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Recycling from the bathroom

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Recycle bathroom plastics!

Your bathroom is awash with recyclables. 

We all use toiletries and bathroom cleaners on a daily basis and our bathrooms are packed full of stuff that can be recycled after we’ve finished with it. The great news is, most people are doing just that, but there’s always room to recycle more.

If everyone in the UK recycled one bathroom cleaner bottle, enough energy could be saved to vacuum around 82,460 homes.

We’ve drawn up a handy list of the top 10 items that can (and should) be recycled from the bathroom as well as 5 storage hacks to help keep your bathroom clutter free and recycling in order.

The top 10 things everyone can recycle from their bathroom

  1. Shampoo bottles
  2. Conditioner bottles
  3. Shower gel and bubble bath bottles
  4. Cardboard boxes e.g. toothpaste or soap boxes
  5. Toilet roll tubes
  6. Bathroom cleaner and bleach bottles (even the spray dispenser can be recycled)
  7. Deodorants
  8. Shaving foam
  9. Hand soap bottles (but remember you can’t recycle the pump dispenser)
  10. Moisturiser bottles

Top tips:

  • Squash your bottles and replace the lid or spray dispenser. 
  • Pump dispensers can’t be recycled.
Find your nearest locations to recycle household & toiletries bottles


5 hacks to help you keep your bathroom recycling in check 

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Bathroom recycling in a bag hanging on door handle
1. Hang a bag on the back of the door

If you’re short on floor space, raise your recycling! There are some really stylish and pretty bags out there, why not choose one to match your colour scheme and hang it on a hook or the door handle? 

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Bottles for recycling in bathroom cabinet
2. Hide your empties away in a cupboard or drawer

If you aspire to have a streamlined bathroom, stow your empties in a cupboard or drawer until you’ve collected enough to take them to the main recycling bin.

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Two bathroom bins, one for recycling

3. Grab a second bin

Make use of that wasted space under the sink and get a bathroom recycling bin for your plastic bottles, aerosols, toilet roll tubes and toothpaste boxes.




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Basket of bathroom bottles for recycling

4. Re-purpose a basket or box

Got a pretty basket that you don’t dare throw away? Why not turn it into a bathroom recycling bin. If country classic isn’t your thing, you could choose a storage box with a contemporary feel.

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Collecting bottles for recycling from landing
5. Want it sorted right now?

If you prefer to get rid of your empties asap, pop them on the landing or in the dirty laundry basket as soon as you empty them and take them to the recycling bin next time you’re heading downstairs.

Find out more:

  • Learn more about which items you can recycle from around your home 
  • Find out what happens next to the items you recycle

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Recycling knowledge

  • Getting started
  • How is it recycled?
  • Recycling around your home
  • Recycling from the bathroom
  • Food recycling
  • Recycling symbols explained
  • Facts and info
  • Northern Ireland
  • Recycle Week campaign
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Brought to you by WRAP

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (which operates as WRAP) is a registered UK Charity No. 1159512 and registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 4125764.

Registered office at Second Floor, Blenheim Court, 19 George Street, Banbury, Oxon, OX16 5BH.