Welcome to North Lincolnshire Council's A-Z of waste and recycling. Is there something you are about to throw away that you are wondering could be recycled? Use the alphabet below to navigate through the materials.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Acids - acids used at home can be hazardous. Acids can be deposited in the chemical stores at one of the household recycling centres to ensure they are disposed of safely.
Remember - don't pour acids down the drain. If in doubt telephone our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 or email wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk for advice.
Aerosols - aluminium and steel aerosols can be recycled at the kerbside in your green box. You can also recycle your aerosols in one of the can banks around North Lincolnshire. Please make sure that aerosols are completely empty before recycling them and never attempt to puncture, crush or burn an aerosol can.
Aluminium cans and foil - aluminium cans and clean aluminium foil can be recycled in your green kerbside recycling box. You can also recycle your aluminium cans and foil in the can banks around North Lincolnshire. Making an aluminium can from an old one uses 95 per cent less energy than manufacturing it from raw materials - visit our recycling cans page for more facts and tips for recycling your aluminium cans and foil.
Asbestos - Asbestos from your household can be taken to Cottage Beck Road household recycling centre. We will not accept asbestos from trade or business premises.
Prior to disposing of your asbestos, you will need to obtain disposal bags (a red bag and a clear bag) in advance, free of charge, from any of the eight household recycling centres. SITA staff will ask you for relevant details to keep our records up to date.
Asbestos should be double bagged - first in a red bag, then a clear bag before you come to the household recycling centre. We will not accept loose asbestos that is not bagged, or unwrapped sheets of asbestos. Full sheets of asbestos will only be accepted if wrapped in plastic sheeting available from a builders merchant.
For further details please visit our asbestos disposal pages.
Vans and commercial type vehicles need a permit to access household recycling centres and we don't allow signwritten or hire vehicles onto the site. Please see household recycling centres for more information. Alternatively look in the telephone directory under asbestos removal if you cannot remove the waste yourself.
Ash - ash from a solid fuel fire cannot be recycled or composted. You will therefore be required to dispose of ash as general waste. Ashes should be placed into your green/grey bin. Wait until the ash has cooled before handling. Do not put hot ash into your green/grey bin.
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Batteries - batteries contain chemicals such as lead, mercury or cadmium which when sent to landfill can leak into the ground and pollute soil and water. Recycling recovers some of the materials used to make batteries and these can be used to make other products including new batteries.
You can now recycle your household batteries in your green box. All portable batteries (including rechargable batteries) can be recycled - including AA, AAA, size C and D and button batteries. Please put your batteries in any clear plastic bag and place it on top of the cans and glass in your green box so that it is visible. Please do not include car batteries, they must be taken to a household recycling centre to be recycled.
Household batteries can also be recycled at each of the eight household recycling centres. A separate container for collecting batteries is available.
Instead of buying disposable batteries why not buy rechargeable batteries as they are better for the environment.
Bedding and blankets - you can recycle unwanted bedding and blankets either in your textile bag at the kerbside or in one of the textile banks at locations across North Lincolnshire. Check out our recycling textiles page for more information. You could give unwanted bedding and blankets to your local charity shop. Please also see quilts as these cannot be recycled at the kerbside. Even if you no longer want it, it could be recycled or reused.
Bicycles - if you have an unwanted bicycle, this can be taken to the Carlton Education Centre. Bicycles in any condition can be donated to the organisation, as they will repair them to full working order. Even parts of old bicycles are welcomed, as these can be used. Carlton Education Centre is located at:
31 Fleetgate
Barton-Upon-Humber
North Lincolnshire
DN18 5QA
Telephone: 01652 637489
Please contact them before dropping off your bicycle.
You could donate it to your local charity shop for reuse or why not advertise it in your local newspaper or local shop? Bicycles can also be taken to one of the household recycling centres for recycling.
Blue box - to find out more about the blue box collection service check out our blue box page.
Books - no matter what their condition, books can be recycled through the book banks located at all eight household recycling centres. Items collected from seven of the eight recycling centres are sold in two local British Heart Foundation (BHF) shops - at Market Hill and Cole Street in Scunthorpe. Items collected from Belton household recycling centre are sold in the BHF shop in the Colonnades in Doncaster. Any 'un-sellable' items will be recycled.
