1
Should I leave the top on plastic bottles when recycling?
YES! Bottles must be empty, and the caps back on before being recycled. Leave the label on. Milk bottles should be rinsed before recycling.
2
Can I recycle bottles that have had kitchen cleaner in?
YES! All plastic bottles can be recycled in household recycling collections. Plastic bottles must be empty, and the cap on. Make sure all plastic cleaning product bottles, are empty and the cap back on before recycling.
3
Can I recycle plastic bottles with trigger and pump lids?
YES! Trigger and pump sprays can be recycled so please leave in the plastic bottle. Always empty and cap or lid back on.
4
Can I recycle plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles?
YES! Plastic bottles from the bathroom can be recycled. For example, bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and cleaning product bottles. Always empty with the cap back on before recycling.
5
Can I recycle plastic sauce bottles such as tomato ketchup and mayonnaise?
YES! All plastic bottles can be recycled in your household recycling. Empty and rinse bottles to remove residue, then put the cap back on and recycle. Remember to recycle clean and dry.
6
Can I recycle bottles that have a plastic label the full-length of the bottle.
YES! Empty, and rinse the bottle and recycle with the cap back. Remember the clean and dry rule.
7
Can I recycle plastic bags and wrappings?
NO. YOU CANNOT RECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS AND WRAPPINGS AT HOME IN COUNTY DURHAM
Some supermarkets collect plastic bags and wrappings for recycling in store. Please see www.pledge2recycle.co.uk and www.recyclenow.com/recyclelocator for more information.
8
Can I recycle plastic baby and pet food pouches?
NO! NOT AT HOME.
Please take to supermarket collections. Please see www.pledge2recycle.co.uk and www.recyclenow.com/recyclelocator for more information.
9
How clean does my recycling need to be?
CLEAN AND DRY IS THE RULE Contamination costs your Local Authority as it can cause breakdowns and affects the quality of recycling - it also helps keep your bin clean and reduce smells and reduces the risk of your bin or the recycling load being rejected as ‘contaminated’. Please remember the clean and dry rule.
10
Can I recycle black plastic packaging?
NO! Black plastic cannot be recycled in County Durham, please place into your general waste.
11
Can I recycle plastic vegetable and fruit plastic trays?
YES! All trays should be clean i.e., free from food residue before recycling. Remember the clean and dry rule.
The thin plastic lid and absorbent layer should be removed from trays and placed into general waste.
However, if you check your local supermarket front of store recycling scheme for plastic bags and wrappings, you may be able to be recycle the lid there [click here for more information].
12
Can I recycle plastic trays that raw meat comes in?
YES! All trays should be clean i.e., free from residue before recycling. Remember the clean and dry rule. The thin plastic lid and absorbent layer should be removed from trays and placed into general waste.
13
Can I recycle plastic pots like my yoghurt, margarine, or dessert pot?
YES! You can recycle empty plastic pots, tubs, and trays in your household recycling. This includes things like soup pots, coleslaw containers, desert, and yoghurt pots. Please remember the CLEAN AND DRY rule.
Replace hard plastic lids before recycling. Thin wrapping lids may be able to be recycled in front of store schemes [click here for more information]. Multi-layered foil lids should go into general waste.
14
Can I recycle toothpaste tubes?
NO! Toothpaste tubes cannot be recycled with your household collection. Toothpaste tubes must go into general waste.
15
Can I recycle pill blister packs?
NO! Pill blister packs cannot be recycled with your household collection. Empty pill blister packs must go into general waste.
16
Can I recycle plastic items that say they are ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’?
NO! ALL BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS should be put into GENERAL WASTE. DO NOT put into RECYCLING! Biodegradable plastics should NOT be left in the open environment.
Compostable items must not be put in your household recycling bin or your garden waste bin. Place in general waste only.
