Recycling A-Z

Aerosol cans can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Aluminium foil - clean - can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Aluminium cans can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Appliances

• Small electrical items can be recycled in the pink electrical items bins on City estates.
• Large call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 to book a bulky waste collection

Appliances can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Asbestos is not suitable for recycling and needs a specialist collection. Call 020 7332 3433 to arrange collection or contact the Hazardous Waste team for more information.

Baby goods that are in good condition can be given to friends and family members or donated to charity shops or given away at a Give and Take Day. Clothes can also be placed in the Salvation Army clothing bins on City estates.

Batteries can be recycled in the battery bins on City estates or libraries (look for the pink battery symbol) or in most supermarkets and Robert Dyas stores.

Bicycles can be brought to a Give and Take Day, or donated to charity. They can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre or can be collected as bulky waste (call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details).

Bikeworks sell bikes, repair bikes and provide teaching and training to help you ride or fix your bike better.

Biscuit tins can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Blankets can be placed in the Salvation Army textile bins.

Bones if you have food waste collection, you can include bones in your food waste. Otherwise, they should be placed in your general waste.

Books can be donated to charities or brought to a Give and Take Day. Liverpool Street Station have opened a new Book Swap where books can be left, however, it is a small space so we advise you only take a few books at a time. Otherwise, they should be placed in your general waste.

Bottles - both plastic and glass - can be rinsed and placed in your clear recycling sack or recycling bin.

Bric-a-brac can be donated to charities or brought to a Give and Take Day. If broken they should be placed in your household waste.

Bubble wrap cannot be recycled.

Building waste should be dealt with the company carrying out the works.

Bulbs see light bulbs and low-energy light bulbs.

Bulky items such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, furniture should be collected via our bulky waste collection service. Please note: a charge may apply for this service. Call the Contact Centre - 020 7606 3110 - for more details, and please let them know if the items are in usable condition or not. Bulky items can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Cans (aluminium and steel) can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Cards (greetings, Christmas and birthday) can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Cardboard can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Large pieces of cardboard that don't fit in your sack should either be placed directly into a recycling bin or if you have a street collection, should be flattened and taped together and placed next to your recycling sack. Ensure cardboard is clean and dry, if not, please place it in your household waste.

Carpet can be reused in several ways. Find out more at Carpet Recycling UK

Cartons can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Catalogues can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

CDs, DVDs and videos can be given to charities or at a Give and Take Day. If they are broken or unusable they should be placed in your household waste.

Cereal boxes can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

China plates and ornaments cannot be recycled. These can be given away to charities or at a Give and Take Day if they are still usable. If they are broken, please place them in your household waste bin or sack.

Christmas trees - real trees - can be brought to our collection points advertised on our website just after Christmas, these will then be composted.

Did you know you can also rent a Christmas tree – this will mean that you don’t need to dispose of your Christmas tree. Companies such as Christmas on the Hill | London Christmas Tree Rental and London Christmas Tree Rental - Sustainable Pot Grown Christmas Trees have Christmas trees available to rent. Please note that other companies also offer this service.

Clingfilm cannot be recycled. Place it in your household waste bin or sack.

Clinical waste: call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 to arrange a collection. If you are a new customer, you need to register first. Clinical waste includes any swabs, dressings, bodily fluids, syringes, needles or other sharp instruments.

Clothes should not be put into your clear sack. They can be placed in the Salvation Army textile bins located around the City and at the Salvation Army's International Head Quarters, or given away at a Give and Take Day.

Coat hangers can be given away to charity shops or to your local dry cleaner.

Coffee Cups (disposable) can be taken to various points around the City to be recycled. Or place in your waste bin - these should not be put into your clear recycling sack.

Coffee Pods - Nespresso Pods can be recycled at the Nespresso Boutique shop in New Change.

For all other coffee pod brands, please contact the brand direct for further information on recycling. Recycling bags can be obtained via Podback.

Coloured paper can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Computers can be given away at a Give and Take Day or if they don't work, placed in the pink electrical waste bins on City estates.

Confidential waste like shredded paper can be placed first into an envelope or a small box such as a cereal box and then placed into your clear recycling sack.

Construction waste should be handled as a commercial collection, organised by your contractor.

