Recycling rules for Cheshire East

Accepted

Not accepted

• ✗Tied bin bags or carrier bags — Leave your recycling loose
• ✗Food waste — Not accepted in the silver binInstead: Garden bin if you subscribe, otherwise black bin or compost at home; outdoor food caddy from late autumn 2026
• ✗Polystyrene and hard plastics — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Nappies — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Electrical items — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Clothing and textiles — Not accepted in the silver binInstead: Donate good-quality clothing to a charity shop
• ✗Carpets and duvets — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Asbestos — Not accepted in the silver binInstead: Small quantities of bonded asbestos: special skips at Pyms Lane (Crewe) and Danes Moss (Macclesfield) centres - phone first
• ✗Fluorescent tubes — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Gas canisters — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Knives and sharp objects — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Paint — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Rubble or bricks — Not accepted in the silver binInstead: Household Waste and Recycling Centre (you may be charged for rubble)
• ✗Soil or large branches — Not accepted in the silver bin
• ✗Syringes or needles — Not accepted in the silver bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠General waste→ goes in General Waste — Black bin; section 46 notice will allow fixed penalties
• ⚠Batteries — Small: HWRC or participating shops; large: HWRC
• ⚠Lithium-ion batteries — Not accepted in the silver or black bin
• ⚠Vapes (e-cigarettes) — Not accepted in the silver or black bin
• ⚠Paint sprays and hazardous aerosols — Take to a household waste recycling centre
• ⚠Damaged or non-empty aerosols — Take to a household waste recycling centre

Accepted

• ✓Meat and fish — Raw and cooked, including bones
• ✓Fruit and vegetables — Raw and cooked, including peelings
• ✓Uneaten food from plates and dishes
• ✓Bread, cakes and pastries — Including stale bread and crusts
• ✓Rice, pasta and beans
• ✓Dairy products and eggs
• ✓Egg shells
• ✓Tea bags and coffee grounds — Plastic-free tea bags only
• ✓Leftover solid fats
• ✓Cat and dog food
• ✓Stones from fruit — For example prune stones
• ✓Compostable caddy liners — Must meet the EN13432 standard

Not accepted

• ✗Plastic bags — Even biodegradable ones don't break down in time
• ✗Packaging of any sort — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Liquids, including oil or liquid fats — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Nappy bags — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Foil or food wrap — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Coffee filters and non-compostable tea bags — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Cat litter — Contaminates the food waste
• ✗Garden waste — Must not go in the new food caddyInstead: Garden bin if you subscribe, or free at household waste recycling centres

Common mistakes

• ⚠Cardboard or paper→ goes in Recycling — Silver recycling bin
• ⚠Animal waste→ goes in General Waste — Black household waste bin
• ⚠Biodegradable face wipes→ goes in General Waste — Don't break down fast enough for composting

Accepted

• ✓Flowers and plants
• ✓Grass cuttings
• ✓Hedge clippings
• ✓Leaves
• ✓Twigs and small branches
• ✓Hay, straw and wood shavings — Not used for pet bedding
• ✓Leftover food and food waste — Incl. egg shells, peelings, meat and fish with bones
• ✓Pet food — Dog and cat food
• ✓Tea bags, tea and coffee grounds — Plastic-free tea bags only
• ✓Compostable caddy liners — Must meet the EN13432 standard

Not accepted

• ✗Plastic bags — Not accepted even if they are biodegradable
• ✗Plastic, glass and metals — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Packaging of any sort — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Coffee filters — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Non-compostable tea bags — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Liquid cooking fat or oil — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Foil or food wrap — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Nappy bags — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Disposable nappies — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Cat litter — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Plant pots and containers — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Porcelain and plaster — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Leather, textiles and feathers — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Vacuum cleaner contents — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Dyestuffs — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Household or garden chemicals — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Rubble and stone — Not accepted in the garden bin
• ✗Soil, compost or large amounts of turf — Not accepted in the garden bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Paper and cardboard→ goes in Recycling — Silver recycling bin
• ⚠Animal waste→ goes in General Waste — Black household waste bin
• ⚠Ash→ goes in General Waste — Bagged and cold, in the black household bin
• ⚠Biodegradable face wipes→ goes in General Waste — Don't break down fast enough for composting
• ⚠Batteries — Small: HWRC or participating shops; large: HWRC