Paper

Most types of paper can be recycled in your paper and card bin. This includes:

• Paper and shredded paper
• Magazines and catalogues
• Newspapers
• Books
• Envelopes and mail
• Junk mail
• Greetings cards and wrapping paper
• Receipts

Paper with foil, glitter or plastic coating can’t be recycled and should go in your general waste bin.

Pizza boxes

What do I do with pizza boxes?

Empty takeaway pizza boxes can be recycled in your paper and card bin at home as they’re made from cardboard. Just make sure there’s no leftover pizza still in the box and not too much grease!

If the cardboard is too greasy, it can cause problems in the recycling process. Recycling plants have to reject tonnes of cardboard every year, sending it to landfill or to be incinerated instead.

All is not lost!

Once you’ve emptied your pizza box of any leftovers (which should go in your food waste bin), take a good look at the amount of grease left and decide. 

But even if the bottom of the box is pretty greasy (even after you’ve wiped it out with kitchen towel or a napkin), there’s a good chance the lid is fine, so make the most of the opportunity to recycle that bit. Half a box is better than nothing!

One final thought. Even if the cardboard is too greasy for recycling, you could still rip it up and add the pieces to a compost heap – cardboard is 100% biodegradable.

Why is too much grease a problem?

The recycling process for paper and cardboard uses cold water, which is ineffective when it comes to tackling grease. You can read more about recycling card and paper in our blog.

What about supermarket pizza boxes?

Pizza boxes containing shop bought pizzas are a completely different proposition from their takeaway equivalents.

That’s because the pizza inside is generally wrapped in a plastic cover, which means the cardboard box is grease-free, so totally recyclable. If there is a plastic ‘window’ on the box, removing that before putting the box in the recycling will help the process farther down the line. Every little helps, as one supermarket likes to say.

Card packaging

Empty card packaging such as cereal boxes, egg boxes, and ready meal card sleeves can all be recycled in your paper and card bin at home. Please flatten cardboard to save space.

You can take card packaging to a recycling centre.

Choose to reuse

Shredded cardboard also makes great animal bedding.

Books

What do I do with books?

Millions of books are printed and read every year. But what do you do once you’ve finished with them? 

Books are one of the easiest items to recycle – you could pass them on to family and friends, take them to a charity shop, or sell them online or at a car boot sale. 

Give your old books a ‘Renew’ lease of life

You can donate books to any of our 18 recycling centres across Greater Manchester that help stock our three Renew shops and our online Renew Market selling pre-loved household items at affordable prices 

The aim of the shops and online portal is to reduce waste, reuse unwanted items and increase recycling rates. Many of the items donated by residents would have otherwise gone to waste. 

Here’s where you will find a Renew shop:

• Woodhouse Lane recycling centre, Altrincham, WA14 5TB
• Arkwright Street, Oldham, OL9 9LZ (the entrance is next to the recycling centre)
• Boysnope Wharf recycling centre, Liverpool Road, Eccles, M30 7RH

So far, residents have raised more than £1million for local good causes by donating their unwanted household items and buying second hand instead of new through the Renew project.

All the money raised by the shops will go to support local communities through two Greater Manchester initiatives. Each year money raised through sales made in the Renew shops will be donated as follows:

• £100,000 to the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity (link opens in new tab)
• £220,000 to the Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund (link opens in new tab)

You can also take your unwanted books to a recycling centre and put them in the media bank.

Alternatively you can arrange a free collection from companies like Anglo Recycling who offer free doorstep charity collections.

As a last resort, or if your books are damaged and unreadable, you can put them in your paper and card bin at home.

Cardboard

Cardboard boxes and all others types of card can be recycled in your paper and card bin at home. Flatten them to save space in your bin.

This includes:

• Cardboard packaging (such as empty cereal boxes)
• Kitchen roll and toilet roll tubes
• Cardboard boxes
• Greeting cards (tear off any glitter)
• Clothes labels or tags

Make sure you remove all non-paper items like bubble wrap, plastic packaging and polystyrene and put them in your general waste bin.

