A-Z of recycling and rubbish
Please follow the information issued by us about what you can and can't recycle, not what is written on the packaging itself.
Click on each of the letter banners below to see which items belong in your different bins. The banners will open up lists of items.
If you can't find an item you're looking for on this page, please check our recycling in Derby guide and if we think it will be helpful we will add it to the A-Z. Alternatively, if you are unsure whether an item is recyclable, please put it in your black bin.
Aerosol - blue bin
Asbestos - small amounts can be taken to Raynesway HWRC (small amounts only - please read the information on the Raynesway HWRC page before you visit or you may be turned away). The Health and Safety Executive have published information on large quantities of asbestos.
Ash (coal) - black bin
Ash (wood) - home composting
Bark - brown bin or home composting
Batteries - Raynesway HWRC by car or recycling point
Biodegradable packaging - black bin
Biscuit tins (metal and plastic) - blue bin
Black bin waste (excess) - Raynesway HWRC.
Blister packs (for pills) - black bin
Books - donate or sell them (if in good condition) or black bin
Bottles (glass and all kinds of plastic, even those with non-removable lids) - blue bin
Branches (no more than 12cm thick) - brown bin
Bric-a-brac (ornaments, pictures) - donate or sell, black bin or Raynesway HWRC
Brita water filter cartridges - black bin
Brown paper - blue bin
Bubble wrap - supermarket recycling point or black bin
Candles - black bin
Cans - blue bin
Cardboard (remove tape) - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Cardboard cans lined with metal - black bin
Carpet - Raynesway HWRC
Cartons - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Cat litter - black bin
Catalogues - blue bin
CDs and CD cases - Raynesway HWRC
Cellophane - black bin
Cereal boxes - blue bin
Chemicals (5kg or 5 litres max) - Raynesway HWRC (there are limits in place, so please check before visiting or you may be turned away)
Cigarette ends - black bin
Cling film - black bin
Clinical waste - household clinical collection service
Clothes, textiles and shoes - donate or sell or Raynesway HWRC
Coat hangers (plastic with metal hook) - black bin
Coat hangers (plastic) - black bin
Coat hangers (metal) - Raynesway HWRC
Coffee filters (paper) - home composting.
Coffee grounds - brown bin or home composting
Coffee pods - brand's recycling scheme, or put these in your black bin.
Coffee shop cups - use in-store recycling or take these to Raynesway HWRC.
Compostable bags (must have seedling logo) - put these in your brown bin.
Cooking oil (max 5 litres each week) - take this to Raynesway HWRC.
Corks (real) - use home composting.
Corks (plastic) - put these in your black bin.
Cotton buds - put these in your black bin.
Cotton wool - put this in your black bin.
Crisp packets - take these to your recycling point or put them in your black bin.
Crockery and cutlery - donate or sell, black bin or Raynesway HWRC
Deodorant (aerosol) - put this in your blue bin.
Deodorant (roll on) - put this in your black bin.
Disposable cutlery and plates - reusable or put them in your black bin.
Disposable plastic drinking cups (not polystyrene or paper) - put these in your blue bin.
Disposable razor blades - put these in your black bin.
DIY waste - take this to Raynesway HWRC. There are limits in place, so please check before visiting or you may be turned away.
DVD cases - take these to Raynesway HWRC.
E-cigarettes or vapes - take these to Raynesway HWRC.
Egg boxes (cardboard or plastic) - put these in your blue bin.
Egg shells - put these in your brown bin or use home composting.
Electrical items (all types) - take these to Raynesway HWRC - do not put them in wheelie bins. Make sure you remove any personal data before disposing of them.
Engine oil (max 10 litres each week) - take this to Raynesway HWRC.
Envelopes (with or without windows) - put these in your blue bin.
Flower pots - put these in your black bin.
Flowers - put these in your brown bin or use home composting.
Foil (including takeaway trays) - put these in your blue bin, but they must be clean.
Food waste (all) - put this in your brown bin.
Fruit punnets (plastic) - put these in your blue bin.
Furniture - donate or sell these. Take it to Raynesway HWRC if they are broken.
