Recycling Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I recycle?
Recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of packaging.
Putting something in your rubbish bin means it will end up in landfill or incineration, but recycling gives that material the best chance of staying in use and out of the environment.
If every household in the UK recycled just one more item each week, we could save enough energy to power over 500,000 UK homes for a year.
What can I put in my green bin?
Everyday items that can go into the green bin include:
- Food tins, foil and drink cans
- Mixed glass, bottles and jars
- Plastic bottles and containers, tubs, pots, punnets and tubes
- Paper
- Cartons
- Cardboard
If you have a green recycling bin, please ensure the recycling is clean, dry and placed loosely in the bin and ensure you do not squash the metals or plastics.
For a full list of what can and what can’t be recycled in your bin please see the A to Z of recycling. Find more local recycling facilities on the Recycle Now website.
Does recycling really make a difference?
Yes. Recycling is worthwhile and helps reduce pollution, save energy and conserve natural resources. It also supports jobs in the UK’s recycling, processing and manufacturing industries. Most people already recycle, and every bit helps.
How can I improve my recycling?
You can improve your recycling by checking what can be accepted in your green bin collections and by only putting in those items that the council specifically asks for on the Lets Waste Less website. For items not collected at kerbside check the A-Z of Recycling at Let’s Waste Less.
Do I need to squash bottles, cans and cartons and scrunch up my paper?
Please do not squash down your plastic bottles or cans. Please do not scrunch up your paper. You can flatten cardboard boxes and cartons.
The machinery at EnviroSort works best if these materials are in their original state. The main separator in EnviroSort works by separating flat things, eg. paper from items such as cans.
How do I recycle foil?
- Make sure your foil is clean and free of food
- Wipe or rinse foil trays
- Remove any plastic lids or packaging and recycle these at your local supermarket
- Scrunch clean foil into a ball if possible
- Place in your green bin
How do I recycle plastic tubes?
- Squeeze out any remaining product so that the tube is empty. Rinse out as much residue as possible.
- Leave the cap on – it can be recycled
- Place in your green bin
Should the plastic tube be rolled up or flattened?
Please keep your tubes flat when recycling, not rolled. Rolling will mean that the tube is smaller and will run the risk of not being recovered for recycling.
Can I put shredded paper in my recycling bin / sack?
It is difficult to recycle shredded paper, we suggest you put shredded paper inside an old envelope or cereal box (then flattened down) and into your recycling collection. Alternatively, a much better way of recycling your personal documents is to put them in your home composting bin.
Why can't I put textiles into my recycling collection?
As your recyclables are collected mixed together in one bin / sack we cannot collect textiles for recycling because they will get spoilt.
You can donate clothes to charity for re-use and there are also recycling sites around Worcester where you can take unwanted textiles. ReMade in Crown Gate also collect textile donations.
Can I recycle aerosols (shaving foam, hairspray etc.) in my green bin/sacks?
Yes you can. Please put all your empty aerosol cans in your green bin/sack.
I use recycling sacks to recycle, what can I put in them?
You can recycle the same items as in a recycling bin, including glass bottles and jars. Please wrap broken glass in newspaper and put it in your recycling sack.