Paper and shredded paper

Most types of paper can be recycled in your paper and card bin. This includes:

• Paper and shredded paper
• Magazines and catalogues
• Newspapers
• Books
• Envelopes and mail
• Junk mail
• Greetings cards and wrapping paper

Paper with foil, glitter or plastic coating can’t be recycled and should go in your general waste bin.

Pizza boxes

Empty pizza boxes can be recycled in your paper and card bin at home, even when stained or greasy. Just make sure there is no leftover pizza still in the box.

Card packaging

Empty card packaging such as cereal boxes, egg boxes, and ready meal card sleeves can all be recycled in your paper and card bin at home. Please flatten cardboard to save space.

You can take card packaging to a recycling centre.

Choose to reuse

Shredded cardboard also makes great animal bedding.

Books

Pass your used books onto friends and family or donate them to charity shops.

You can now donate used books to any of our 18 recycling centres across Greater Manchester to help stock our new Renew shops selling pre-loved household items at an affordable price – find out more here today.

You can also take them to a recycling centre – put them in the media bank.

If you have books that are not reusable, you can put them in your paper and card bin at home.

Cardboard

Cardboard boxes and all others types of card can be recycled in your paper and card bin at home. Flatten them to save space in your bin.

This includes:

• Cardboard packaging (such as empty cereal boxes)
• Kitchen roll and toilet roll tubes
• Cardboard boxes
• Greeting cards (tear off any glitter)
• Clothes labels or tags

Make sure you remove all non-paper items like bubble wrap, plastic packaging and polystyrene and put them in your general waste bin.

You can take cardboard boxes to a recycling centre

Choose to reuse

Shredded cardboard makes great animal bedding.

Cartons (Tetra Pak)

Empty food and drink cartons (Tetra Pak) go in your paper and card bin at home.

Christmas wrapping paper (no glitter or foil)

You can recycle paper wrapping paper in your paper and card bin at home. You can only recycle Christmas wrapping paper if it’s entirely made out of paper.

Some wrapping paper is made out of foil, plastic and glitter. These can’t be recycled, so put them in your general waste bin.

Egg cartons

You can recycle cardboard egg boxes in your paper and card bin at home. Please ensure they are empty.

Plastic egg boxes must go in your general waste bin.

Envelopes

You can recycle envelopes (including those with a window) in your paper and card bin at home.

Food and drink cartons

Empty food and drink cartons (Tetra Pak) go in your paper and card bin at home.

Gift wrap (no glitter or foil)

Plain gift wrapping paper can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

You can only recycle wrapping paper entirely made out of paper. Some wrapping paper that is made out of foil, plastic or contains glitter can’t be recycled. Put this type of paper in your general waste bin.

Greetings cards and wrapping paper (no glitter or foil)

You can recycle greetings cards and paper wrapping paper in your paper and card bin at home. You can only recycle greetings cards and wrapping paper if they’re entirely made out of paper.

Some are made out of foil, plastic and glitter. None of these can be recycled and microplastics such as glitter can’t be separated from the paper fibres during the recycling process. Tear off any glittery parts or non-paper decorations and put them in your general waste bin. Make sure you also remove any bows or ribbons before recycling your wrapping paper.

Not sure if your wrapping paper is made of paper?  Try to scrunch up the paper into a ball. If it stays scrunched, it can be recycled.

Junk mail

Junk mail can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

Junk mail items includes

• Newspapers and magazines
• Telephone directories & catalogues
• Envelopes
• Takeaway menus and leaflets

Please remove all plastic wrapping and put it in your general waste bin.

Sign up to the Mail Preference Service to reduce your junk mail.

Magazines and catalogues

Magazines and catalogues can be recycled in your paper and card recycling bin (remove all plastic wrapping) this includes:

• Magazines and catalogues
• Newspapers
• Books
• Envelopes
• Junk mail such as takeaway menus

Choose to reuse

Share your magazines with your friends and family so they get used more than once before being recycled.

Newspapers

All newspapers can be recycled in your paper and card bin.

This includes:

• Magazines and catalogues
• Books
• Envelopes and mail
• Junk mail

Please remove any plastic wrapping first.

Shredded paper

Shredded paper goes in your paper and card bin.

Tetra Pak

Empty food and drink cartons (Tetra Pak) go in your paper and card bin at home.

Aerosols

Recycle your aerosol cans in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Please remove the plastic lids and put them in your general waste bin.

Make sure your aerosol cans are completely empty before recycling. Do not pierce, crush or flatten them. Aerosols can be stored for a long time, so there’s no need to throw away a half empty can.

