Putting the right stuff in the right bin is important. The wrong stuff is called contamination. Most of us are getting it right, however, when too much contaminated material is collected, it potentially prevents the whole lorry load of material from being recycled.
Items that should NOT be put in your home recycling
These items need to be put in your waste bin.
Animal waste
COVID-19 test waste including Lateral Flow cartridges/testing devices
COVID-19 related Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including face masks
Disposable nappies
Glass cookware, Pyrex and ovenware, drinking glasses and ceramics
Sticky tape
Tissues, wet wipes, cotton buds and cotton wool
Tips to avoid contamination in your recycling
Check our Recycling Locator tool to see what you can recycle at home
Visit our Recycle an Item pages to check how to recycle problem items
Check your local authority website or collection leaflet for specific instructions about how to recycle some items, e.g. lids on/off
