This site is delivered by Worcestershire County Council.

What to put in the green bin

All homes in Worcestershire have the same recycling service using a green bin or a clear sack (if you are not able to have a wheelie bin).

This page lists all the materials that can be recycled through your kerbside collection and at EnviroSort, the recycling plant. If your kerbside collection is done via a sack please do not put glass bottles and jars into the sack. Instead, recycle via local recycling centres or your nearest Household Recycling Centre.

Before you recycle:

  • make sure your it is clean and dry, a quick rinse under the tap to remove any residue will do
  • make sure it is loose, please don’t put it in a plastic bag and put the bag in your bin
  • check before your chuck, if in doubt, leave it out!

Our contractor Severn Waste Services has produced some fact sheets which outline materials that cannot be recycled and why, find them here:

Aerosols and food and drink cans

Household metal packaging

You can recycle:

  • food tins
  • pet food tins
  • drinks cans
  • aerosols
  • sweet & biscuit tins
  • metal lids from jars & bottles

Please remember:

  • food and drinks cans only
  • no other types of metals e.g. saucepans, cutlery, tools
  • please don't flatten cans
  • please make sure all items are clean
  • push sharp lids into cans
  • separate plastic lids off aerosols and put them in your recycling bin loose
  • no foil – this can be taken to your nearest household recycling centre
  • no foil pouches or coffee pods – these need to go in your black/grey bin.
  • no crisp packets or sweet wrappers
  • tip: labels can be left on
  • no gas bottles

Glass bottles and jars


You can recycle:

  • glass food and drinks bottles
  • glass food and drinks jars
  • fragrance bottles
  • moisturiser jars
  • make up jars

Please remember:

  • glass bottles and jars only
  • make sure all items are clean
  • pump tops need to be removed and put in your black/grey bin
  • if your kerbside collection is done via a sack, please do not put glass in.
  • glass recycling points are available at the household recycling centres
  • no need to remove labels
  • lids can be left on
  • all colours of glass are accepted
  • no drinking glasses, pyrex, window glass etc
  • no nail varnish bottles

Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays


You can recycle:

All plastic bottles:

  • soft drinks
  • milk/juice
  • detergent/fabric conditioner
  • cleaning spray
  • bleach
  • shampoo and conditioner
  • shower gel

Plastic tubs:

  • margarine
  • ice cream
  • plastic pots:
  • yoghurt
  • cream
  • jelly
  • custard
  • plant pots (not black)
  • plastic trays:
  • fruit punnets
  • meat trays
  • ready meal trays
  • cake trays
  • egg boxes

Please remember:

  • no black plastic
  • please wash out where possible
  • don't flatten plastic packaging
  • bottle tops can be included – just screw the lid back onto the bottle after you've cleaned it
  • no pump tops or trigger sprays
  • children's toys, garden containers, bins, water butts
  • no film, foil
  • no plastic bags
  • no crisp wrappers or sweet wrappers
  • no hard plastics

Mixed paper


You can recycle:

  • newspaper and magazines
  • phone books
  • catalogues/brochures
  • junk mail/ leaflets
  • letters
  • greetings cards
  • envelopes
  • shredded paper (contained within another paper item e.g. cereal box, envelope, paper bag)

Please remember:

  • keep paper flat
  • remove any plastic wrappers
  • no glittery cards or wrapping paper
  • no sticky paper e.g labels
  • you can compost your shredded paper in your home compost bin too
  • no metallic/ film coated wrapping paper
  • no dirty/ stained paper

Cardboard


You can recycle:

  • cardboard packing
  • cereal boxes
  • ready meal card sleeves
  • egg boxes
  • kitchen roll tubes
  • toilet roll tubes
  • toothpaste boxes
  • dishwater tablet boxes
  • pet food boxes

Please remember:

  • flatten cardboard boxes and tubes
  • no contaminated packaging e.g. food waste in takeaway pizza boxes
  • Remove inner packaging – film, bags and polystyrene need to go into your black/grey bin

Cartons


You can recycle:

  • milk/ juice/ smoothies
  • fabric conditioner
  • soup/passata
  • custard
  • UHT milk

Please remember:

  • please flatten cartons
  • remove lids-these can be put into your recycling bin separately
  • plastic spouts can be left on

Useful links