You can take cardboard boxes to a recycling centre

Choose to reuse

Shredded cardboard makes great animal bedding.

Cartons (Tetra Pak)

Empty food and drink cartons (Tetra Pak) go in your paper and card bin at home.

Christmas wrapping paper (no glitter or foil)

You can recycle paper wrapping paper in your paper and card bin at home. You can only recycle Christmas wrapping paper if it’s entirely made out of paper.

Some wrapping paper is made out of foil, plastic and glitter. These can’t be recycled, so put them in your general waste bin.

Egg cartons

You can recycle cardboard egg boxes in your paper and card bin at home. Please ensure they are empty.

Plastic egg boxes must go in your general waste bin.

Envelopes

You can recycle envelopes (including those with a window) in your paper and card bin at home.

Food and drink cartons

What do I do with food/drink cartons?

Cartons are a composite packaging material – in other words they are not made from paper alone but comprise of about 75 per cent paper, 20 per cent plastic (polyethylene) and 5 per cent aluminium foil (for long-life products). But that doesn’t mean they can’t be recycled, they can.

Top tips for recycling cartons

Some empty food and drink cartons such as those manufactured by Tetra Pak, one of the world’s leading food processing and packaging providers, go in your paper and card bin at home. These are:

• Drink cartons containing fruit juices and milk (including alternative milk products). Leave the plastic tops on cartons and straws in drink cartons as these will be removed and recycled too. Food cartons, such as soup containers are also welcome additions to your paper and card bin. Once empty, wash and squash your cartons.

However, some cartons are not so welcome. These include laminated plastic food/drink pouches; for example, baby food, cat food and coffee pouches which should go into your general waste bin.

Recycling is evolving all the time and some products once deemed unrecyclable are now accepted. Please check the packaging before deciding which bin to place it in.

Did you know?

The UK has only one carton recycling plant. It’s at Stainland, near Halifax. It opened in 2013 and handles about 40 per cent of the cartons manufactured in the UK each year.

Recycled cartons are used to create a wide range of new products, such as cardboard boxes, paper bags, office paper and even extra strong tissue.

Gift wrap (no glitter or foil)

Plain gift wrapping paper can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

You can only recycle wrapping paper entirely made out of paper. Some wrapping paper that is made out of foil, plastic or contains glitter can’t be recycled. Put this type of paper in your general waste bin.

Greetings cards and wrapping paper (no glitter or foil)

You can recycle greetings cards and paper wrapping paper in your paper and card bin at home. You can only recycle greetings cards and wrapping paper if they’re entirely made out of paper.

Some are made out of foil, plastic and glitter. None of these can be recycled and microplastics such as glitter can’t be separated from the paper fibres during the recycling process. Tear off any glittery parts or non-paper decorations and put them in your general waste bin. Make sure you also remove any bows or ribbons before recycling your wrapping paper.

Not sure if your wrapping paper is made of paper?  Try to scrunch up the paper into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it can be recycled.

Junk mail

Junk mail can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

Junk mail items includes

• Newspapers and magazines
• Telephone directories & catalogues
• Envelopes
• Takeaway menus and leaflets

Please remove all plastic wrapping and put it in your general waste bin.

Sign up to the Mail Preference Service to reduce your junk mail.

Magazines and catalogues

Magazines and catalogues can be recycled in your paper and card recycling bin (remove all plastic wrapping) this includes:

• Magazines and catalogues
• Newspapers
• Books
• Envelopes
• Junk mail such as takeaway menus

Choose to reuse

Share your magazines with your friends and family so they get used more than once before being recycled.

Newspapers

All newspapers can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

This includes:

• Magazines and catalogues
• Books
• Envelopes and mail
• Junk mail

Please remove any plastic wrapping first.

