Recycling rules for Brighton and Hove
Based on Brighton and Hove published guidance · Last verified March 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Brighton and Hove.
Search what goes in your bins →Recycling
Accepted
Metals
- Tins and cans — Empty and rinsed
- Aerosol cans — All kinds, empty
Paper & Card
- Cardboard — Clean, flattened or torn to fit bin
- Paper and magazines — Includes envelopes with windows
Plastics
- Plastic bottles — All kinds — rinsed, squashed, lids on
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays — Rinsed and squashed — no plant pots
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars — Black glass box — rinsed, metal lids on
Not accepted
- General waste and black bags — Goes in general waste bin
- Food waste — Goes in food waste caddy
- Plastic bags and soft plastic — Jams sorting machineryInstead: Reuse or recycle at supermarkets
- Plastic plant pots — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: General waste or local take-back schemes
- Cartons and Tetra Pak — Not accepted kerbsideInstead: Take to carton recycling point
- Nappies and dog waste — General waste — double wrap
- Textiles and clothing — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Swap, donate, or textile recycling point
- Batteries and vapes — Fire risk in binsInstead: Return to shops where purchased
- Electrical items — Specialist disposalInstead: Repair, donate, or WEEE recycling point
- Drinking glasses and Pyrex — Different glass type to bottlesInstead: Pass on or wrap and put in general waste
- Shredded paper — Not accepted in recycling bin
Common mistakes
- Pyrex and cookware→ goes in General Waste — Wrap broken items, general waste
- Wet or dirty cardboard→ goes in General Waste — Clogs machinery at sorting facility
Tips (12)
- • Recycling must be clean
- • Recycling must be dry
- • Recycling must be loose
- • No bags in recycling bin
- • Squash bottles and tubs
- • Lids on plastic bottles
- • Metal lids on glass jars
- • Flatten cardboard to fit bin
- • No food in recycling
- • No batteries or vapes
- • Plastic lids in general waste
- • Glass in black glass box
Source: Brighton and Hove council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
Work for Brighton and Hove? See how BinBosh helps councils →
Never miss bin day
Get free reminders the night before your bins go out.
Set up reminders