How do I recycle?

Confused about what plastics you can recycle at home and how they are actually recycled? Find out more here!

Search for an item to recycle

Can’t find the plastic recycling information you’re looking for? Contact us

Can I recycle….

Plastic bottles

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

Compostables & biodegradables

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

Toothpaste tubes

Pill blister packs

Plastic bottles

All UK Local Authorities collect plastic bottles kerbside. This includes drinks bottles, items from your kitchen and bathroom as well as stuff like sauce bottles. Even bleach, soap and cleaner bottles can be recycled as long as they are empty.

Remember to empty, squash (if possible) and put the caps on and put all your household bottles into your household recycling.

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

88% of UK Local Authorities collect plastic pots, tubs and trays as part of their kerbside collections – check to see if your local council is one of them.

This includes:

Yoghurt and cream pots, soup, and pasta pots
Margarine, ice cream and washing tablet tubs
Fruit and vegetable punnets, meat and ready meal trays.

Please empty, rinse and where you can pop the lids back on.
Remember to remove film lids and the absorbent layers and put these in the general waste.

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

No! You cannot recycle plastic bags and wrappings at home. Some supermarkets collect plastic bags and wrappings for recycling in store. Please see www.recyclenow.com/recyclelocator for more information.

Compostables & biodegradables

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. Some Local Authorities DO accept compostable carrier bags and caddy liners with their food waste collection. Please check these instructions locally.

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

No! Not at home.

Please take to supermarket collections. Please see www.recyclenow.com/recyclelocator for more information.

Toothpaste tubes

No! Toothpaste tubes cannot be recycled with your household collection. Toothpaste tubes must go into general waste.

Pill blister packs

No! Pill blister packs cannot be recycled with your household collection. Empty pill blister packs must go into general waste.

Should I leave the top on plastic drinks 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.

Why do I need to put the tops back on the bottles before recycling

The tops go with the bottles to the reprocessor where they are cut up into flakes and the bottle and tops (which are different plastics) are separated before they are turned into pellets. The pellets made from the bottle themselves are then sent to either make new bottles. The pellets made from the tops are sent to go into garden furniture or items for construction such as piping or traffic cones.

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 put the cap back on before recycling.

How clean does my recycling need to be?

At the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) all the mixed dry recycling is sorted by type (paper, cardboard, steel cans, aluminium cans, and plastics). This process involves a lot of complex machinery which gets covered in the residue and dirt that householders place in their recycling bins. This residue can cause machinery to breakdown. Many UK MRF’s also have a section where the material is hand sorted, not a pleasant job if the material is covered in food remains. Remember also that the cleaner the recycling is the greater the quality and higher value the material will be to the recycler. It also keeps your bin clean if you empty, rinse and dry plastics packaging before recycling.

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 put the cap or lid back on.

Can I recycle bleach bottles?

YES! Bleach bottles can be recycled just ensure they are empty and replace the cap before recycling.

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.

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.

What do I do with the film lid on food, fruit, and vegetable punnets?

Remove the film lid and the absorbent layer and put these into general waste or you can take these film lids to your nearest supermarket front of store plastic bags and wrappings recycling. Make sure the tray or punnet is empty, clean, and dry and recycle.

Where can I recycle my carrier bags, and bread bags?

Many UK Supermarkets are now taking carrier bags and bread bags etc. in their front of store collections. Please look for the OPRL label on your plastic bags and wrappings and check the following links for your nearest store https://www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling

‘Pots, Tubs and Trays’ – what are they?

Examples of these are soup or yoghurt pots, meat or fruit/veg trays, margarine and plastic ice-cream tubs.

Frequently asked questions

The recycling journey

Ever wondered what happens to your plastic recycling when it gets collected? Watch these videos to find out!

View more content

Resource library

The Pledge2Recycle Plastics resource library contains a wealth of resources to help you learn more about plastics recycling and how you can spread the message.

How do I recycle?

Search for an item to recycle

What can you recycle at home?

Can’t find the plastic recycling information you’re looking for? Contact us

Can I recycle….

Plastic bottles

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

Compostables & biodegradables

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

Toothpaste tubes

Pill blister packs

Plastic bottles

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

Compostables & biodegradables

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

Toothpaste tubes

Pill blister packs

Frequently asked questions

Should I leave the top on plastic drinks bottles when recycling?

Why do I need to put the tops back on the bottles before recycling

Can I recycle bottles that have had kitchen cleaner in?

How clean does my recycling need to be?

Can I recycle plastic bottles with trigger and pump lids?

Can I recycle bleach bottles?

Can I recycle bottles that have a plastic label the full-length of the bottle.

How clean does my recycling need to be?

What do I do with the film lid on food, fruit, and vegetable punnets?

Where can I recycle my carrier bags, and bread bags?

‘Pots, Tubs and Trays’ – what are they?

Frequently asked questions

The recycling journey

Resource library

Easter Toolkit

Valentines Day Assets

Consumer insights research 2019

Plastic Recycling FAQs

Report Download

Contact us

How do I recycle?

Search for an item to recycle

What can you recycle at home?

Can’t find the plastic recycling information you’re looking for? Contact us

Can I recycle….

Plastic bottles

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

Compostables & biodegradables

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

Toothpaste tubes

Pill blister packs

Plastic bottles

Plastic pots, tubs & trays

Plastic carrier bags & wrappings

Compostables & biodegradables

Plastic baby & pet food pouches

Toothpaste tubes

Pill blister packs

Frequently asked questions

Should I leave the top on plastic drinks bottles when recycling?

Why do I need to put the tops back on the bottles before recycling

Can I recycle bottles that have had kitchen cleaner in?

How clean does my recycling need to be?

Can I recycle plastic bottles with trigger and pump lids?

Can I recycle bleach bottles?

Can I recycle bottles that have a plastic label the full-length of the bottle.

How clean does my recycling need to be?

What do I do with the film lid on food, fruit, and vegetable punnets?

Where can I recycle my carrier bags, and bread bags?

‘Pots, Tubs and Trays’ – what are they?

Frequently asked questions

The recycling journey

Plastic bottle recycling journey

Milk bottle recycling journey

Resource library

Easter Toolkit

Valentines Day Assets

Consumer insights research 2019

Plastic Recycling FAQs

Report Download

Contact us

Can’t find the plastic recycling information you’re looking for? Contact us