Tetra Pak

Empty food and drink cartons (Tetra Pak) go in your paper and card bin at home.

Aerosols

Aerosol cans (such as deodorants, air fresheners, or spray paints) can be recycled, but only if they’re completely empty.  

Once you’ve confirmed the aerosol is empty, it can be placed in your mixed recycling bin along with other metals. 

It’s important that the cans are left intact as piercing or crushing them can be dangerous and release harmful gasses. 

If you need to get rid of an aerosol that isn’t empty, place the can in your general waste bin. 

Hazardous aerosols containing paint or solvents should be taken to a household waste recycling centre and taken to the hazardous waste section. 

Aluminium cans

Recycle your empty aluminium cans in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Aluminium is actually a very recyclable material and goes in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Most commonly used in drinks cans and foil trays; after cleaning, melting and recasting, it can be reformed into hundreds of different items without the need for any new material.

Making products from recycled aluminium uses only five per cent of the energy it takes to make new foil from raw materials. Let’s make the most of it.

1. The first thing you should do is determine whether what you’re about to throw away is aluminium or not. To do that you’ll need to do the scrunch test.
2. If you can, simply scrunch the item in your hand. If it remains ‘scrunched’ it is aluminium foil and can be recycled easily. Put it in your mixed recycling bin at home.
3. If it springs back (like crisp packets, for example) it is probably metallised plastic film, so put it in your general waste bin at home.

Aluminium foil

Recycle clean aluminium foil and foil trays in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Aluminium is actually a very recyclable material and goes in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Most commonly used in drinks cans and foil trays; after cleaning, melting and recasting, it can be reformed into hundreds of different items without the need for any new material.

Making products from recycled aluminium uses only five per cent of the energy it takes to make new foil from raw materials. Let’s make the most of it.

1. The first thing you should do is determine whether what you’re about to throw away is aluminium or not. To do that you’ll need to do the scrunch test.
2. If you can, simply scrunch the item in your hand. If it remains ‘scrunched’ it is aluminium foil and can be recycled easily. Put it in your mixed recycling bin at home.
3. If it springs back (like crisp packets, for example) it is probably metallised plastic film, so put it in your general waste bin at home.

Cleaning product bottles

Cleaning product bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. This includes bottles such as trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, drinks and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

Find out what happens to your plastic bottles here.

Drinks bottles

Plastic and glass drinks bottles go in your mixed recycling bin at home. You can also recycle other plastic bottles such as cleaning product bottles, trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles and milk bottles.

Tops/Lids: If you can easily remove a bottle top we ask that all plastic tops are taken off the and placed in the general waste bin.  If the bottle top is attached, make sure it is securely fastened before recycling it. Loose bottle tops fall off the bottles during the separating process and end up in the glass containers which can ruin the glass recycling.

Food cans and drink cans

Empty food cans and drink cans can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home.

You don’t need to remove the labels, just give them a quick rinse.

Glass bottles and jars

You can recycle glass bottles and jars (all colours) in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Please remove all lids from your bottles and jars and give them a rinse before recycling. Put the lids in your general waste bin.

Kitchen foil and foil trays

What do I do with foil and foil trays?

A report by a midlands city council showed that of all the aluminium foil being thrown away by its residents, only 20 per cent of it was making its way into the recycling. The rest was going straight in the bin with other rubbish destined for landfill.

Foil is made of aluminium, used for foil and drinks cans, but also in electronics, including smartphones, kitchen appliances, and even aeroplanes. In fact, the report discovered that the foil thrown away by residents of that particular city each year was enough to build three commercial aeroplanes. Let’s not make the same mistake in Greater Manchester!

Clean, please!

Many kinds of foil can be recycled, such as kitchen foil, takeaway containers, pie trays, chocolate wrapping (including coins) and coloured foil.

Clean aluminium foil and foil trays can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Do the scrunch test

This does not include foil wrapped crisp packets or pet food pouches. These items can look like aluminium foil but are actually made from metallised plastic film. 

