Recycling rules for Bexley

Accepted

Not accepted

• ✗Recycling in plastic bags or black sacks — Bagged recycling will not be collectedInstead: Put recycling in the bin loose
• ✗Plastic film and cling film — Can't be recycled by the council schemesInstead: Some supermarkets' plastic bag banks, or general waste
• ✗Plastic carrier bags — Not accepted in the white-lidded binInstead: Some supermarkets recycle carrier bags
• ✗Crisp packets — Not accepted in the white-lidded bin
• ✗Cut flower cellophane — Not accepted; currently not recyclableInstead: General waste
• ✗Mirrors and sheet glass — Currently not recyclableInstead: Non-recyclable area at the recycling centres
• ✗Glass cookware such as Pyrex — Currently not recyclableInstead: General waste or the recycling centres
• ✗Drinking glasses — Not recyclableInstead: Wrap well and put in general waste
• ✗Pet food pouches — Not recyclableInstead: General waste
• ✗Plastic pouches — Cannot currently be recycledInstead: General waste; some via the Wasteless Market
• ✗Polystyrene — Currently not recyclableInstead: Small amounts in general waste; more to the centres
• ✗Bubble wrap — Currently not recyclableInstead: Reuse it, or put it in general waste
• ✗Plastic plates — Currently not recyclableInstead: General waste
• ✗Nappies — Cannot be recycledInstead: General waste bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Batteries — Battery banks at recycling centres, libraries, Civic Centre
• ⚠Electrical items — Electrical area at the reuse and recycling centres
• ⚠Light bulbs — Light bulb section at the reuse and recycling centres
• ⚠Vapes — Designated bins at the reuse and recycling centres
• ⚠Gas cylinders — Return to the store, or ask staff at a recycling centre
• ⚠Coffee pods — Thames Road or Foots Cray centres, or the Podback scheme
• ⚠Plastic toys — Hard plastics area at the reuse and recycling centres
• ⚠Pringles tubes→ goes in General Waste — Or the Wasteless Market, which sends them to TerraCycle
• ⚠Biscuit wrappers→ goes in General Waste — Or the Wasteless Market, which sends them to TerraCycle

Accepted

• ✓All food scraps
• ✓Eggshells
• ✓Cooked or raw meat — Including bones
• ✓Cooked or raw fish — Including bones
• ✓Bread and pastries
• ✓Rice and pasta
• ✓Tea, teabags and coffee grounds
• ✓Fruit and vegetables
• ✓Dairy — Listed on the flats (communal bins) food page
• ✓Nuts
• ✓Small amounts of fallen fruit — If you have space; ideally home compost or garden bin

Not accepted

• ✗Garden waste — Not collected in the food waste boxInstead: Brown garden waste bin (paid) or recycling centres
• ✗Plastic packaging — Not collected in the food waste box
• ✗Plastic bags and black sacks — Do not use plastic bags to line the caddyInstead: Starch bags, old newspaper or paper bags
• ✗Liquids — Not collected (flats' communal food list)
• ✗Foil — Not collected (flats' communal food list)Instead: Clean foil: white-lidded recycling bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Cooking oil — Oil container at the recycling centres; never down the sink

Accepted

• ✓Hedge cuttings
• ✓Grass cuttings
• ✓Weeds
• ✓Plants
• ✓Flowers
• ✓Dead leaves
• ✓Twigs
• ✓Fallen fruit
• ✓Real Christmas trees — No decorations; cut into 2-3 pieces, next to the bin

Not accepted

• ✗Plastic or paper bags — Garden waste must go in the bin loose
• ✗Plastic plant pots and labels — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Cut flower cellophane — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Manure — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Dog poo — Not accepted in the garden waste binInstead: Bagged, in general waste
• ✗Cat litter — Not accepted in the garden waste binInstead: Non-biodegradable litter: general waste
• ✗Pet bedding — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Soil, stones, gravel and rubble — Not accepted in the garden waste binInstead: Rubble and hardcore area at the centres
• ✗Fences, MDF and treated wood — Not accepted in the garden waste binInstead: MDF and wood: reuse and recycling centres
• ✗Branches or logs over 6cm in diameter — Too large for the garden waste binInstead: Wood or garden waste areas at the centres
• ✗Garden waste left beside the bin — Side waste will not be collected

Common mistakes

• ⚠Food waste→ goes in Food Waste — Food makes garden waste impossible to process
• ⚠Garden waste in the rubbish bin→ goes in Garden Waste — Red-tagged and not emptied; compost it or use a centre

Accepted

• ✓Newspapers and magazines
• ✓Letters and envelopes — Whole or shredded
• ✓Junk mail — Whole or shredded
• ✓Shredded paper — Put it in a cereal box or paper bag first
• ✓Confidential papers — Shred first; small amounts can be torn
• ✓Cereal boxes
• ✓Dry food and medicine packaging — E.g. medicine boxes and information leaflets
• ✓Cardboard food packaging — Not contaminated with food or fat
• ✓Cardboard boxes — Break down, flatten and put inside the bin
• ✓Paper bags — Remove plastic, rope or other non-paper handles
• ✓Egg boxes — Not if very soiled
• ✓Greeting cards
• ✓Postcards
• ✓Wrapping paper that tears easily — Tear test: no foil or plastic in it
• ✓Catalogues and directories
• ✓Brochures and leaflets
• ✓Office paper
• ✓Jiffy bags — Remove the plastic inside first
• ✓Kitchen roll tubes — The inside tube only
• ✓Clean greaseproof paper — Only if the paper is clean

Not accepted

• ✗Glass and foil — Not accepted with paper and cardInstead: White-lidded recycling bin
• ✗Plastic bags and black sacks — Not accepted; put paper and card in loose
• ✗Foam cups — Not accepted with paper and card
• ✗Used paper cups, plates and straws — Not accepted with paper and card
• ✗Foil or glittery wrapping paper and gift bags — Shiny or glitter paper cannot be recycledInstead: General waste

Common mistakes

• ⚠Food and drink cartons→ goes in Recycling — White-lidded bin, rinsed first
• ⚠Greasy pizza boxes→ goes in General Waste — Very soiled or greasy cardboard goes in general waste