Contact lenses can be recycled via Terracycle at various drop of points throughout the City with the ACUVUE Contact Len Recycling Scheme. This includes the foil from the blister packaging, the packaging itself as well as the contact lenses.

Cooked food - residents on City estates and in certain private blocks of flats can put cooked food in their kitchen caddy. Make sure you use the special food waste liners to line the caddy, tie the liner and place it in the food waste bin or on estates place your caddy outside for collection on the appropriate collection day.

Cookers can be collected as bulky waste Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details. Cookers can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Cotton pads, buds etc. cannot be recycled. Place it in your household waste bin or sack.

Crockery cannot be recycled. These can be given away to charities or at a Give and Take Day if they are still usable. If they are broken, please place them in your household waste bin or sack.

Dishwashers can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details.

Disposable Nappies should be placed in your household waste. Please see our Real Nappy page for information about the benefits of using real nappies. City parents may be eligible for £54.15 cash-back on their real nappy purchase or laundry service.

Doors can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details. Doors can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Duvets and pillows should be placed in your household waste or given away to charities. Please do not put these in the Salvation Army textile bins.

DVDs can be given to charity or brought to a Give and Take Day. To dispose of them, please place DVDs in your household waste. They can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Egg cartons can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Egg shells can be included in your food waste collection if you receive one, or else can be placed in you household waste.

Electrical items small - can be recycled via the pink bins on City estates. Usable items can be brought along to a Give and Take Day.

Additionally, The Repair Directory lists local businesses which can repair your broken electrical device. Please note, this directory is on a third party website and the City of London Corporation has no responsibility for any of its contents, viewing in Chrome is recommended.

The directory lists businesses that meet these criteria:

• Have at least 10 online reviews of which 80% are positive.
• Provide a physical address.
• Provide at least a one month repair warranty.

See The Restart Project for further information.

Some Dunelm stores are offering to recycle your old electrical items when you purchase new items. Check out the website for information.

Energy saving light bulbs - ​can be recycled in the light bulb bins in City Libraries and Estate Offices. Otherwise, the nearest location for recycling your light bulbs can be found via the Recolight website.

Engine oil can be taken to the Tower Hamlets Waste and Recycling Centre.

Envelopes can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Fabric can be put in the Salvation Army textile bins or given away at a Give and Take Day.

Fat can be included in your food waste collection, if you have one (you may wish to wrap it in newspaper first). Otherwise, allow it to cool and collect in a container/bottle and place in your household waste.

Fence panels can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details. Fence panels can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Fire alarms can be recycled in the pink electrical items bins on City estates.

Flower pots can be given away or should be placed into your household waste bin or sack. Flower pots can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Fluorescent tubes can be placed in the light bulb bins at City libraries or on City estates, or at Robert Dyas stores. Fluorescent tubes can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Foil clean - can be recycled via your clear sack or recycling bin.

Food unopened, in-date food could be donated to a food bank, such as the Square Mile Food Bank, or find a food bank at the Trussell Trust website.

Food waste can be put in the food waste collection. You should add food scraps to your kitchen caddy, using the special liners. On estates, leave your caddy out for collection on the appropriate days. In private blocks of flats take it to your brown food waste bin. If you don't have a food waste collection, food waste should be added to your household waste. 8 meals could be saved each week if we stopped binning our food at home. Visit Love Food Hate Waste for tips on avoiding food waste and exciting recipes to use up leftovers.

Fridges and Freezers can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details.

Fruit peelings can be included with your food waste.

Furniture can be collected as bulky waste. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details. Furniture can also be taken to a Give and Take Day or it can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Dunelm have partnered with The British Heart Foundation and Clearabee to rehome preloved furniture and give it a second home.

Garden chemicals Contact our Hazardous Waste team on 020 7332 3433 to arrange collection.

Garden waste - large amounts will need to be booked as a bulky waste collection through the Contact Centre - 020 7606 3110. Or it can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Gas cylinders in most instances the company or organisation that provided it, will arrange to collect it or they can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

• Calor cylinder: call 020 8884 3484. They will take your details and organise a free collection.
• LP gas cylinder: contact the LP Gas Association on 08457 626 379.
• If you do not know who provided the gas cylinder, or the original supplier cannot collect it, you should contact an authorised waste carrier to arrange for its collection / disposal.

