Recycling rules for Bristol, City of
Based on Bristol, City of published guidance · Last verified March 2026
Search what goes in your bins →Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles and jars — Rinse — black box, lids in green box
Paper & Card
- Newspapers and magazines — Black box
- Paper and envelopes — Black box — not wrapping paper
- Shredded paper — In untied carrier bag — black box
- Cardboard — Blue bag — flatten, remove tape
- Brown paper — Blue bag
Plastics
- Plastic drinks bottles — Green box
- Plastic toiletry bottles — Green box — shampoo, shower gel
- Plastic cleaning bottles — Green box — bleach, washing up liquid
- Plastic yoghurt pots and tubs — Rinse — green box
- Plastic trays — Green box — meat, fruit, biscuit
Other
- Bottle tops, lids and caps — Green box — metal and plastic
- Food and drink cartons — Blue bag — includes Tetra Pak
Metals
- Food and drink cans — Rinse and squash — green box
- Foil and takeaway containers — Rinse and squash — green box
- Empty aerosol cans — Green box — without lids
Not accepted
- Black plastic — Machines can't sort black plastic
- Bubble wrap — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Reuse or put in black wheelie bin
- Carrier bags and soft plastics — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to supermarket for recycling
- Cling film — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Put in black wheelie bin
- Cellophane — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Put in black wheelie bin
- Crisp packets — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Put in black wheelie bin
- Hard plastics — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to recycling centre or charity shop
- Light bulbs — Contains hazardous materialsInstead: Take to recycling centre
- Polystyrene — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Put in black wheelie bin
- Broken glass — Safety hazardInstead: Wrap in paper, bag and label, black bin
- Coffee pods or capsules — Mixed materials
- Wrapping paper — Often contains non-recyclable coatings
- Bin liners and black bags — Contaminates recycling stream
- Soiled pizza boxes — Food grease contaminates cardboard
Common mistakes
- Coffee pods→ goes in General Waste — Mixed materials, not recyclable
- Window and drinking glass→ goes in General Waste — Different glass type to bottles
- Pyrex glass→ goes in General Waste — Different melting point to glass
- Textiles and clothes — Clean, dry — in carrier bag for black box
- Small electrical items — In untied bag in black box
Tips (12)
- • Glass goes in black box
- • Cans go in green box
- • Cardboard in blue bag
- • No black plastic accepted
- • Rinse all containers first
- • No plastic bags in boxes
- • Squash cans to save space
- • Flatten cardboard for bag
- • Remove tape from cardboard
- • No cling film or wrap
- • No crisp packets
- • Remove lids from aerosols
Food Waste
Accepted
- Bread, pasta, cereal and rice
- Cooked and uncooked food
- Dairy products and egg shells
- Fruit and vegetable peelings
- Leftover food and plate scrapings
- Meat, fish and bones
- Tea bags and coffee grounds
Not accepted
- Glass — Put in black recycling box
- Metal — Put in green recycling box
- Plastic — Put in green recycling box
- Shredded paper — Put in black recycling box
- Cardboard — Put in blue recycling bag
- Any other household waste — Put in black wheelie bin
Common mistakes
- Packaging→ goes in Recycling — Remove all packaging before food bin
- Compostable packaging→ goes in General Waste — Not accepted in food waste
Tips (10)
- • All cooked food accepted
- • Meat and bones are fine
- • Line caddy with newspaper
- • Tea bags go in food bin
- • Egg shells are accepted
- • No packaging of any kind
- • Keep outside bin locked
- • Carrier bags ok as liners
- • No glass or metal
- • Empty caddy into big bin
Source: Bristol, City of council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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