for non-recyclable household waste.

You can put in:

  • black plastic
  • crisp, sweet packets
  • cellophane, film and plastic bags
  • pet waste e.g. cat litter, dog/bird faeces
  • pet food pouches
  • polystyrene and foam packaging
  • take away cardboard containers e.g. take away pizza boxes
  • nappies (alternatively we offer a free disposable nappy collection)

You can’t put in:

  • recyclable items
  • furniture
  • rubble, hardcore or soil
  • DIY waste
  • gas canisters

All your black bin waste must be inside the bin and the lid must be closed. We cannot collect extra waste left next to your black bin (apart from disposable nappies in the authorised nappy bags).

Managing black bin waste

If you are struggling with your non recyclable household waste due to a large household or medical needs, you can request an extra black bin Requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis and we may arrange a visit to confirm your needs.

We also offer a free disposable nappy collection service to help families with children (under 5 years old) manage their black bin waste. Find out how to order your free nappy bags for this service.

Green wheelie bin and garden waste sack

You can subscribe to have a green bin for a fortnightly garden waste collection.

If you do not want to subscribe and would like a one-off collection of garden waste, use our garden waste sack collection.

You can put in:

  • grass cuttings
  • leaves, weeds
  • hedge trimmings and plant prunings
  • twigs and small branches
  • old or used compost
  • pet bedding – rabbit and rodent only
  • real Christmas trees under 6ft tall (approx. 1.8m)

The bin lifts on our vehicles have a weight limit and we cannot empty your bin if it is too heavy. If this occurs, we will leave information on your bin to let you know.

You can’t put in:

  • Japanese knotweed or garden waste with signs of ash dieback disease
  • large logs, tree stumps or treated wood from sheds, fences etc.
  • cardboard or paper – use your green box weekly recycling collection
  • compostable plastic packaging
  • food, fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea bags etc. – use your weekly food recycling collection
  • pet waste (other than rodent or rabbit bedding), including bird/poultry, dog or cat waste or cat litter – use your black bin
  • soil – you can take a limited amount to the Sort It recycling centres free of charge
  • rubble or hardcore – you can take a limited amount to the Sort It recycling centres free of charge
  • waste produced by a business or any commercial activity

Items that can’t go in any of your bins or recycling containers

Items that can’t be taken through the collection service such as furniture, DIY and hazardous waste, mattresses, light bulbs/fluorescent tubes, large electrical appliances and extra bags of waste can be taken to the Sort It recycling centres. They may also be suitable for our large household waste collection service.

Alternatively, you can contact organisations and charities that take items for reuse.

Communal recycling bins

Some properties in South Gloucestershire have communal waste and recycling facilities. Recycling is collected from three types of bin:

  • paper and cardboard
  • plastics and cans
  • glass bottles and jars

There is also a bin for non-recyclable waste.

Management companies and residents must make sure that communal waste and recycling areas are accessible and safe for the collection crews. They must not become blocked with excessive waste or large items such furniture or domestic appliances. We are unable to collect waste left on the floor and if we cannot gain access to the communal waste and recycling area it is the responsibility of the management company to return it to an acceptable condition before we will restart collections.

All bin lids must be closed in order for a collection to take place. We cannot empty overfilled bins.

Help keep your bins clean by rinsing glass bottles and jars, plastic food packaging and food and drink cans.

Information leaflets and posters can be found in the downloads section.

Report a problem with a bin store

Paper and cardboard bin

You can put in:

  • brochures
  • cardboard
  • cartons (Tetra Paks)
  • catalogues
  • envelopes without windows (or windows removed)
  • junk mail
  • magazines
  • newspapers
  • telephone directories

Large cardboard packaging that will not fit inside the bin can be stored next to it. Remove all plastic and polystyrene packing and flatten all cardboard for recycling.

You can’t put in:

  • envelopes with windows
  • paper or cardboard containing food
  • takeaway pizza boxes

Plastics, cans, aerosols and foil bin

You can put in:

  • aerosols
  • foil and foil containers
  • food and drink cans and tins
  • margarine and ice cream tubs
  • meat trays and fruit punnets
  • plastic bottles
  • yoghurt pots

You can’t put in:

  • black plastic
  • carrier bags
  • cling film
  • crisp packets
  • pet food pouches
  • plastic packaging or cans that contain food
  • polystyrene

Glass bottles and jars bin

You can put in:

  • glass bottles
  • glass jars

You can’t put in:

  • heatproof or drinking glass
  • glass packaging that contains food

Non-recyclable waste bin

This bin is for non recyclable household waste.

Garden waste

We have specific pages where can find out about garden waste

Large household items

Unwanted large household items left in the bin storage area will not be collected and should be taken to one of the Sort It recycling centres. They may also be suitable for our large household waste collection service or donation to charity.

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