Gift wrap can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Glass (general) glass from windows, drinking glasses, furniture etc. cannot be recycled. This is because the glass is made differently from bottle glass, and therefore may cause problems if being used to make new bottles.

Glass bottles and jars reuse - bottles and jars have many uses. They can be used to contain food or small household items. To recycle them, place them in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Greetings cards can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Hangers you could offer them to charity shops, to dry cleaners or bring them to a Give and Take Day.

Healthcare waste call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 to arrange a collection. If you are a new customer, you will need to register first. Clinical waste includes any swabs, dressings, bodily fluids, syringes, needles or other sharp instruments.

Home improvements any DIY waste will need to be booked as a bulky waste collection through our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110. Such waste can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Household chemicals contact our Hazardous Waste team on 020 7332 3433 to arrange collection.

Household rubbish should be placed into your household waste bin or sack. Street collections must always be via a City of London household waste sack. Any waste left on the street in a black sack or shopping bag may incur a fixed penalty.

Inhalers can be recycled at participating pharmacies. Find your nearest one by using the Pharmacy finder.

Ink cartridges

• Currys PC World accepts cartridges in store for recycling.
• Cartridges can be taken to the Tower Hamlets Waste and Recycling Centre
• Cartridges can be posted to The Recycling Factory where you can donate money to charity or earn cash or Tesco Clubcard points from your empty cartridges.

When buying your printer, choose one that uses cartridges that can be easily refilled or that can easily accept generic or refilled cartridges.

Jars glass or metal - can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Jar lids can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Juice cartons can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Please make sure they are clean.

Junk mail can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. To reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, you can join the Mail Preference Service

Kitchen roll cannot be recycled. Place it in your household waste bin or sack.

Kitchenware and décor can be recycled via certain Dunelm stores via their Pass It On scheme. Items that are being accepted are: cookware, dinnerware, glassware, tableware, bakeware and home décor, as long as they’re in good, instantly usable (and loveable) condition.

Kitchen waste if you receive a food waste collection, all food waste should be placed in your kitchen caddy with a food waste liner. The liner should then be tied closed and, on estates, the caddy left out on collection day. In private blocks of flats the food waste in its liner should be placed in your brown food waste bin.

Light bulbs traditional-style and halogen bulbs should be placed into your household waste bin or sack.

Low energy light bulbs - ​can be recycled in the light bulb bins in City libraries, Estate Offices. Find your nearest location on the Household Recycling page or our recycling map. See the Recolight website.

Magazines can be given away for reuse or they can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Ensure paper is clean and dry, otherwise please place it in your household waste.

Mail can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. The Mail Preference Service can help reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.

Make-up packaging - including beauty, skincare and hair care packaging - can be recycled at your local L'Occitane store, or via online.

Margarine tubs clean - can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Mattresses can be collected as bulky waste. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for more details. Mattresses can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Dunelm have partnered with The British Heart Foundation and Clearabee to recycle and rehome preloved mattresses.

Microwave ovens can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details. Microwave ovens can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Mobile phones can be recycled in the pink Small Electrical Items bins on City estates, or there are many charities which collect mobile phones to raise money.

Nappies should be placed into your household waste bin or sack. City parents can receive £54.15 cash back on a real nappy purchase.

Newspapers can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Oil can be taken to the Tower Hamlets Waste and Recycling Centre. For details, follow the link and see the information under the Disposal Sites heading.

Organic waste see Food waste.

Paint can be reused with the Community RePaint Network or you could book a collection via our Hazardous Waste team on 020 7332 3433. Or it can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Paper can be recycled via your clear sack or recycling bin. Ensure paper is clean and dry, otherwise please place it in your household waste. Shredded paper can be placed first into an envelope or a small box such as a cereal box and then placed into your clear recycling sack. Envelopes etc. with a plastic window can also be included in your recycling. Please avoid soiled paper and card e.g. food wrappings with oil soaked into it.

Pet litter should be placed into your household waste bin or sack.

Photographs cannot be recycled. You can place them in your household waste.

Pizza boxes can be recycled only if it is clean and dry, otherwise place it in your household waste.

