Frequently Asked Questions - Recycling

What is recycling?

Recycling is simple, it's making something old into something new. It turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources and generates a host of environmental, economic and social benefits. It is sorting and processing recyclables into raw materials and manufacturing them into new products, for example, you can recycle old plastic bottles into a fleece jacket.

We must recycle the waste we produce to conserve the natural resources for our future generations.

Why Recycle?

Recycling waste is important because it reduces pollution, saves energy and our natural resources, supplies valuable raw materials to the industry, conserves landfill space, creates jobs and can save you money.

Recycled Goods

Buying recycled goods has both economic and environmental benefits. Purchasing products made from or packaged in recycled materials saves resources for future generations.

Recyclable items

	Batteries Use rechargeable batteries as they can be used over and over again until you've exhausted them. You can recycle your car batteries by taking them to your Community Recycling Centre.
	Bicycles You can take bikes to one of the Community Recycling Centres where they are collected as part of the Bikes 4 All project
	Books You can recycle books at the Recycling Bring Sites or Community Recycling Centres.
	Cans Aluminium and steel cans can be recycled at Recycling Bring Sites or Community Recycling Centres. Recycled aluminium is used to produce drink cans, cars, bikes etc.
	Cardboard You must try to avoid buying products with excessive packaging and buy in bulk or concentrated items, which will save you money and the environment. You can recycle cardboard at Recycling Bring Sites or the Community Recycling Centres.
	Furniture You can take unwanted furniture items to the Community Recycling Centres
	Fridges / White goods & Electrical equipment You can take the electrical items, fridges, freezers etc to the Community Recycling Centre for recycling or donate items in good condition to charities. Fridges / white goods are recycled to produce steel, aluminium and mixed plastics.
	Glass Glass bottles and jars can be recycled at the Bring Sites and Community Recycling Centres. Most big supermarkets have bottle banks situated at their sites. Click here to see a list of Recycling bring sites. Recycled glass is used to make new glass bottles and jars.
	Green/Garden waste You can make your own compost at home using your garden waste or take it to your Community Recycling Centre. This includes garden clippings, hedge trimmings, tree stumps etc It is used to make nutrient rich compost, which is excellent for the health and growth of plants.
	Metal You can dispose scrap metal at the Community Recycling Centre. Steel is used to make saucepans, food cans etc.
	Oil You can take oil to your Community Recycling Centre for recycling.
	Paper You can recycle paper, newspaper, magazines by using the paper banks at recycling bring sites or the Community Recycling Centres. Paper is used to make postcards, egg boxes, toilet rolls, paper.
	Plastic Plastic bottles can be recycled at your Community Recycling Centre. It is used to make traffic coats, coat hangers, carrier bags, pencils, fleeces, duvet fillings, bin liners etc.
	Soil / Hardcore You can recycle this at your Community Recycling Centre. This is then processed and reused as building material.
	Textiles You can donate old clothes to charities or recycle them by using the textile banks at Recycling Bring Sites or at the Community Recycling Centres. Good quality clothing is sent to third world countries; textiles are stripped down back to fibres to make blankets, rugs, sound insulation, panels in cars, padding and filling for sofas.
	Tyres See your local directory for garages that send tyres for recycling.
	Wood It can be recycled at the Community Recycling Centre but we do not except Medium density fibre board(MDF), Hardboard or Chipboard for recycling at the centres.