You can also take unwanted books that are in good condition to your local charity shop, your local doctor's surgery or hospital. Damaged or worn books can also be taken apart and recycled - if you separate the pages from the cover and spines, the pages can be recycled as paper in your blue kerbside box or in a paper bank and the cover as cardboard in your burgundy bin or at one of the household recycling centres.
Bric-a-brac - you can donate your unwanted bric-a-brac for reuse at all eight household recycling centres.
Some of the many items accepted include: chest of drawers, bedside cabinets, wardrobes, coffee tables, dining tables and chairs, book cases, sofas and beds (carrying a fire label), adult's and child's bikes, child's toys and ornaments, garden furniture, pictures, mirrors, CDs, DVDs, and LPs, books, clothing, sports equipment and gardening tools (all items must be clean with no major damage).
Simply present your items to a site attendant who will determine whether it is suitable for the reuse scheme. If your item is not accepted for reuse then you may still be able to recycle it in one of the many recycling facilities already available at the HRC.
Brita water filter cartridges - Brita have recently launched a instore recycling scheme. Brita have situated recycling bins in high street stores such as Argos where the Brita products are sold. Please visit the Brita website to locate your nearest recycling point. Other water filter products are available however not all will be recyclable. Please check with individual manufacturers if their filters are recyclable.
Brown bin - to find out more about the brown bin collection service check out our brown bin page.
Bulky items - the council runs a special collection service for bulky household items such as TVs and furniture. Each property is entitled to one free collection of up to three items in any financial year (1 April to 31 March). Additional collections can be provided but at a cost. Visit the bulky item collection page for more information and details of what can and cannot be collected.
If the item you want to dispose of is still in a good condition, see our furniture reuse schemes page for more information on how it can be reused by someone else.
Burgundy bin - please see our burgundy bin page for more information.
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Cans - aluminium and steel cans can be recycled in your green kerbside recycling box or in one of the can banks around North Lincolnshire. Recycling aluminium and steel cans conserves raw materials used in their manufacture and also conserves energy - check out our recycling cans page for more information and ideas of the different cans that can be recycled.
Car batteries - car batteries can be taken to one of the household recycling centres where they are collected for recycling. To find your nearest centre visit: Where can I recycle?.
Cardboard - residents can recycle cardboard from the kerbside in their burgundy bin. You can also recycle cardboard at the eight household recycling centres.
Cards - greetings cards are sometimes difficult to recycle due to glitter, glue and other non-card items that can contaminate the recycling process. Greetings cards cannot be recycled as paper but can be recycled as cardboard in the burgundy bin or at one of the household recycling centres. In January each year the Woodland Trust conduct a Christmas card recycling scheme. This scheme can also accept other greetings cards as well as Christmas cards. Look out for our Christmas recycling- pages between December and January for more information. Why not reuse your Christmas and greetings cards by making them into gift tags?
Carpets and rugs - good quality carpets can be donated to your local charity shop. If you cannot find a use or new home for your unwanted carpets, they can be taken the one of the household recycling centres or collected on the bulky item collection service. Carpets and rugs cannot be recycled and so would be disposed of as general waste. If your carpets and rugs are in a good condition, why not advertise them in your local paper or shop?
Carrier bags - please do not put carrier bags in your burgundy bin as we cannot recycle them. Carrier bags can be taken for recycling at some supermarkets across the region including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco Extra in Scunthorpe.
Some supermarkets which collect plastic carrier bags for recycling will now accept clean plastic film and shrink wrap packaging in the same facilities. Check your local supermarket recycling point for more information.
Top tips:
- Only accept a carrier bag if you really need one.
- Look out for incentives in your local supermarket for reusing carrier bags.
- Look out for 'bags for life' that some supermarkets offer and will replace when worn.
CDs and DVDs - unwanted CDs and DVDs can be recycled in the British Heart Foundation recycling banks at all eight household recycling centres. Items collected from seven of the recycling centres are sold in two local British Heart Foundation (BHF) shops - at Market Hill and Cole Street in Scunthorpe. Items collected from Belton household recycling centre are sold in the BHF shop in the Colonnades in Doncaster. Any 'un-sellable' items will be recycled.
Ceramics - unwanted ceramics or china may be donated to your local charity shop if still usable. Broken ceramics or china could be used for drainage in plant pots. Alternatively it can be taken to one of the household recycling centres or put in your green/grey waste bin and disposed of as general waste.
Chemicals - chemicals used at home can be hazardous. These can be deposited safely at one of the household recycling centres in the chemical store.