Plant pots should be placed into your household waste bin or sack. Plant pots can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Plastic a lot of plastic (bottles and food pots, tubs and trays) can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Plastic bags, including those used for salad, bread, rice/pasta should be placed in the household waste. Hard plastic items such as toys, flower pots or pieces of furniture should be placed in the household waste or can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Plastic bags should not be placed in your recycling sack. Please do not place your recycling inside a shopping bag, only clear recycling sacks may be used.

Plastic bottles including detergent bottles/laundry bottles/toiletry bottles can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Please rinse them first.

Plastic packaging clean plastic bottles and food pots, tubs and trays can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin.

Polystyrene packaging expanded polystyrene should be placed in your household waste sack or bin.

Pyrex glass should be placed into your household waste bin or sack. Large amounts should be booked as a Bulky waste collection. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for more details.

Radiators can be collected as bulky waste. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for more details. Radiators can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Rigid bulky plastic cannot be recycled. Place any hard plastic into your general waste.

Shoes can be placed in the Salvation Army textile bins located around the City or taken to a Give and Take Day. Please make sure you tie the shoes together so they stay together as a pair.

Shredded paper can be placed first into an envelope or a small box such as a cereal box and then placed into your clear recycling sack.

Smoke alarms can be recycled in the pink electrical bins on City estates.

Spectacles - some opticians take old spectacles to be recycled, ask at your opticians or check online. If they are broken or unusable they should be placed in your household waste. Specsavers provides recycling boxes for glasses as well as the glasses cases, and can be found in all UK optical stores.

Teabags can be included with your food waste collection if you have one, or otherwise will need to be included with your household waste.

Telephone directories can be included in your clear recycling sack.

Telephones that do not work can be recycled via our pink Small Electrical Items bins on City estates.

Televisions and CRT monitors can be collected as bulky waste. Call the Contact Centre 020 7606 3110 for more details, they can also be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Textiles should not be put into your clear sack. Textiles can be placed in the Salvation Army textile bins or given away at a Give and Take Day. Textiles can also be dropped off at certain Dunelm stores to be recycled via their Pass It On scheme.

Timber cannot be recycled in your clear recycling sack. This can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre or can be collected as bulky waste (call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details).

Tins can be recycled via your clear sack or recycling bin. Please rinse them first.

Tissues cannot be recycled. Please place it in your household waste bin or sack.

Toner cartridges see Ink cartridges

Toothbrushes and (empty) toothpaste tubes can be taken to Bow Lane Dental (2a Bow Lane) to be recycled through their TerraCycle scheme.

Toys can be donated to charities or brought to a Give and Take Day. If they are broken or unusable, they should be placed in to your household waste.

Tyres can be collected as bulky waste. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details.

Vapes can be recycled at some household recycling centres and some stores. You can take your used vapes to Tesco on Cheapside where they have a drop off point, or to find out where the closest vape recycling point is to you check Recycle Your Electricals or visit one of the shops below:

• Burlington Bertie Ltd., 77A Leadenhall Street EC3A 3DE
• Mycigara, 107 Fleet Street EC4A 2AB
• Sainsbury's, 89 Cannon Street EC4N 6HA 
• Scotts Thameslink, 65 Ludgate Hill EM4M 7JH
• Soho Vape, 41 Queen Victoria Street EC4N 4SF
• The Phone Lads, 93 Fleet Street EC4Y 1DH
• Vape & Booze Hub, 63 Cannon Street EC4N 5AA

Vegetable peelings can be included with your food waste collection if you have one, or otherwise will need to be included with your household waste.

Videos cannot be recycled. These can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre or should be placed in your household waste bin or sack.

Water cartridges can be taken to any Robert Dyas stores.

White goods can be collected as bulky waste. Call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details. Or can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre.

Wood cannot be recycled in your clear recycling sack. This can be taken to Tower Hamlets Reuse and Recycling Centre or can be collected as bulky waste (call our Contact Centre on 020 7606 3110 for details).

Wrapping paper can be recycled in your clear sack or recycling bin. Foil/plastic type paper cannot be recycled.

Yellow Pages phone directories can be included in your clear recycling sack.

Yogurt pots can be included in your clear recycling sack. Please rinse them first.