Aluminium cans

Recycle your empty aluminium cans in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Aluminium foil

Recycle clean aluminium foil and foil trays in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Recycling Tip

To check whether something is made of foil or not, do the scrunch test.

Scrunch the item in your hand:

• If it stays scrunched – its foil! Recycle it in your mixed recycling bin
• If it springs back – its plastic! Put it in your general waste bin

Cleaning product bottles

Cleaning product bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. This includes bottles such as trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, drinks and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

Find out what happens to your plastic bottles here.

Drinks bottles

Plastic and glass drinks bottles go in your mixed recycling bin at home. You can also recycle other plastic bottles such as cleaning product bottles, trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

Find out what happens to your mixed recycling here.

Food cans and drink cans

Empty food cans and drink cans can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home.

You don’t need to remove the labels, just give them a quick rinse.

Glass bottles and jars

You can recycle glass bottles and jars (all colours) in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Please remove all lids from your bottles and jars and give them a rinse before recycling. Put the lids in your general waste bin.

Kitchen foil and foil trays

Clean aluminium foil and foil trays can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin.

This does not include crisp packets or pet food pouches. These items can look like aluminium foil but are actually made from metallised plastic film. You can put these in your general waste bin.

To find out if an item is foil or metallised plastic film, do the scrunch test. Simply scrunch the item in your hand – if it stays ‘scrunched’ it is foil and can be recycled. If it springs back it is probably metallised plastic film and can’t be recycled.

Milk bottles

You can recycle plastic and glass milk bottles in your mixed recycling bin.

Please remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin. Plastic lids can’t be recycled with the rest of the recycling as they are made of a different type of plastic.

Bottles (plastic)

Plastic bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. This includes bottles such as, cleaning product bottles, trigger spray bottles, shampoo and shower gel bottles, drinks and milk bottles.

Should I remove the lid?
Bottle tops and lids fall off the bottles during the separating process and end up in the glass containers which can ruin the glass recycling. If you can easily remove a lid we ask that all plastic lids are left off the bottles and placed in the general waste bin. 

Shampoo and shower gel bottles

Shampoo and shower gel bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. This includes bottles such as:

• Cleaning product bottles
• Trigger spray bottles
• Drinks and milk bottles

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

Find out what happens to your plastic bottles here

Trigger spray bottles

Trigger spray bottles go in your mixed recycling bin. You can also recycle other plastic bottles such as, cleaning product bottles, shampoo, shower gel bottles, drink and milk bottles.

Remove all lids from plastic bottles before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

You can learn more about what happens to your plastic bottles here.

Wine bottles

Glass wine bottles can be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home.

Rinse out the bottles and remove lids/corks which go in your general waste bin.

Bread, cakes and pastries

Uneaten bread, cakes and pastries go in your food and garden bin.

You can also reduce your food waste by freezing these items, find out more by visiting Buy Keep Eat Repeat.

Using a kitchen food caddy? Only use compostable food bags with the seedling logo and code EN13432. Do not use paper, plastic or biodegradable bags.

Compostable food bags are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of our Recycling Centres. This is because they are not licensed to accept food waste.

Dairy

Dairy including egg shells go in your food and garden bin.

Using a kitchen food caddy? Only use compostable food bags with the seedling logo with code EN13432. Do not use paper, plastic or biodegradable bags.

Compostable food bags are available from some local councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of our Recycling Centres. This is because they are not licensed to accept food waste.

Egg shells

You can recycle egg shells in your food and garden bin at home.

Teabags and coffee grounds

Teabags and coffee grounds, including loose tea leaves go in your food and garden bin. Coffee filters go in your general waste bin.

Please note that food waste can’t be recycled at any of the recycling centres across Greater Manchester. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

If you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo with reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells

Flowers and plants

Flowers and plants can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin. Please remove any packaging, film, plant pots and large amounts of soil.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre. If you are taking food and garden waste to a recycling centre, it must be separated. If you take a mixed bag of food and garden waste it will have to go in the non-recyclable containers. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Leaves

Leaves can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at your local recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Grass cuttings

Grass cuttings can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Hedge clippings

Hedge clippings can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also recycle garden waste at a recycling centre.

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s compost now.

Hedge trimmings

Broken or unwanted electric hedge trimmers can be recycled at a recycling centre.

You can now donate electric hedge trimmers (not petrol-powered) that are in good visual condition, with no items missing, to one of our 18 recycling centres across Greater Manchester to help stock our new Renew Market selling pre-loved household items at an affordable price – find out more here today.

Petrol powered hedge trimmers can also be recycled in the scrap metal container. Please make sure the petrol tank is completely empty.