Some food brands have partnered with TerraCycle to recycle crisp packets and food pouches. Check for a recycling drop off point near you. If there isn’t a recycling point near you, put these in your general waste bin.

To find out if an item is foil or metallised plastic film, do the scrunch test. Simply scrunch the item in your hand – if it stays ‘scrunched’ it is foil and can be recycled. If it springs back it is probably metallised plastic film.

Aluminium foil is endlessly recyclable and can be reformed into thousands of different items without the need for any new material. Making products from recycled aluminium uses only five per cent of the energy it takes to make new foil from raw materials. Let’s make the most of it.

Milk bottles

You can recycle plastic and glass milk bottles in your mixed recycling bin.

Please remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin. Plastic lids can’t be recycled with the rest of the recycling as they are made of a different type of plastic.

Bottles (plastic)

What do I do with plastic bottles?

Plastic bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. 

However, it is estimated that an average of 35.8 million plastic bottles are used EVERY DAY in the UK, but only just over half – 19.8 million – are recycled each day.

That means on average, there are 16 million plastic bottles not making their way into the recycling bin – every day.

Which plastic bottles can I recycle?

The simple answer is most of them. The only exceptions are those that have contained chemicals, such as antifreeze, for example. And check the labels on ready-to-use plant food and pesticides bottles.

That means all the following CAN be recycled:

• All clear and coloured plastic bottles from around the home.
• Cleaning product bottles, such as bathroom cleaners and bleach, with any triggers left on.
• Detergent and soap bottles, but minus the pump in this case.
• Fizzy and non-fizzy drinks and water bottles.
• Shampoo, shower gel and skin care product bottles.
• Milk bottles.

How to recycle plastic bottles

• Empty and rinse your empty plastic bottles. Any remaining liquids can contaminate other recyclables and if bottles contain liquid they may be deemed too heavy by the automated sorting process. Liquid can also damage the machinery.
• Leave the labels on – these will be removed in the process.
• Squash bottles to save space.
• Replace lids and tops. If they stay on the container they will get recycled.
• If the lid is already attached, leave attached as this will ensure the lid is recycled along with the bottle.

Shampoo and shower gel bottles

Shampoo and shower gel bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. This includes bottles such as:

• Cleaning product bottles
• Trigger spray bottles
• Drinks and milk bottles

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

Find out what happens to your plastic bottles here

Trigger spray bottles

Trigger spray bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. You can also recycle other plastic bottles such as, cleaning product bottles, shampoo, shower gel bottles, drink and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

You can learn more about what happens to your plastic bottles here.

Wine bottles

Glass wine bottles can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Rinse out the bottles and remove lids/corks which go in your general waste bin.

Plastic pots, tubs, trays & tubes

Yoghurt pots

Bread, cakes and pastries

Uneaten bread, cakes and pastries go in your food and garden bin.

You can also reduce your food waste by freezing these items, find out more by visiting Buy Keep Eat Repeat.

Using a kitchen food caddy? Only use compostable food bags with the seedling logo and code EN13432. Do not use paper, plastic or biodegradable bags.

Compostable food bags are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of our Recycling Centres. This is because they are not licensed to accept food waste.

Dairy

Dairy including egg shells go in your food and garden bin.

Using a kitchen food caddy? Only use compostable food bags with the seedling logo with code EN13432. Do not use paper, plastic or biodegradable bags.

Compostable food bags are available from some local councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of our Recycling Centres. This is because they are not licensed to accept food waste.

Teabags and coffee grounds

Teabags and coffee grounds, including loose tea leaves go in your food and garden bin. Coffee filters go in your general waste bin.