Do not pour chemicals down the drain as they may damage the environment. If in doubt telephone our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 or email wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk. You can check out the Environment Agency website for further guidance.
Civic amenity sites - please see household recycling centres.
Clinical waste - there are two types of clinical waste currently collected from domestic households. The first is waste relating to incontinence and similar conditions. This is not classed by the NHS as hazardous and as such can be placed into the general wheeled bin. If you or a member of your household suffer from incontinence and are struggling with the waste collections, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 to enquire about getting a larger bin.
The second type of clinical waste relates to dressings and wounds. Such waste will contain blood. The NHS considers this hazardous and as such the PCT offers an incineration service. If you, or a member of your family has dressings and similar waste, please telephone the Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 and we can put you in touch with the PCT.
Please visit our clinical waste pages for further information.
Clothing - unwanted clothing can be recycled at the kerbside in your textile bag or in one of the textile banks at locations across North Lincolnshire. Check out our recycling textiles page for more information, or donate unwanted clothing to your local charity shop. Even if you no longer want it, it could be recycled or reused.
Commercial waste - please visit our commercial waste pages to find out about the waste and recycling services offered to businesses in North Lincolnshire. You can also look in the local telephone directory or search the internet for other companies in this area that offer trade waste collections.
Composting - please see our home composting pages for information on composting at home and how to get hold of a reduced price compost bin. Composting your organic waste produces an excellent soil conditioner that will improve soil structure and fertility.
Computers - if you have an unwanted or broken computer or computer accessories, why not donate it to Second Byte in Scunthorpe. Second Byte IT Ltd is a not-for-profit social enterprise that will recondition unwanted computers for the benefit of the local community. Visit Second Byte's website for more information or call in at:
Unit D2
Mercia Way
Foxhills Industrial Estate
Scunthorpe
DN15 8RE.
Telephone 01724 280055
You can also take your unwanted computers to one of the household recycling centres where they will be recovered by the producers under the new WEEE Regulations. Please also see electrical items.
If your computer contains personal and confidential information, we would recommend that for your peace of mind, that you delete this information before passing your computer on.
Confidential waste - households do produce some confidential waste such as bank and credit card statements and till receipts. With identity fraud becoming more common this is a concern for many households. While waste collection systems are inherently safe, once waste is transferred to collectors it becomes their property. Therefore, it is recommended that confidential waste should not be put into any waste container without firstly shredding or ripping it up. Confidential waste can also be composted at home. Please do not put this material into the brown bin. Shredded paper can be placed into the blue box but we would recommend that you wrap your shredded paper in sheets of newspaper - to reduce the chance of it being blown from the box.
The council offers a confidential waste collection service for businesses. Please see our confidential waste page in our commercial waste section for further information.
Cooking oil - old cooking oil from domestic properties can be taken to any of the eight household recycling centres in North Lincolnshire and recycled in the special container provided.
Alternatively you could make a bird feeder using your unwanted cooking oil. Mix some bird seed in with your cooking oil and place the mixture into an empty yoghurt pot (or similar). Place a piece of string into the centre of the mixture and place somewhere cold to set. When the oil and food mixture has set, you can use the string to hang the bird feeder outside.
We can not accept cooking oil from trade premises and would direct businesses back to their supplier of cooking oil who should take any used oil back.
Please remember that pouring oil down the drain can cause blockages, is illegal and is damaging to the environment.
Curtains - unwanted curtains can be recycled as textiles at the kerbside in your textile bag or in one of the textile banks around North Lincolnshire. Visit our recycling textiles page for more information. Or why not donate these to your local charity shop? Even if you no longer want them, they could be recycled or reused.
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Dead animals - if you find a dead animal at the side of the road, please telephone our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 with a detailed location and we can arrange to move the animal if it is on a public highway.
Disposable nappies - eight million disposable nappies are used in the UK each day, none of which are recycled. Despite this, nappies make up just 2.4 per cent of the UK domestic waste stream. Many families have expressed concerns about the storage of disposable nappies through the new waste and recycling collection schemes in North Lincolnshire. However bagging your used nappies and ensuring that the lid of the wheeled bin remains closed at all times will reduce any smells and will not cause any health risks. Disposable nappies are made of a mixture of materials (plastic, textile, adhesive strips), and cannot be recycled. The alternative to disposable nappies is of course reusable nappies. Please see real nappies for more information.
Duty of care - please see householders' duty of care or businesses duty of care page.
