Recycling rules for County Durham

Accepted

Not accepted

• ✗Plastic wrap and film — Not accepted in the recycling binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Ready meal food trays — Not accepted in the recycling binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Polystyrene and bubble wrap — Not accepted in the recycling binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Black plastic — Black plastic is more difficult to recycle
• ✗Black plastic cartons — Black plastic is more difficult to recycle
• ✗Black plastic plant pots — Black plastic is more difficult to recycleInstead: Take them to the recycling centre
• ✗Black bags — Can't be recycled like tubs and pots; contaminate binInstead: Put recycling loose into the bin
• ✗Carrier bags — Can't be recycled like tubs and pots; contaminate binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Crisp packets — Soft plastic we cannot recycleInstead: Many supermarkets and stores (check first), or rubbish bin
• ✗Kitchen paper — Not accepted in the recycling binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Baby, facial and cleaning wipes — Not accepted in the recycling binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Nappies — Badly affect the quality of the materialInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Tissues — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Shredded paper — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Cutlery and other metal objects — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Pans — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Oven trays — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Pyrex — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Light bulbs — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Mirrors — Not accepted in the recycling bin
• ✗Flat glass — Not accepted in the recycling bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Takeaway pizza boxes→ goes in General Waste — Rubbish bin; only supermarket outer boxes are recycled
• ⚠Pizza box polystyrene disc and plastic wrap→ goes in General Waste — Rubbish bin; only the cardboard outer box is recycled
• ⚠Food waste→ goes in Food Waste — Harms recycling quality; use the weekly food caddy
• ⚠Pet waste→ goes in General Waste — Harms recycling quality; rubbish bin
• ⚠Soft plastics: bread, salad, pasta bags and wrappers — Many supermarkets and stores take them; check first
• ⚠Clothes, shoes and bedding — We cannot recycle them; take them to charity

Accepted

• ✓Plate scrapings
• ✓Meat, fish and bones — Both raw and cooked
• ✓Bread and pastries
• ✓Fruit and vegetables — Including skins, e.g. banana skins
• ✓Tea bags and coffee grounds
• ✓Dairy products and eggs — Such as cheese; eggshells too
• ✓Mouldy and out of date food — Please remove packaging
• ✓Cooked food
• ✓Pet food — All food intended for household pet consumption

Not accepted

• ✗Packaging of any kind — Please only place food waste in your caddies
• ✗Plastic — Caddy liners are ok
• ✗Liquids such as milk — Not accepted in the food waste caddy
• ✗Oil or liquid fat — Not accepted in the food waste caddy
• ✗Foil, cutlery, polystyrene, glass or plastic food wrap — Not accepted in the food waste caddy

Common mistakes

• ⚠Flowers and plants→ goes in Garden Waste — Garden waste bin, if you sign up for collections

Accepted

• ✓Grass cuttings
• ✓Shrubs
• ✓Leaves — Only from trees free from infection
• ✓Weeds
• ✓Flowers and plants
• ✓Hedge clippings
• ✓Prunings
• ✓Small branches — Thinner than 7cm in diameter

Not accepted

• ✗Plastic and black bags — Put your garden waste loose in the bin
• ✗Biodegradable or compostable bags — Put your garden waste loose in the bin
• ✗Plant pots and plastic trays — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Large amounts of soil — Make the bin heavy and difficult to emptyInstead: Take surplus soil to a recycling centre (tip)
• ✗Bricks and rubble — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Stones — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Nappies — Not accepted in the garden waste binInstead: Rubbish bin
• ✗Paper, plastic and cardboard — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Textiles and clothing — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Children's toys — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Garden ornaments — Not accepted in the garden waste bin
• ✗Large branches — Thicker than 7cm in diameter
• ✗Diseased plants and leaves — Risks spreading the diseaseInstead: Burn leaves from infected trees on site
• ✗Toxic plants such as Rhododendron, Yew and Ragwort — Also Foxglove, Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed, Hemlock
• ✗Fruit from fruit trees — Loose or on branches; disease risk in finished compost
• ✗Petrol, gas canisters and chemicals — Not accepted in the garden waste bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Kitchen and food waste→ goes in Food Waste — Disease risk in the compost; use the food caddy
• ⚠Pet waste→ goes in General Waste — Disease risk in the compost; rubbish bin
• ⚠Batteries — Not the rubbish bin either; council battery recycling