Please note that food waste can’t be recycled at any of the recycling centres across Greater Manchester. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

If you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo with reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells

Flowers and plants

Flowers and plants can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin. Please remove any packaging, film, plant pots and large amounts of soil.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre. If you are taking food and garden waste to a recycling centre, it must be separated. If you take a mixed bag of food and garden waste it will have to go in the non-recyclable containers. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Leaves

Leaves can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at your local recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Grass cuttings

Grass cuttings can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Hedge clippings

Hedge clippings can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s compost now.

Hedge trimmings

Broken or unwanted electric hedge trimmers can be recycled at a recycling centre.

You can now donate electric hedge trimmers (not petrol-powered) that are in good visual condition, with no items missing, to one of our 18 recycling centres across Greater Manchester to help stock our new Renew Market selling pre-loved household items at an affordable price – find out more here today.

Petrol powered hedge trimmers can also be recycled in the scrap metal container. Please make sure the petrol tank is completely empty.

Twigs and small branches

Twigs and small branches can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin as long as they aren’t thicker than your wrist.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s compost now.

Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

Weeds such as dandelions, nettles, sheep’s sorrel and other non-invasive weeds can go in your food and garden bin at home. You can also take them to a recycling centre with your garden waste.

You can’t put invasive weeds in your food and garden bin or take them to your local recycling centre. The in vessel composting process will not kill or prevent the spreading of invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam.

Invasive weeds are classed as ‘hazardous waste’ and removal of these should be done under the guidance provided by the Environment Agency.

Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables

Both raw and cooked fruit and vegetables can be recycled in your food and garden bin .

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of the recycling centres. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

if you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones

Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones, can be recycled in your food and garden bin.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any recycling centres. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

If you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Pet food

You can recycle pet food at home in your food and garden bin.

Please note that food waste can’t be recycled at any of the 20 Recycling Centres across Greater Manchester. This is because the Recycling Centres are not licensed to accept segregated food waste.

You will most likely have a kitchen caddy to collect your food waste in. Make sure the caddy has a compostable liner inside. Do not use newspaper, plastic or biodegradable bags in your kitchen caddy, as they inhibit the composting process.

Only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable. Compostable liners are either available from your local council or most supermarkets.

Other food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Leftovers from your plate

Leftovers from your plate go in your food and garden bin.

Using a kitchen food caddy? Only use compostable food bags with the seedling logo and code EN13432. Do not use paper, plastic or biodegradable bags.

Compostable food bags are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of our recycling centres. This is because they are not licensed to accept food waste.

For more hints and tips to reduce your food waste visit: Buy Keep Eat Repeat.

Garden waste

What happens to food and garden waste?

All local councils in Greater Manchester have bins for collecting food and garden waste and some provide waste food caddies too.

Once collected, your food and garden waste is delivered to what’s called In-Vessel Composting facilities (IVC) in the UK.

In-Vessel composting is a true example of turning waste into a resource, utilising green waste to deliver a rich and organic compost product.

An IVC is like a home compost bin, but on a massive scale. The IVC system harnesses the natural composting process to recycle your food and garden waste into compost in just six weeks.

The compost produced is used as a soil improver on agricultural and horticultural land, among other uses.

Bin colours might differ, but the aim is the same

Different councils use different coloured bins for food and garden waste, either green, brown, or pink if you live in Salford.

If you’re unsure which bin to use, here’s a breakdown:

• Green – Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, Stockport, Trafford.
• Brown – Bury, Rochdale, Tameside.

Visit the My area section of this website to find out what you can and can’t put in your food and garden waste bin in your local area. There are also details of all the recycling centres where you live.

What can I put in my food and garden waste?

There might be slight variations where you live, but as a general rule of thumb your food and garden waste bin if for:

• Fruit and vegetable peelings
• Bread and cakes
• Tea bags and coffee grounds
• Scrapings from your plate
• Eggs and dairy products for example cheese
• Meat including bones
• Fish
• Cut flowers
• Garden waste
• Twigs and sticks no thicker than your wrist

No soil please

Soil is not accepted at the composting plant where the garden and food waste is treated. If you have soil to get rid of, take it to your nearest tip or recycling centre.