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Education - recycling officers are happy to visit local schools and community groups to talk about recycling. For further details please visit our school visits and community group visits pages.
Egg boxes - egg boxes will either be 100 per cent cardboard or will be plastic coated. Boxes that are plastic coated cannot be recycled. Cardboard egg boxes can be recycled in your burgundy bin or at one of the household recycling centres. Alternatively, they can placed into a home compost bin. Please don't place egg boxes into your brown bin, as they cannot be recycled through the North Lincolnshire Council Scheme. Remember - a home compost bin is different to your brown organic bin.
Eggshells - egg shells must not be placed into the brown bin as the composting facility is not licensed to take material from animals. Regulations such as the Animal Bi Product Regulations prevent the composting of animal waste outdoors. Therefore the list of material on the sticker on the underside of the brown bin lid is a definitive list of material that can be accepted in the brown bins. Eggshells can however be placed into your home compost bin for composting at home.
Electrical items - since the introduction of the WEEE Regulations producers of electrical equipment must now make arrangements to reuse or recycle our unwanted electrical items.
Residents can now recycle their small electrical items at the kerbside alongside their blue and green recycling boxes. For more information on this scheme, see our small electricals collection page.
Large electrical items can be taken to one of the household recycling centres for recycling. The site attendants will point you to the correct container to place your items in. If the item is still in working order, can you pass it on to someone else?
Bulky electrical items such as fridges, freezers, TVs, washing machines can also be collected from your household as part of a bulky item collection.
If the item you want to dispose of is still in a good condition, see our furniture reuse schemes page for more information on how it can be reused by someone else.
Engine oil - small amounts of engine oil from your household can be taken to the household recycling centres for disposal. The household recycling centres cannot be used to dispose of large quantities of oil from a business or trade. Businesses such as garages wanting to dispose of engine oil should contact the oil bank line on 0800 663 366 to find a company registered to remove any waste engine oil.
Remember, it's illegal and dangerous to dispose of engine oil down the drain. Many drains are connected to a river or stream that can become polluted. Heavy fines are imposed for oil pollution offences.
Envelopes - plastic windows and adhesive strips on envelopes contaminate the recycling process. Residents are asked not to recycle envelopes in the blue box or paper banks. However, if you are willing to remove the sticky adhesive strip and plastic window, the remainder of the envelope can be recycled.
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Fluorescent tubes - under new legislation, fluorescent tubes are now classed as hazardous waste. Arrangements have been made to receive these at each of the eight household recycling centres where they will be recovered by the producers under the new WEEE Regulations. Fluorescent tubes produced within your domestic household can continue to be disposed of as general waste for the time being if you cannot get to one of the household recycling centres.
Energy saving light bulbs can also be recycled at the household recycling centres.
The council provides trade premises and schools with a collection service for fluorescent tubes and low energy light bulbs - please see our fluorescent tubes pages for further details.
Foil - clean aluminium foil can be recycled in your green kerbside box or in one of the yellow can banks across North Lincolnshire. There are a number of plastic coated foils such as those used to make crisp packets however that cannot be recycled.
Top tip: Try the scrunch test to check if it is foil or plastic coated foil - if it stays scrunched it's not plastic coated foil and can be recycled.
Food - residents are no longer able to dispose of uncooked fruit and vegetable waste including peelings in the brown bin. Please put all your uncooked fruit and vegetable waste into your home compost bin. If you are unable to compost at home you will now need to put all of your fruit and vegetable waste, tea bags and coffee grounds into your general waste bin. Any other food wastes - uncooked or cooked - should be disposed of as general waste, or you could consider buying a special food waste digester which can compost all of your garden and kitchen food waste including cooked and uncooked food, meat, fish, bones, dairy products, bread, pasta, fruit scraps and vegetable peelings. Please visit the Recycle now composting pages for further details and prices.
The council is backing a new campaign, Love Food, Hate Waste, to help cut the amount of food we throw away please visit our Love Food Hate Waste pages for some top money and waste saving tips .
Food and drink cartons - carton recycling facilities are now available at all eight household recycling centres thanks to help from the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment in the UK (ACE UK) and the National Recycling Fund. Liquid food and drinks cartons are used to store fruit juices, long life milk, cooking sauces and smoothies to name just a few items. These cartons are made of a mixture of waxed cardboard, plastic and foil making them hard to recycle. Most cartons display the recyclable symbol, but they cannot be recycled with cardboard or plastic and instead have to be recycled as a material on their own. Please do not put cartons in your burgundy bin.
