Recyclables

The majority of properties within the District have grey recyclables wheeled bin for the kerbside collection of recyclable materials. The materials that can be collected in the recyclables bin are glass, tins and cans, plastic, newspapers and magazines and cardboard.

In addition, a kerbside collection of textiles has been introduced for residents. Please see related links section at the bottom of this page for further information.

We understand that remembering the different types of materials which can be recycled can seem like an impossible task. We have tried to summarise the categories below:

Any ‘rigid’ plastic food packaging can be recycled. ‘Flexible’ items such as cling film, plastic sleeves from a ready meal, packets and wrappers cannot be recycled in the bin and should be placed in the non-recyclables bin.

Within these categories you will find the following complete list of materials that will be accepted for recycling in the recyclables bin:

Paper

• Newspapers and Magazines
• Junk mail (no envelopes)
• Office paper
• Telephone directories
• Shredded paper
• Catalogues (please separate the cover and pages from hard backed catalogues)
• Yellow Pages

To recycle envelopes please remove any gummed edges and any plastic windows and place them in the non-recyclables bin.

Cardboard

• Greetings cards 
• Cardboard food packaging
• Cardboard boxes

Glass jars and bottles

• Perfume bottles
• Broken glass jars and bottles
• Jam jars
• Cook-in sauce jars
• Spirit, wine and beer bottles

Food and drink cans

• Food and drink cans and tins (clean)
• Aerosol cans
• Foil (clean)
• Tin lids
• Aluminium food containers (clean)

Plastic bottles

• Soft drinks bottles
• Plastic milk bottles
• Shampoo and other plastic toiletry bottles
• Fabric conditioner and other cleaning products
• Plastic bottle lids (please remove them from the bottle)

Plastic food packaging

• Fruit and vegetable punnets
• Meat trays
• Margarine tubs
• Yoghurt pots
• Ice cream containers
• Plastic tubs
• Ready meal and food trays
• Plastic take away food containers
• Party platters
• Plastic cups
• Sandwich packs
• Loose plastic carrier bags (please reuse your bags wherever possible)

Please note that all items should be rinsed out and clean before placing them in the recyclables bin.

Please do not put the following in the recyclables bin:

• Black sacks or bin liners of any kind
• Wrappers, crisp packets, plastic films or plastic packets
• Materials which have been bagged up- all materials must be loose in the bin
• Tissues or kitchen towel (used kitchen towel can be placed in the compostables bin)
• Textiles (including shoes, clothes, towels, rags, bedding etc)
• Food- this can be placed in the compostables bin
• Personal Hygiene products
• Saucepans or cooking utensils
• Metals other than cans, tins and metallic food packaging
• Hard plastics (such as DVD cases, children’s toys, buckets, flower pots etc)
• Liquid food and drink cartons (e.g. Tetra Pak)
• Electrical items

Your recyclables bin is collected together with your compostables bin in the allocated recyclables week, please check the collection days pages for further information.

We recommend that textile bags are put out in the morning of the collection day from 7am. This will avoid textiles becoming wet overnight and prevent theft from unofficial collectors.

If you have excess recycling, which won't fit in the bin, this can be taken to your local Recycling Centre in Castle Road, Rayleigh or to one of the Bring Bank sites in the area (see Related Links below for a full list). Bags of recyclables will not be collected beside the bin, even if they are in plastic bags.

Recyclables need to be presented loosely within the bin. Plastic carrier bags (supermarket bags) can go in the recyclables bin, but they must be empty. If you have large cardboard that will not fit in the bin, these can be presented, flat-packed, beside the bin on collection day.

Please check the code of conduct on the home page for information about presenting your bins.

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