Recycling rules for Sheffield
Based on Sheffield published guidance · Last verified March 2026
Search what goes in your bins →Recycling
Accepted
Glass
- Glass bottles — Brown bin
- Glass jars — Brown bin
Metals
- Tins — Brown bin
- Cans — Brown bin
Plastics
- Plastic bottles — Brown bin — bottles only!
Paper & Card
- Paper — Blue bin
- Newspapers and magazines — Blue bin
- Cardboard — Blue bin — flatten
Not accepted
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays — Not accepted kerbside in SheffieldInstead: Take to recycling site
- Food trays — Not accepted kerbside in SheffieldInstead: Take to recycling site
- Textiles — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to recycling site
- Carrier bags and soft plastics — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to supermarket for recycling
- Bread bags and crisp packets — Not recyclable kerbsideInstead: Take to supermarket for recycling
- Mixed recycling in one bin — Paper must be separate from glass/cans
- Items in plastic bags — Recycling must be placed loose
- Extra waste next to bins — Only extra paper and card accepted
Common mistakes
- Plastic tubs and pots — Take to a recycling site
- Food trays — Take to a recycling site
- Carrier bags — Take to supermarket for recycling
- Crisp packets — Soft plastics — recycle at shops
Tips (12)
- • Brown bin: glass and cans
- • Blue bin: paper and card
- • Only plastic bottles!
- • No pots, tubs or trays
- • Never mix bin contents
- • Items loose — no bags
- • Flatten all cardboard
- • No food trays kerbside
- • Soft plastics to shops
- • Bin lid must close fully
- • No food in recycling
- • Extra paper tied by bin
Source: Sheffield council website. Check your council's site for the latest updates.
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