Fridges and freezers - fridges and freezers may contain CFCs in their coolant system. CFCs are damaging to the environment and need to be disposed of correctly. These items can either be taken to one of the household recycling centres or can be collected as a bulky item from your household. Please see electrical items or bulky items pages for more information.
Fruit - residents are no longer able to dispose of uncooked fruit and vegetable waste including peelings in the brown bin. Please put all your uncooked fruit and vegetable waste into your home compost bin. If you are unable to compost at home you will now need to put all of your fruit and vegetable waste, tea bags and coffee grounds into your general waste bin.
Furniture - unwanted furniture such as three-piece suites, beds, and tables can be collected from your household using the bulky item collection service. These items can also be taken to one of the household recycling centres for disposal or recycling. But before you take it for disposal, think if it can sold or donated to a charity shop or local community group if it's still in a reasonable condition. Even if you no longer want it, it does not mean that it could not be of use to someone else.
If the item you want to dispose of is still in a good condition, see our furniture reuse schemes page for more information on how it can be reused by someone else.
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Garden waste - garden waste can be placed into your brown wheeled bin. The material collected in the brown bins is sent for composting locally. We can't collect excess garden waste alongside the brown bins. Extra garden waste or more bulky garden material can be taken to one of the household recycling centres for recycling. The final compost can purchased at the Household Recycling Centres in 40 litre bags. You can also compost your garden waste at home in a home compost bin.
Gas cylinders - gas cylinders/bottles should be returned to the supplier for reuse. As a last resort gas cylinders from your household can be take to the Cottage Beck Road household recycling centre in Scunthorpe. Businesses or trade cannot dispose of gas cylinders at any of the Household Recycling Centres. Only one gas cylinder can be deposited per visit.
If you are unsure which company supplied your gas cylinder, the documents below are a guide to help you find the company that own the gas cylinder and the company you can contact to recover it.
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Note: The above documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need a suitable reader to view it. A reader can be downloaded free from the Adobe website (full instructions for downloading the reader are provided on the site).
Glass - glass bottles and jars can be recycled in your green box or in one of the glass banks around North Lincolnshire. Visit our recycling glass pages for more information. Sheet glass cannot be recycled at the kerbside. If you have any sheet or window glass to dispose of it should be taken to one of the household recycling centres.
Green box - for details about the green box service, please check out our green box page.
Green/grey bin - the council has a green or grey wheeled bin for the collection of general non-recyclable waste. New residents are provided with a 140L general waste wheeled bin free of charge when they move into North Lincolnshire. For more information on obtaining a general waste wheeled bin residents should contact our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000. For more information on the materials that cannot be accepted in this container, please visit our general waste (green/grey) bin page.
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Hazardous waste - as the name suggests, care should be taken when disposing of hazardous or potentially hazardous waste. Please see chemicals and acids for more information on these items. If in doubt whether an item is classed as hazardous or can be disposed of at one of the household recycling centres, please telephone our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 or email wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk.
Householders' duty of care - since Monday 21 November 2005 all householders in England have a legal responsibility to ensure that all of their waste is disposed of properly. Under the waste 'Duty of Care' regulations, all householders need to make sure their rubbish is passed to authorised carriers only. Householders not taking reasonable measures to do so could face fines of up to £5,000.
If you're using an outside company, other than North Lincolnshire Council to remove household, garden or construction waste, you can check they are registered waste carriers by telephone or online:
- Call the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 and request an instant Waste Carrier Validation Check.
Always ask for a waste carrier's number or check their details with the Environment Agency. Remember that household waste can be taken to one of the household recycling centres or you may be able to use our bulky item collection service.
If in doubt, check with the Environment Agency because if this waste is flytipped, it's the householder that is now liable for the £5,000 fine. More information on this legislation can be found on the Defra website or you can telephone our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000 or email us at wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk.
Household Recycling Centre - the council has eight Household Recycling Centres for residents of North Lincolnshire to dispose of their household waste. For details of the locations of the centres and the waste that can be accepted at each site please see our household recycling centres page.
Household Recycling Centre Permits - permits may be available for residents transporting household waste in private vans and commercial type vehicles. Please visit our permits page for further details.
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Inkjet cartridges - see printer cartridges.
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Junk mail - put a stop to unwanted direct mail. Please see our stop junk mail page for further details on a free service by the Mailing Preference Service (MPS) who can put a stop to a large proportion of the junk mail received by householders.