Most households are given free compostable food bags to collect their food scraps in. These bags are made from starch material and are 100% compostable, dissolving away quickly in the food waste.

A word of warning, however. If you’re buying your own bags from a shop or supermarket do not buy biodegradable plastic bags as they breakdown into little bits of plastic and are not compostable. You need to ensure your bags are 100% compostable – look out for the seedling logo.

Love Food Hate Waste

While turning our food and garden waste into compost is a great idea, cutting back on the food we waste is even better.

The Love Food Hate Waste campaign is supported by many local councils and encourages everyone to do their bit to save food from going in the bin – protecting our beautiful planet at the same time too.

Discover everything the Love Food Hate Waste campaign has to offer, visit its website.

Compostable packaging

Compostable or biodegradable packaging like cups, cutlery, straws go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put these sorts of compostable items in your food and garden recycling bin.

The food and garden waste you put in your recycling bin at home that is collected by your local council is delivered to an In-Vessel composting facility and made into compost in 6 -10 weeks. Compostable packaging takes much longer to break down, sometimes it can take years. This means that they won’t be composted in the same time as your food and garden waste.

To find out how you can get a discounted compost bin visit our home composting webpage.

Cat litter

Cat litter is a common household waste item, but it can’t be recycled and all types of used cat litter should go into your general waste bin.  

This is because cat litter is soiled and contaminated, making it unsuitable for recycling streams. 

Place used cat litter in a securely tied bag and put it in your general waste bin or, alternatively, take your cat litter to your local household recycling centre where it should be placed in the general waste container. 

Do not attempt to recycle or compost as even biodegradable or paper-based litters may contain harmful pathogens. 

And never flush cat litter down the toilet as it can block pipes and cause contamination in water systems. 

Coffee cups

Coffee pods

The single-use pods used in many coffee machines can’t be recycled in your bins at home. Recycling schemes do exist for coffee pods and capsules. If you’re unable to use one of the the existing recycling schemes, the pods should be disposed of in your general waste bin.

Most coffee pod brands in the UK are now members of Podback, a not-for-profit recycling service. Podback has a range of options for recycling plastic and aluminium pods, including drop-off points at certain recycling centres, supermarkets and coffee shops.

Take to a Recycling Centre

We have ‘Podback’ bins at 8 of our recycling centres in Greater Manchester, you can now recycle your pods at the following sites:

There is no need to separate aluminium and plastic pods, just put your pods loose into the relevant Podback bin/container.

• Arkwright Street Recycling Centre
• Bayley Street Recycling Centre
• Cemetery Road Recycling Centre
• Salford Road Recycling Centre
• Adswood Recycling Centre
• Rose Hill Recycling Centre
• Boysnope Wharf Recycling Centre
• Woodhouse Lane Recycling Centre

Drop off in-store

You can drop your Podback bags back at some supermarkets and coffee shops around the UK. Use the Podback ‘Recycle Checker’ service to find your nearest drop off points. To use a drop-off point at a supermarket you will need a Podback bag. These are available to order from Podback (you will need to create an account), at the customer services desk in Morrisons supermarkets, and online at Ocado.com

Compostable packaging

Compostable or biodegradable packaging like cups, cutlery, straws go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put these sorts of compostable items in your food and garden recycling bin.

The food and garden waste you put in your recycling bin at home that is collected by your local council is delivered to an In-Vessel composting facility and made into compost in 6 -10 weeks. Compostable packaging takes much longer to break down, sometimes it can take years. This means that they won’t be composted in the same time as your food and garden waste.

To find out how you can get a discounted compost bin visit our home composting webpage.

Cotton wool and make up pads

Cotton wool, makeup pads and wipes go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put these in any of your recycling bins.

Crisp tubes

Crisp packets

What do I do with crisp packets?

A lunchbox staple, the humble crisp packet suffered some unwanted headlines when people started posting their empties back to the manufacturer in protest that they weren’t easy to recycle and could take up to 80 years to decompose in landfill.