Twigs and small branches

Twigs and small branches can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin as long as they aren’t thicker than your wrist.

Other garden waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

You can also compost your garden waste in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s compost now.

Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

Weeds such as dandelions, nettles, sheep’s sorrel and other non-invasive weeds can go in your food and garden bin at home. You can also take them to a recycling centre with your garden waste.

You can’t put invasive weeds in your food and garden bin or take them to your local recycling centre. The in vessel composting process will not kill or prevent the spreading of invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam.

Invasive weeds are classed as ‘hazardous waste’ and removal of these should be done under the guidance provided by the Environment Agency.

Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables

Both raw and cooked fruit and vegetables can be recycled in your food and garden bin .

Food waste can’t be recycled at any of the recycling centres. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

if you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones

Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones, can be recycled in your food and garden bin.

Food waste can’t be recycled at any recycling centres. This is because the recycling centres are not licensed to accept food waste.

If you use a kitchen food caddy, only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable.

Compostable liners are available from some councils and most supermarkets.

Food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Pet food

You can recycle pet food at home in your food and garden bin.

Please note that food waste can’t be recycled at any of the 20 Recycling Centres across Greater Manchester. This is because the Recycling Centres are not licensed to accept segregated food waste.

You will most likely have a kitchen caddy to collect your food waste in. Make sure the caddy has a compostable liner inside. Do not use newspaper, plastic or biodegradable bags in your kitchen caddy, as they inhibit the composting process.

Only use compostable liners with the seedling logo and reference code EN13432 to make sure they are compostable. Compostable liners are either available from your local council or most supermarkets.

Other food waste that can be recycled at home includes:

• Raw or cooked meat and fish, including bones
• Raw or cooked fruit and vegetables
• Leftovers from your plate
• Rice, pasta and beans
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy including egg shells
• Teabags and coffee grounds

Garden waste

Garden waste can be recycled at home in your food and garden bin or in a home compost bin

This includes:
• Flowers and plants
• Leaves
• Grass cuttings
• Hedge clippings
• Twigs and small branches
• Weeds (no Japanese Knotweed or Himalayan Balsam)

Please do not put soil in your food and garden bin.

You can take garden waste to a recycling centre, please separate soil from garden waste.

Cat litter

Please put cat litter in your general waste bin.

Coffee cups

Please put disposable coffee cups from high-street coffee shops in your general waste bin.

You can’t recycle coffee cups in any of your recycling bins. This is because they are often lined with plastic that is bonded to the cup to help them hold liquid and stop the paper cup going soggy. Compostable packaging such as coffee cups takes much longer to break down, sometimes it can take years. This means that they won’t be composted in the same time as your food and garden waste.

Choose to reuse

Reduce waste and save some money by using your own reusable coffee cup.

Coffee pods

Some coffee pod brands have their own recycling scheme, where they will collect used pods from your home or you can bring them to back to the shop where you purchased them from.

Some brands have partnered with Terracycle to recycle coffee pods and capsules. Check for a recycling drop off point near you.

If there isn’t a recycling scheme near you, please put coffee pods in your general waste bin.

Choose to reuse

Did you know you can buy reusable coffee pods?

Compostable packaging

Compostable or biodegradable packaging like cups, cutlery, straws go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put these sorts of compostable items in your food and garden recycling bin.

The food and garden waste you put in your recycling bin at home that is collected by your local council is delivered to an In-Vessel composting facility and made into compost in 6 -10 weeks. Compostable packaging takes much longer to break down, sometimes it can take years. This means that they won’t be composted in the same time as your food and garden waste.

You can compost your compostable packaging in a home compost bin. To find out more visit Let’s Compost Now.

Cotton wool and make up pads

Cotton wool, makeup pads and wipes go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put these in any of your recycling bins.

Crisp tubes

Crisp packets

Crisp packets go in the general waste bin.

Please do not put them in any of the recycling bins.

You can also return soft plastic packaging to many of the large supermarket and shops.

Disposable face masks

Put disposable face masks in your general waste bin.

Disposable gloves

Put disposable gloves in your general waste bin.

Dog waste

Please put dog waste in your general waste bin. Bag it first and then put it the bin.

Do not put dog waste in your food and garden bin at home.

Drinking glasses

Broken drinking glasses should be wrapped securely and placed into your general waste bin. They should not go in the mixed recycling bin.

Donate drinking glasses that are still in a good condition at one of the 18 Renew donation containers which are at recycling centres across Greater Manchester, or take them to a charity shop.

Drinking glasses or wine glasses can’t be recycled in your mixed recycling bin at home. This is because they are made out of toughened glass containing chemicals that can’t be recycled with your glass bottles and jars.