In the meantime, don't forget to recycle your junk mail in your blue box or in one of the paper banks around North Lincolnshire.
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Keys and locks - keys and locks can be recycled as scrap metal. Please take them to your nearest household recycling centres and place them into the scrap metal skip.
Kitchen and toilet roll tubes - inner tubes from your toilet and kitchen roll tubes are made of cardboard and can be be put in your burgundy bin or taken to the household recycling centres . Or, if you compost at home, you can place your inner tubes into your home compost bin. Please do not place them in your brown bin.
Kitchen waste - residents are no longer able to dispose of uncooked fruit and vegetable waste including peelings in the brown bin. Please put all your uncooked fruit and vegetable waste into your home composting bin. If you are unable to compost at home you will now need to put all of your fruit and vegetable waste, tea bags and coffee grounds into your general waste bin.
Any cooked food or raw meats should be placed into the general waste bin, as they cannot be composted or you could consider buying a special composter which can compost all of your garden and kitchen food waste including cooked and uncooked food, meat, fish, bones, dairy products, bread, pasta, fruit scraps and vegetable peelings - please visit the home composting pages for further details and prices.
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Larger recycling bins - residents who want to recycle more can request a free larger brown bin (for garden waste) or a larger burgundy bin (for plastics and cardboard) - if they downsize their green/grey general waste bin. For further details please visit our larger recycling bins page.
Light bulbs - standard household light bulbs can not be recycled because of the type of glass they are made from. However, why not change your standard light bulbs for energy saving light bulbs? While energy saving bulbs may be slightly more expensive to purchase, they last up to eight times as long as a standard bulb but use only a quarter of the electricity but are the same brightness. Energy saving light bulbs can be recycled at the household recycling centres across North Lincolnshire when they reach the end of their life using the fluorescent tubes container.
The council provides trade premises and schools with a collection service for fluorescent tubes and low energy light bulbs - please see our fluorescent tubes pages for further details.
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Magazines - unwanted magazines can be recycled as paper in your blue kerbside recycling box or in one of the blue paper banks around North Lincolnshire. Have a look at our recycling paper page for more information. You could always donate your unwanted magazines to your local doctor's surgery or hospital for use in the waiting room.
Medicine - return any unwanted medicines to your local chemist.
Metal - metal tins and cans can be recycled in your green box or placed in one of the can banks sited across North Lincolnshire. See our recycling cans page for more information. Scrap metal can be taken to one of the household recycling centres for recycling.
Mirrors - if in one piece, you could donate unwanted mirrors to a local charity shop. Broken mirrors should not be placed in the green box and should instead be placed into your general wheeled bin. The type of glass used to make mirrors mean that they can't be recycled. Larger mirrors can be taken to one of the household recycling centres for disposal.
Mobile phones - mobile phones can now be recycled under the WEEE Regulations. Please also see our electrical items page. Charity shops often provide collections of mobile phones. For example, Oxfam runs a mobile phone recycling scheme and you can send up to 10 handsets in a jiffy bag freepost to:
Oxfam Bring Bring Scheme
Freepost LON16281
London
WC1N 3BR
Other charities that recycle mobile phones include: Help the Aged, Action Aid, Bliss and NCH. If your mobile phone is in working order, why not advertise it in your local newspaper or shop? Although because you no longer want it, it can still be reused or recycled.
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Nappies - please see disposable nappies and real nappies.
Needles - if you use syringes or needles as part of a medical condition, you should speak to you GP or local GP practice about returning used needles to them for safe disposal. If you find a discarded needle in a public place, do not handle it - report it to the council on 01724 297000.
Newspapers - newspapers can be recycled in your blue box at the kerbside or in one of the blue paper banks around North Lincolnshire. Check out our recycling paper pages for more information.
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Oil - see engine oil and cooking oil.
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Paint - paint contains hazardous chemicals and so should not be poured down the drain. Some DIY stores will accept unwanted paint back. Local community groups may also find a use for unwanted paint.
If you can't find a new home for it, you may be able to donate it for reuse at Cottage Beck Road household recycling centre, simply present your paint to a site attendant, who will determine whether it is suitable for the paint reuse scheme. If you are unable to get to Cottage Beck Road you can dispose of your paint at one of the other household recycling centres.
