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.

A - B

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

C - D

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 - F

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.

G - H

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

I - J

Ice cream tubs (plastic) - blue bin

Ice cream tubs (cardboard) - black bin

Incontinence pads (wrapped) - black bin

J cloths - black bin

Jiffy bag envelopes - black bin

Juice cartons (no straws) - blue bin

Junk mail - blue bin

K - L

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

M - N

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

O - P

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

Q - R

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

S - T

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)

U - V

Umbrella - donate or sell if in good condition) or black bin

Uncooked food - brown bin

W - Z

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