Garden waste (organic) - brown bin, home composting or Raynesway HWRC
Gas canister - return it to the supplier or Raynesway HWRC (maximum of two canisters each week)
Glass bottles and jars - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Grass cuttings - brown bin, home composting or Raynesway HWRC
Greaseproof paper - black bin
Greeting cards (no glitter or foil) - blue bin
Hair - home composting or black bin
Hedge cuttings - brown bin or home composting
Holiday brochures - blue bin
Hoover bag and dust - black bin
Kitchen cleaner bottles - blue bin
Kitchen paper towels - black bin
Kitchen knives (securely wrapped) - black bin
Latex gloves - black bin
Leaves - brown bin or home composting
Light bulbs (energy saving, LED, or fluorescent) - Raynesway HWRC
Light bulbs (halogen or filament) - black bin
Magazines - blue bin
Margarine tubs - blue bin
Meat/fruit/ready meal plastic trays - blue bin
Mirrors - black bin
Moss - brown bin or home composting
Napkins/serviettes - black bin
Nappies - black bin or try using washable nappies. Do not put nappies in your blue bin.
Netting (plastic) - black bin
Newspaper - blue bin
Oven trays - black bin
Oil (cooking) - Raynesway HWRC (maximum 5 litres each week)
Oil (engine) - Raynesway HWRC (maximum 10 litres each week)
Paint pots - Raynesway HWRC or donate leftover paint to Community RePaint
Paper (no tape, glitter or foil) - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Paper towels - black bin
Pens - public pen recycling point or black bin
Pencils - black bin
Pet bedding for vegetarian pets (hay, straw, sawdust) - brown bin or home composting
Pet food pouches (with silver lining) - black bin
Pet litter from meat-eating pets - black bin
Phone directories - blue bin
Photographic paper - black bin
Pizza boxes (empty, with minimal grease/sauce) - blue bin
Plants - brown bin or home composting.
Plasterboard - Raynesway HWRC (50kg max per week - no whole sheets)
Plastic carrier bags - supermarket recycling point or black bin
Plastic bottles (leave caps/lids on) - blue bin
Plastic film, wrappers, pouches - black bin
Plastic pots, tubs and trays - blue bin
Plastic (hard - for example toys and furniture) - donate or sell, black bin or Raynesway HWRC
Plate glass - Raynesway HWRC
Polystyrene - black bin
Post-it notes - black bin
Printer cartridges - public printer cartridge recycling point or black bin
Prunings - brown bin or home composting
Pyrex (or similar) - black bin
Sanitary products (wrapped) - black bin
Saucepans - donate or sell (if in good condition) or Raynesway HWRC
Scrap metal - Raynesway HWRC
Seed trays - Raynesway HWRC
Sellotape - black bin
Shoes - donate or sell (if in good condition) or Raynesway HWRC
Shower curtain - black bin.
Shredded paper - blue bin or home composting
Shrubs and flowers - brown bin or home composting
Soil and rubble - Raynesway HWRC
Sponges (plastic) - black bin
Sticky labels and backing paper - black bin
Straws - black bin
Styrofoam - black bin
Syringes (sharp) - household clinical waste service
Tablet packets (cardboard) - blue bin
Tablet packets (tin, foil) - black bin
Takeaway cups (coffee, cold drinks) - black bin or in-store recycling
Tea bags and loose leaf tea - brown bin or home composting
Tetra paks (cartons) - blue bin
Timber and wood (for example, chipboard and MDF) - Raynesway HWRC (there are limits in place - please check before visiting)
Tins - blue bin
Tissues - black bin
Tissue paper (not glittery) - brown bin or home composting
Toothpaste tubes - black bin
Trays (plastic food trays, ready meals) - blue bin
Tubs (margarine, butter) - blue bin
Tupperware - black bin
Twigs - brown bin or home composting
Tyres - Raynesway HWRC (four each week max)
Umbrella - donate or sell if in good condition) or black bin
Uncooked food - brown bin
Wallpaper - black bin
Washing up bowl - Raynesway HWRC
Water filter cartridges (for example Brita) - public water filter recycling point or black bin
Wax crayons - black bin
Weeds - brown bin
Wet wipes (cleaning, baby, makeup) - black bin
Window frames - Raynesway HWRC
Window glass - Raynesway HWRC
Wood (treated) - Raynesway HWRC
Wood shavings - brown bin orhome composting
Woodchip wallpaper - black bin