Recycling rules for Sandwell

Accepted

Not accepted

• ✗Nappies — Can't be recycledInstead: Non-recycling (grey) bin or a purple (nappy) bag
• ✗Clothes and fabrics — Not accepted in the blue lid bin
• ✗Paint tins or cans — Not accepted in the blue lid bin
• ✗Crisps, biscuits or sweet wrappers — Wrong type of plastic; can't be recycledInstead: Non-recycling grey bin
• ✗Hard plastics like furniture or toys — Wrong type of plastic; can't be recycledInstead: Non-recycling grey bin
• ✗DIY, garden and chemical bottles — Not accepted in the blue lid bin
• ✗Plastic bags — We can't see if there is recycling inside themInstead: Non-recycling grey bin
• ✗Cling film and other plastic film — Wrong type of plastic; can't be recycledInstead: Non-recycling grey bin
• ✗Polystyrene — Can't be recycledInstead: Grey bin or the tip on Shidas Lane
• ✗Drinking glasses, pyrex and glass dishes — Not accepted in the blue lid bin
• ✗Liquids — Can ruin the whole load of recycling

Common mistakes

• ⚠Paper, cardboard and cartons→ goes in Paper & Card — Recycling (blue) bag, kept separate from the blue lid bin
• ⚠Food waste→ goes in Food Waste — Food waste (brown) bin
• ⚠Garden waste→ goes in Garden Waste — Compost it, take it to the tip or use a garden bin

Accepted

• ✓Meat
• ✓Fish and shellfish — Raw and cooked
• ✓Bones and shells
• ✓Egg products — Including eggshells
• ✓Dairy
• ✓Bread, cakes and other baked goods
• ✓Pasta and rice
• ✓Beans and pulses
• ✓Fruit
• ✓Salad and vegetables
• ✓Tea bags and coffee grounds
• ✓Lard and other hard fats
• ✓Tinned and dry pet food
• ✓Any meal leftovers

Not accepted

• ✗Packaging — Not accepted in the food waste bin
• ✗Glass — Not accepted in the food waste bin
• ✗Other recycling — Not accepted in the food waste bin
• ✗Straw or other animal bedding — Not accepted in the food waste bin
• ✗Liquids — Not accepted in the food waste bin

Common mistakes

• ⚠Cardboard→ goes in Paper & Card — Recycling (blue) bag
• ⚠Foil→ goes in Recycling — Recycling (blue lid) bin
• ⚠Garden waste→ goes in Garden Waste — Compost it, take it to the tip or use a garden bin

Accepted

• ✓Grass cuttings
• ✓Hedge and shrub clippings
• ✓Plants and weeds
• ✓Leaves, twigs and bark
• ✓Cut flowers
• ✓Windfalls — Fallen fruit such as apples

Not accepted

• ✗Soil, pot plant compost, turf, ash or garden chemicals — These items won't be collected
• ✗Plastic, including bags, bin liners and plant pots — Garden waste must be loose and not in bags
• ✗Stones or rubble — These items won't be collected
• ✗DIY rubbish, timber or sawdust — These items won't be collected
• ✗Animal waste or bedding — These items won't be collected
• ✗Metal or glass — These items won't be collected

Common mistakes

• ⚠Food or kitchen waste→ goes in Food Waste — Food waste (brown) bin

Accepted

• ✓Paper — Blue bag
• ✓Newspapers — Blue bag
• ✓Magazines — Blue bag
• ✓Card — Blue bag
• ✓Cardboard — Large pieces: fold, remove tape, put beside bag
• ✓Cartons — Blue bag

Not accepted

• ✗Plastics and packaging — Not accepted in the blue bag
• ✗Plastic bags — We can't see if there is recycling inside themInstead: Non-recycling grey bin
• ✗Polystyrene — Can't be recycledInstead: Grey bin or the tip on Shidas Lane
• ✗Tissues — Not accepted in the blue bag
• ✗Greaseproof paper — Not accepted in the blue bag
• ✗Glitter or foil wrapping paper — Not accepted in the blue bag
• ✗Greeting cards with glitter or attachments — Not accepted in the blue bag

Common mistakes

• ⚠Glass, cans, tins and plastics→ goes in Recycling — Recycling (blue lid) bin
• ⚠Food waste→ goes in Food Waste — Food waste (brown) bin
• ⚠Nappies→ goes in General Waste — Non-recycling (grey) bin or a purple (nappy) bag
• ⚠Garden waste→ goes in Garden Waste — Compost it, take it to the tip or use a garden bin