Recycling rules for Northumberland
Based on Northumberland published guidance · Last verified March 2026
Under Simpler Recycling, councils across England are standardising collections. Here's what currently goes in each bin in Northumberland.
Search what goes in your bins →Recycling
Accepted
Paper & Card
- Clean paper and card — No shredded paper or paper towels
- Corrugated cardboard — Flatten first
- Birthday and Christmas cards — Plain only — no glitter or bling
- Envelopes — Including window envelopes
- Plain gift wrap
- Newspapers and magazines — Includes catalogues, directories
- Junk mail
Metals
- Food and drinks tins — Rinsed
- Empty aerosol cans
Plastics
- Plastic bottles — Washed, squashed — lids and pumps on
Not accepted
- Shredded paper — Goes in general waste bin
- Paper towels and tissues — Goes in general waste bin
- Glitter or bling cards — Goes in general waste bin
- Tin foil or foil trays — Goes in general waste bin
- Plastic bags and carrier bags — Goes in general waste bin
- Cling film — Goes in general waste bin
- Yoghurt pots and food trays — Goes in general waste bin
- Margarine cartons — Goes in general waste bin
- Plant pots — Goes in general waste bin
- Bubble wrap — Goes in general waste bin
- Polystyrene — Goes in general waste bin
- Tetra Paks — Take to local tipInstead: Household Waste Recovery Centre
- Glass — Take to local tip
- Bin liners — Goes in general waste bin
- Single use coffee cups — Goes in general waste bin
- Gloss photo paper — Goes in general waste bin
Common mistakes
- Foil and foil trays→ goes in General Waste — Not accepted in Northumberland recycling
- Glass bottles and jars — Take to local tip
- Tetra Pak cartons — Take to local tip
- Batteries — Find nearest point on Recycle Your Electricals
- Electricals — Find nearest point on Recycle Your Electricals
Tips (12)
- • Only bottles, no other plastic
- • Wash and squash bottles
- • Lids and pumps can stay on
- • Rinse food tins first
- • Flatten cardboard
- • No shredded paper
- • No foil or foil trays
- • No glass — take to tip
- • No yoghurt pots or trays
- • No carrier bags or cling film
- • Plain gift wrap only
- • No excess in black bags
Garden Waste
Accepted
- Grass cuttings
- Shrubs
- Leaves
- Weeds
- Flowers and plants
- Hedge clippings
- Prunings
- Small branches
Not accepted
- Plastic bags or bin bags — Not compostable
- Plant pots or plastic trays — Not compostable
- Kitchen waste or food waste — Not accepted in garden bin
- Soil, bricks or rubble — Not organic waste
- Nappies — General waste only
- Paper, plastic or cardboard — Goes in recycling or general waste
- Textiles — Not compostable
- Animal waste — Not compostable
- Compostable bags — Not accepted
- Children's toys — General waste
- Garden ornaments — General waste or bulky collection
- Ragwort — Not accepted
Common mistakes
- Food waste→ goes in General Waste — No food in Northumberland garden bins
Tips (8)
- • Bin out by 7am
- • No food waste in garden bin
- • No plastic bags
- • No compostable bags
- • No soil or rubble
- • No animal waste
- • No ragwort
- • Take bin in after emptying
Source: Northumberland council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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