In the UK, we throw away enough electrical items to fill Wembley stadium 6 times over, every single year! Electrical items contain materials such as plastic and metals that can be used repeatedly and by gathering your unwanted items you are making sure that these valuable resources will be reused.
To recycle small electrical items, simply:
- remove any batteries
- put any unwanted electrical appliances (no larger than 35cm x 40cm) in an unwanted, standard-size, carrier bag (no black bin bags, please)
- place the bag next to either your recycling or black waste bin by 7am on your collection day
Important: please do not put the bagged items in your recycling bin, as it won't be emptied.
Typical examples of the type of item we can collect
These include:
Small electrical items (appliances no larger than 35cm by 40cm):
- bedside lamps
- blenders
- calculators
- cameras
- chargers
- digital-boxes
- electric toothbrushes
- electronic toys and games
- electric blankets
- food processors
- hair dryers
- hand-held dust busters
- hi-fi equipment (including speakers)
- irons
- juicers
- kettles
- power tools
- shavers
- telephones
- toasters
- torches
What we cannot accept
- TVs and PC monitors
- laptops
- fluorescent tubes and energy-saving light bulbs
- ink cartridges and toners
- fridges and freezers
- washing machines
- dishwashers
- cookers
- microwave ovens
- vacuum cleaners
- glass or ceramic electrical items (e.g. slow cookers or glass kettles)
These items can be disposed of at a tidy tip or in a bulky waste collection.
Household batteries
To recycle your unwanted household batteries, simply:
- put the household batteries in an unwanted, standard-size, carrier bag (no black bin bags, please)
- place the bag next to either your recycling or black waste bin by 7am on your collection day
Important: please do not put the bagged items in your recycling bin, as it won't be emptied.
Alternatively, check your local supermarket as most stores now accept used household batteries.
What are we collecting?
- 6v
- D
- C
- AA
- AAA
- 9v
- button
- mobile phones batteries
We cannot accept
- children’s ride-on toy batteries
- sealed lead acid/gel batteries
- car batteries
- motorbike batteries
- industrial batteries
- lithium batteries
These items should not be placed in either your recycling or black waste bins. They should be disposed of safely at a Household Waste Recycling Centre (Tidy tip).
Reusable textiles and shoes
To recycle your unwanted but reusable textiles and shoes:
- put the clean, dry and reusable textiles in an unwanted, standard-size, carrier bag (no black bin bags, please)
- place the bag next to either your recycling or black waste bin by 7am on your collection day
Important: please do not put the bagged items in your recycling bin, as it won't be emptied.
Alternatively, you can take any unwanted textiles and shoes to a local textile bank.
What are we collecting?
- clothing in reusable condition only
- footwear (tied in pairs)
- sheets
- blankets
- towels
- household linen and fabrics
We cannot accept
- worn, torn or stained textiles
- wet or damp items
- duvets
- pillows
- cushions
- sleeping bags
Some clothing banks may take textiles and worn fabrics, as these could be recycled into rags. However, our collection is for items that still have life in them.