General waste (non-recyclable waste)

The general waste (non-recyclable waste) produced in Greater Manchester is sent by rail to an energy recovery plant (combined heat and power plant) in Runcorn where it is used to generate electricity and steam that is used in the operation of the neighbouring plant.

Your general waste does not go to landfill, it is used to make electricity. in fact we currently divert over 99.5% of the 1millions tonnes of waste we handle per year away from landfill to reuse, recycling, composting and energy recovery.

All these things can go in your general waste bin:

• Plastic pots, trays and tubs
• Plastic packaging
• Plastic bags
• Polystyrene
• Food and drink pouches
• Plant pots
• Pet waste
• Cotton wool and make up pads
• Nappies and sanitary products
• Tissues and used paper towels
• Wet wipes
• Wallpaper

Do not put the following items in your general waste bin:

• Batteries
• Clothes and textiles
• Electrical items

You can take general waste (non-recyclable waste) to a recycling centre

Kitchen roll

Used kitchen roll go in your general waste bin.

The cardboard tube from kitchen and toilet rolls go in your paper and card bin.

Lids (glass bottles and jars)

Please put lids in your general waste bin.

Please remove all lids from glass bottles and jars before putting them in your mixed recycling bin.

The lids from glass bottles and jars can’t be recycled with the rest of your recycling, as some are made of a combination of metal and plastic.

Lids (plastic bottles)

Plastic bottle tops and lids should go in your general waste bin.

Bottle tops and lids fall off the bottles during the separating process and end up in the glass containers which can ruin the glass recycling. If you can easily remove a lid we ask that all plastic lids are left off the bottles and placed in the general waste bin. 

Choose to reuse

Some schools, community centres collect lids for arts and crafts projects.

Metal tubes

Metal tubes go in your general waste bin.

This includes:

• Tomato and garlic puree tubes
• Sauce tubes
• Personal care and beauty tubes

Nappies and sanitary products

Disposable nappies and sanitary products can’t be recycled, please put them in your general waste bin where they are used to make electricity.

Please do not put nappies and sanitary products in your recycling bins.

There are a number of reusable options available for both sanitary products and cloth nappies.

Pet waste

Pet waste such as cat litter and dog poo should be bagged and put in your general waste bin.

Do not put pet waste in your food and garden bin at home.

Plastic film

Plastic film goes in your general waste bin. This includes things like, cling film, film off ready meals and plastic wrapping. You can also put them in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre.

Check your local supermarkets for a plastic bag recycling point. Some accept other sorts of plastic packaging too.

Food nets and packaging

Plastic nets from fruit and vegetables go in your general waste bin. You can also put them in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre.

Check your local supermarkets for a plastic bag recycling point. Some accept other sorts of plastic packaging too.

Plastic pots, tubs and trays

Plastic pots, tubs and trays go in your general waste bin. This includes things like, yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, meat trays and fruit punnets.

You can also put them in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre.

Find out what happens to your plastic here.

Plastic toothpaste tubes

Plastic toothpaste tubes go in your general waste bin. This includes other tubes such as creams and lotions.

Polystyrene

Please put polystyrene in your general waste bin.

This includes:

• Polystyrene takeaway trays
• Polystyrene cups
• Polystyrene plates
• Polystyrene foam chips packaging
• Polystyrene moulded packing
• Styrofoam

You can also put polystyrene in the non-recyclable waste container at a recycling centre

Safety razor blades

Steel safety razor blades can be recycled in the scrap metal container at a Recycling Centre or you can put them in your general waste bin.

Cartridge and disposable razors go in your general waste bin.

Straws

Straws go in your general waste bin.

Buy a straw you can wash and reuse instead of single use straws.

Tissues

Tissues go in your general waste bin.

Please do not put any tissues in your paper and card bin.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper can’t be recycled in your paper and card bin. Please put any new or used wallpaper in your general waste bin.

You can donate leftover rolls of wallpaper to some charity shops.

Any waste produced by tradespeople or builders you hired to carry out improvements, repair or alterations to your home is classed as business waste and can’t be disposed of at any of our recycling centres. Always ask a tradesperson to include waste disposal in their quote.

Wet wipes

Please put wipes in your general waste bin.

Wet wipes such as:

• Baby wipes
• Cosmetic wipes
• Bathroom cleaning wipes
• Toilet wipes

Please do not put them in any recycling bin or flush them down the toilet.

Yoghurt pots

Please put plastic yoghurt pots, tubs and trays in your general waste bin at home.

Your general waste is used to make electricity.  Find out how here.

In Greater Manchester, you can only recycle plastic bottles. Find out why here.