Crisp packets can’t be recycled at home because although the inside of the packet is shiny and looks like foil, it is, in fact, a metallised plastic film.

Munch then scrunch

An easy way to discover if your snack packet is foil or metallised plastic film, is to do the scrunch test. Simply scrunch the item in your hand – if it remains ‘scrunched’ it is foil and can be recycled easily, but if it springs back (like crisp packets) it is probably metallised plastic film.

Crisp packet blankets

Did you know crisp packets are an ideal material for creating survival blankets? They are waterproof and the silver foil lining reflects heat, keeping the body warmer for longer.

Several schools and colleges across Greater Manchester have supported the idea having taken inspiration from the ‘Crisp Packet Project’ based in East Sussex. The blankets are commonly given to the homeless.

If there isn’t a recycling point near you, put your empty crisp packets in your general waste bin.

Disposable face masks

Put disposable face masks in your general waste bin.

Disposable gloves

Put disposable gloves in your general waste bin.

Dog waste

Please put dog waste in your general waste bin. Bag it first and then put it the bin.

Do not put dog waste in your food and garden bin at home.

Drinking glasses

Broken drinking glasses should be wrapped securely and placed into your general waste bin. They should not go in the mixed recycling bin.

Donate drinking glasses that are still in a good condition at one of the 18 Renew donation containers which are at recycling centres across Greater Manchester, or take them to a charity shop.

Drinking glasses or wine glasses can’t be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home. This is because they are made out of toughened glass containing chemicals that can’t be recycled with your glass bottles and jars.

General waste (non-recyclable waste)

The general waste (non-recyclable waste) produced in Greater Manchester is sent by rail to an energy recovery plant (combined heat and power plant) in Runcorn where it is used to generate electricity and steam that is used in the operation of the neighbouring plant.

Your general waste does not go to landfill, it is used to make electricity. in fact we currently divert over 99.5% of the 1millions tonnes of waste we handle per year away from landfill to reuse, recycling, composting and energy recovery.

All these things can go in your general waste bin:

• Soft plastic packaging (bread bags, crisp packet, cling film)
• Plastic bags
• Polystyrene
• Food and drink pouches
• Plant pots
• Pet waste
• Cotton wool and make up pads
• Nappies and sanitary products
• Tissues and used paper towels
• Wet wipes
• Wallpaper

Do not put the following items in your general waste bin:

• Batteries
• Clothes and textiles
• Electrical items

You can take general waste (non-recyclable waste) to a recycling centre

Kitchen roll

Used kitchen roll go in your general waste bin.

The cardboard tube from kitchen and toilet rolls go in your paper and card bin.

Lids (glass bottles and jars)

Please put lids in your general waste bin.

Please remove all lids from glass bottles and jars before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

The lids from glass bottles and jars can’t be recycled with the rest of your recycling, as some are made of a combination of metal and plastic.

Lids and tops (plastic)

Loose bottle tops fall off the bottles during the separating process and end up in the glass containers which can ruin the glass recycling. If you can easily remove a bottle top we ask that all plastic tops are taken off the and placed in the general waste bin.  If the bottle top is attached, make sure it is securely fastened before recycling it.

Lids from clean tubs such as butter tubs, ice cream tubs etc can be kept on and recycled in your mixed recycling bin. 

Choose to reuse

Some schools, community centres collect lids for arts and crafts projects.

Metal tubes

Metal tubes go in your mixed recycling bin.

This includes:

• Tomato and garlic puree tubes
• Sauce tubes
• Personal care and beauty tubes

Nappies and sanitary products

Disposable nappies and sanitary products can’t be recycled, please put them in your general waste bin where they are used to make electricity.

Please do not put nappies and sanitary products in your recycling bins.

There are a number of reusable options available for both sanitary products and cloth nappies.