In order for it to be disposed of safely, it must firstly be dried out. This can be done by removing the lid and letting the paint stand for a couple of days. In this time, the paint will dry out and become less hazardous and will allow it to be disposed of in general waste.
Paper - paper can be recycled at the kerbside in your blue box or in one of the paper banks around North Lincolnshire. Making paper from recycled paper uses 40 per cent less energy than making it from virgin wood pulp - check out our recycling paper pages for more information.
Plasterboard - can no longer be sent to landfill with other wastes. It can only be taken to Cottage Beck Road household recycling centre for recycling. There is a charge for disposal. For more information please visit our plasterboard page.
Plastics - the majority of households throughout North Lincolnshire are able to recycle plastic bottles from the kerbside in their burgundy bin. There are seven common types (polymers) of plastic of which we can only recycle three. For details of what types of plastic you can recycle please see our burgundy bin page.
There are also banks for recycling plastic bottles at 25 locations across North Lincolnshire. Please check out our recycling plastics page for more information on the types of plastics and bottles accepted. Search for your nearest location on this website. Also see our information on carrier bags.
Polystyrene - currently there are very few local councils that collect or separate polystyrene for recycling. Polystyrene can be taken to one of the household recycling centres, but it is not separated for recycling, it's simply disposed of as general waste. There is a company in Scunthorpe - Moulded Foams Ltd, that will accept small amounts of polystyrene from members of the public for recycling. Moulded Foams is at 5/7 Menasha Way, Queensway Industrial Estate, Brigg Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 3RT. Or telephone Moulded Foams on 01724 868153. The skip is at the gate.
Printer cartridges - some charities will accept used printer cartridges for recycling, ask in your local charity shop if they accept them. You can also take your empty printer cartridges to any one of the household recycling centres. Why not refill your printer cartridges instead of throwing them away?
Pyrex glass - pyrex glass cannot be recycled as it will explode when it is heated up in the furnace as part of the recycling process. Instead, broken Pyrex dishes should be wrapped and disposed of in general waste.
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Questions - if you have any questions about any of the information here or you have a waste related question, why not check out our frequently asked questions pages, email us at wastemanagement@northlincs.gov.uk or contact our Customer Helpline on 01724 297000.
Quilts - you can not recycle quilts in the textile banks or at the kerbside, but you can donate any unwanted quilts to your local charity shop or animal shelter. If you can't find a new home for your unwanted quilts they can be disposed of as general waste at one of the household recycling centres.
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Real nappies - real nappies are reusable and instead of throwing them away after use, they are washed and reused. Research has shown that there is no significant difference in the environmental impact of disposable and reusable nappies. When comparing the impact of disposable nappies decomposing in landfill to the amount of electricity and water used to launder real nappies, there is little difference in the environmental impact. Our and many other local councils don't promote either type of nappy and advise that it's parental choice which nappy to chose.
The Women's Environmental Network and The Real Nappy Information Service has information on its about real nappies and laundering services across the UK.
Recycling education - recycling officers are happy to visit local schools and community groups to talk about recycling.
For further details please see our school visits and community group visits pages.
Rubble - rubble can be taken to one of the household recycling centres where it is sent for reuse. Please note that there is a charge for the disposal of rubble at the centres. Please visit our brick, rubble and soil disposal page for further details. Rubble should not be placed into your green/grey wheeled bin as it will make it too heavy and therefore may not be emptied.
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Schools recycling scheme - the council provides free recycling containers and collections for schools in North Lincolnshire. Please see the Schools recycling collections pages for more information.
Scrap metal - you can take scrap metal to one of the household recycling centres where it is separated for recycling, or you may wish to take your scrap metal directly to a scrap merchant for recycling.
Shoes - these can be tied in pairs and placed for recycling either in your textile bag at the kerbside or in one of the textile banks around North Lincolnshire.
Soil - soil can be taken to the household recycling centres for recycling. Please note that there is a charge for the disposal of soil at the centres. Please visit our brick, rubble and soil disposal page for more information.
Spectacles - unwanted spectacles can not be recycled but can be donated to charity where they will be sent to the developing world for use there. Your local Vision Express opticians, Help the Aged stores and Dolland & Aitchinson opticians will all accept unwanted spectacles. Your unwanted spectacles can be sent to: (please note you will have to pay postage)
Vision Aid Overseas
Unit 12 The Bell Centre
Newton Road
Manor Royal
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 9FZ
Stamps - stamps can be collected and donated to charities. The charities will sell on the stamps to dealers and use the money to fund their projects. Charities that collect stamps include Oxfam, RSPB, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and RNIB. Local charity shops will often accept donation of stamps so why not ask at your local store.
