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 - recycling point
Biodegradable packaging - black bin
Biscuit tins (metal and plastic) - blue bin
Black bin waste (excess) - Raynesway HWRC.
Blister packs (for pills) - TerraCycle scheme or 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) - Raynesway HWRC, donate or sell. If broken, put in the black bin.
Brita water filter cartridges - Brita recycling scheme
Brown paper - blue bin
Bubble wrap - supermarket recycling point or black bin
Candles - donate or black bin
Cans - blue bin
Cardboard (remove tape) - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Cardboard cans lined with metal - Raynesway HWRC
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 or try reusable beeswax wraps
Clinical waste - household clinical collection service
Clothes, textiles and shoes - donate or sell or Raynesway HWRC
Coat hangers (plastic with metal hook) - donate or black bin
Coat hangers (plastic) - donate or black bin
Coat hangers (metal) - Raynesway HWRC
Coffee filters (paper) - home composting.
Coffee grounds - home composting or brown bin
Coffee pods - brand's recycling scheme or black bin.
Coffee pods (aluminium) - use Dualit EcoPress to remove the coffee grounds so they can go in your blue bin.
Coffee shop cups - in-store recycling or Raynesway HWRC.
Compostable bags (must have seedling logo) - use these to collect food waste and put in your brown bin.
Cooking oil (max 5 litres each week) - Raynesway HWRC
Corks (real) - home composting
Corks (plastic) - black bin
Coronavirus tests - black bin
Cotton buds - black bin or try a reusable alternative such as Last Swab.
Cotton wool - black bin or try reusable pads.
Crisp packets - recycle at your local Co-op, Sainsbury's or Tesco put them in your black bin.
Crockery and cutlery - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken, black bin or Raynesway HWRC
Deodorant (aerosol) - blue bin
Deodorant (roll on) - black bin or look at using a reusable or recyclable alternative.
Disposable cutlery and plates - try reusable or put in your black bin.
Disposable plastic drinking cups (not polystyrene or paper) - try reusable or put 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) - home composting or blue bin.
Egg boxes (plastic) - blue bin
Egg shells - use home composting or put these in your brown bin.
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.
Face masks - use reusable masks where possible. Put disposable masks in your black bin.
Fire extinguishers – we accept those specifically produced for household use only. Check our further information before visiting to avoid being turned away.
Flower pots - reuse or put these in your black bin.
Flowers - put these in your brown bin or use home composting.
Foil (including takeaway trays) - put it in your blue bin, but it must be clean.
Food waste (all) - put this in your brown bin.
Fridges and freezers - take to Raynesway HWRC, or book a bulky waste collection.
Fruit punnets (plastic) - put these in your blue bin.
Furniture - donate or sell these (some charities offer collections). Take it to Raynesway HWRC if it is broken.
Garden furniture - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken Raynesway HWRC.
Garden waste (organic) - home composting, brown bin or Raynesway HWRC
Gas cylinders/canisters - we accept limited amounts of certain domestic-type cylinders only. Check our further information before visiting to avoid being turned away.
Glass bottles and jars - blue bin or Raynesway HWRC
Grass cuttings - home composting, brown bin or Raynesway HWRC
Greaseproof paper - black bin or try reusable
Greeting cards (no glitter or foil) - blue bin
Hair - home composting or black bin
Hard plastic (for example, toys and garden furniture) - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken Raynesway HWRC.
Hedge cuttings - home composting or brown bin
Holiday brochures - blue bin
Hoover bag and dust - black bin
Kitchen cleaner bottles - blue bin or look at refill options
Kitchen paper towels - black bin or look at reusable alternatives
Kitchen knives (securely wrapped) - black bin
Lateral flow coronavirus tests - black bin
Latex gloves - black bin
Leaves - home composting or brown bin
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
Mobile phones - compare online mobile recyclers
Moss - home composting or brown bin
Napkins/serviettes - black bin or try a reusable cloth napkin
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 - Raynesway HWRC or 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 or look at reusable alternatives
Pens - public pen recycling point or black bin
Pencils - black bin
Pet bedding for vegetarian pets (hay, straw, sawdust) - home composting or brown bin
Pet food pouches (with silver lining) - recycle at your local Co-op, Tesco and Sainsbury's or put in your 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 - recycle at your local Co-op, Tesco and Sainsbury's or put in your black bin
Plastic plant pots and trays - Raynesway HWRC
Plastic pots, tubs and trays (food packaging) - blue bin
Plastic (hard - for example toys and furniture) - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken - black bin or Raynesway HWRC.
Plate glass - Raynesway HWRC
Polystyrene - black bin or Raynesway HWRC
Pringles tubes (no lids) - Raynesway HWRC
Post-it notes - black bin
Printer cartridges - public printer cartridge recycling point or black bin
Prunings - brown bin or home composting
Pyrex (or similar) - donate (if in a good condition) or black bin
Rice pudding pots - blue bin
Rigid plastic (for example, toys and garden furniture) - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken Raynesway HWRC.
Ring binders - black bin
Rubber gloves - black bin
Sanitary products (wrapped) - black bin or look at reusable alternatives
Saucepans - donate or sell (if in good condition) or Raynesway HWRC
Scrap metal - Raynesway HWRC
Seed trays - Raynesway HWRC
Sellotape - black bin or use paper alternatives that can be recycled with the paper and cardboard.
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 or look at reusable alternatives
Styrofoam - black bin
Syringes (sharp) - household clinical waste service
Tablet packets (cardboard) - blue bin
Tablet packets (foil) - TerraCycle scheme or black bin
Takeaway cups (coffee, cold drinks) - in-store recycling, Raynesway HWRC or black bin
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 or look at reusable washable alternatives.
Tissue paper (not glittery) - brown bin or home composting
Toothpaste tubes - black bin
Toys (hard plastic) - donate or sell if in good condition. If broken Raynesway HWRC.
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 or look at reusable washable wipes. Do not flush.
Window frames - Raynesway HWRC
Window glass - Raynesway HWRC
Wood (treated) - Raynesway HWRC
Wood shavings - brown bin orhome composting
Woodchip wallpaper - black bin