Pet waste

Pet waste such as cat litter and dog poo should be bagged and put in your general waste bin.

Do not put pet waste in your food and garden bin at home.

Plastic film

Plastic film goes in your general waste bin. This includes things like, cling film, film off ready meals and plastic wrapping. You can also put them in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre.

Check your local supermarkets for a plastic bag recycling point. Some accept other sorts of plastic packaging too.

Food nets and packaging

Plastic nets from fruit and vegetables go in your general waste bin. You can also put them in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre.

Check your local supermarkets for a plastic bag recycling point. Some accept other sorts of plastic packaging too.

Toothpaste tubes

Plastic toothpaste tubes can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin. You can leave the cap on. Please make sure they are empty.

Please note that no other types of plastic tubes can be recycled. The manufacturers of toothpaste tubes have redesigned the packaging out of HDPE plastic that can be recycled along with plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays.

Polystyrene

Polystyrene such as foam chip packaging, take away cartons, cups etc. cannot be recycled in household recycling bins as it causes problems in recycling facilities due to breaking down into small pieces which can contaminate other materials. Instead: 

Think about reusing: polystyrene can be reused for packaging, insulating or can be used for projects if you’re up for some arts and crafts. 

if the polystyrene can’t be reused, it should be placed in your general waste bin or alternatively taken to your local recycling centre where it should be put in the general waste container. It will then be sent for energy recovery rather than a landfill. 

Never burn polystyrene at home as it is dangerous and releases toxic fumes. 

Safety razor blades

What do I do with safety razor blades?

Even the bluntest razor blade is a hazard, so all blades need to be disposed of safely.

The good news is that blades from a safety razor (they’re the ones with a single, thin, double edged metal blade) can be recycled in the scrap metal container at a recycling centre, or you can put them in your general waste bin.

But disposable razors are very different. Because they made up of plastic, metal and rubber, they CANNOT be recycled. Cartridge and disposable razors go in your general waste bin.

The simplest – and safest – way to recycle razor blades is to store them in a tin. If you can’t buy a purpose made one, use a normal tin can with a lid and recycle the whole lot.

Why razor blades are good for recycling

Razor blades are usually made of stainless steel, which is very recyclable. They can be melted down again with other metals to form alloy ingots to be made into something new.

You can recycle old blades at your local recycling centre if it takes scrap metal. Just throw them in the scrap metal container and that’s job done.

Another way to recycle your used razor blades is with TerraCycle, which has made it its mission to recycle all the difficult items that could end up in landfill.

TerraCycle has teamed up with some big brands to bring their recycling schemes across the country, recycling things such as crisps and nuts packets, pens, and other hard plastics that can’t go in general recycling. 

Straws

Straws go in your general waste bin.

Buy a straw you can wash and reuse instead of single use straws.

Tissues

Tissues go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put any tissues in your paper and card bin.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper can’t be recycled in your paper and card bin. Please put any new or used wallpaper in your general waste bin.

You can donate leftover rolls of wallpaper to some charity shops.

Any waste produced by tradespeople or builders you hired to carry out improvements, repair or alterations to your home is classed as business waste and can’t be disposed of at any of our recycling centres. Always ask a tradesperson to include waste disposal in their quote.

Wet wipes

Wet wipes should be placed in your general waste bin.

Wet wipes include:

• Baby wipes
• Cosmetic wipes
• Bathroom cleaning wipes
• Toilet wipes

Never flush wipes down the toilet. Please visit the United Utilities website for more info on how wet wipes cause blockages if flushed.

Blister Packs

Blister packs can’t be recycled at home – put them in your General Waste bin.

Alternatively, you may be able to recycle your medicine packaging at a local pharmacy. Superdrug and Boots Pharmacies offer a route for recycling, such as this blister pack take-back scheme. If you don’t have a Superdrug or Boots nearby, it’s worth checking with your local pharmacy, such as Lloyds, or your nearest hospital to see if they provide a take-back recycling service.