Steel cans - steel cans and tins can be recycled in the green box at the kerbside or at one of the can banks around North Lincolnshire. Recycling steel cans conserves the raw materials used in their manufacture - check out our recycling cans page for more information.
Sweet wrappers - sweet wrappers and crisp packets are often thought to be made of foil. However, the foil used to make the majority of crisp packets and sweet wrappers is plastic coated. We cannot recycle foil that is plastic coated. Some chocolates are wrapped in foil that is not plastic coated and this material can be recycled in your green box or in one of the can banks around North Lincolnshire.
Top tip: Try the scrunch test to check if it is foil or plastic coated foil - if it stays scrunched it is not plastic coated foil and can be recycled.
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Telephone directories - telephone directories, including your Yellow Pages, can be recycled in your blue kerbside box or in one of the paper banks around North Lincolnshire. Check out our recycling paper pages for more information.
Televisions - under the new WEEE Regulations TVs must now be recycled. TVs can be taken to all eight household recycling centres, or collected separately on a bulky items collection. Special care needs to be taken when recycling televisions as they contain Cathode Ray Tubes, which contain hazardous chemicals. If your unwanted TV is still in working order why not pass it on to your local charity shop? For further information on electrical recycling please visit our electrical items page.
If the item you want to dispose of is still in a good condition, see our furniture reuse schemes page for more information on how it can be reused by someone else.
Tetrapak - please see food and drink cartons.
Textiles - unwanted clothes and textiles can be placed for recycling in the textile bag and put out for collection on the same day as your blue and green box. You can also take them to one of the textile banks around North Lincolnshire or to your local charity shop. Please check our recycling textiles page for more information.
Toner cartridges - please see printer cartridges.
Trade waste - please visit our commercial waste pages to find out about the waste and recycling services offered to businesses in North Lincolnshire. You can also look in the local telephone directory or search the internet for other companies in this area that offer trade waste collections.
Tyres - tyres can be taken to Belton, Barton or Cottage Beck Road household recycling centres for recycling. A charge of £2.50 must be paid for each tyre deposited at these sites. Only car tyres can be deposited at the sites, we will not accept lorry or tractor tyres. Businesses cannot dispose of tyres at these sites. Please visit our tyre disposal page to find out more and the reasons behind the charges.
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Vegetable peelings - residents are no longer able to dispose of uncooked fruit and vegetable waste including peelings in the brown bin. Please put all your uncooked fruit and vegetable waste into your home compost bin. If you are unable to compost at home you will now need to put all of your fruit and vegetable waste, tea bags and coffee grounds into your general waste bin.
Videos - why not donate to your local charity shop for reuse? They can also be recycled at bring banks located at all of the household recycling centres.
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Water - rainwater is better for your garden plants than tap water. Try investing in a water butt from your local water authority or DIY store. Rainwater can be collected to water your garden, wash your car or wash down your paths. Water meters can be installed to monitor water usage in your home and help you to save money and water.
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) Regulations - from 1 July 2007 the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations, or WEEE Regulations, requires that in the UK producers of such electrical equipment must make arrangements to reuse or recycle our unwanted electrical items. Please visit our electrical items page for further detail.
Residents can now recycle their small electrical items at the kerbside alongside their blue and green recycling boxes. For more information on this scheme, see our small electricals collection page.
Large electrical items can be taken to one of the household recycling centres for recycling. The site attendants will point you to the correct container to place your items in. If the item is still in working order, can you pass it on to someone else?
If the item you want to dispose of is still in a good condition, see our furniture reuse schemes page for more information on how it can be reused by someone else.
White goods - please visit our electrical items or WEEE pages.
Wood - unwanted wood can be taken to one of the household recycling centres where it is collected for recycling.
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Xylophones - these and other musical instruments can not be recycled but you could donate your unwanted musical instruments to charity, advertise them for sale or offer them free to a good home. Oxfam is one charity shop that has a network specialist music shops will accept donations of unwanted musical instruments and sheet music.
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Yellow pages - your old yellow pages can be recycled in your blue box at your kerbside or in one of the paper banks across North Lincolnshire. Check out our recycling paper pages to find out more about the myths that surround yellow pages recycling.
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Zips - you could give your unwanted zips and sewing accessories to your local charity shop.
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