Recycling - Where recyclables go
Where do my recyclables go?
Over 95% of the materials that are collected for recycling at the Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre and through the Recycle from Home scheme are reprocessed in the UK. This list details what happens to the items we collect for recycling.
Books
The British Heart Foundation collects the books for sale in their shops.
Cans, tins, foil and aerosols
These are taken to South Wales where they are sorted into steel and aluminium. Steel cans are put back into the steel industry where they are made into products such as car parts or building aparatus. Aluminium cans are taken to Warrington where they are made back into aluminium cans again.
Recycling an aluminium can requires only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the carbon dioxide emissions as compared with making a new aluminium can from the raw material, bauxite. Aluminium can be recycled indefinitely, as reprocessing does not damage its structure.
Cardboard
This is taken to Barking, for onward transport to Smurfit Kappa in Kent, where it is made into "Kraft". This is thick, brown packaging paper that normally lines the inside of cardboard boxes.
Computer and television screens (CRTs)
These are taken to SWEEEP Ltd in Kent. The screens are broken down by hand into different materials such as glass, copper, hard plastic and other metals are separated out. The glass section is given back to television manufacturers to make new televisions and the other materials are sent off for recycling.The SWEEEP plant in Kent is powered entirely by renewable energy. View short film about how SWEEEP Ltd recycle computer and television screens (external link)
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is converted to produce the green fuel LF100, which powers electricity generators giving back to the National Grid. Just one litre (that’s about 1/3rd of what you’d find in your average chip pan) of used cooking oil can produce enough clean electricity to make 240 cups of tea.
Electrical goods: large domestic appliances (such as washing machines or cookers)
Any domestic appliances the size of a microwave or large are sent to one of two EMR recycling plants, one of which is in Brent and the other in Canning Town. Appliances are shredded so that the different components of it can be easily separated. Most of the material is ferrous metal which is then sold to UK reprocessors such as Corus. Any non-ferrous metal is sent to a recycling plant in Newmarket.
Electrical goods: small domestic appliances (such as kettles or hairdryers)
Any domestic appliances smaller than a microwave are taken to SWEEEP Ltd in Kent. The applicances are separated into different materials using both a mechanical process and separation by hand. This produces hard plastic, cables, ferrous and non-ferrous metals and transformers which are all then sent for recycling.The SWEEEP plant in Kent is powered entirely by renewable energy. View short film about how SWEEEP Ltd recycle small domestic appliances (external link)
Engine oil and filters
The containers are sent for shredding and the oil is reclaimed, cleaned and recycled. The filter metal is recycled.
Fridges and freezers
These are taken to Brent where ozone depleting substances are extracted from the fridge components. The remaining components are separated into different materials and 87% of this can be and is sent for recycling.
Furniture
Furniture is collected by the charity, Restore Community Projects in Tottenham, where the furniture is re-used by people on low incomes.
Glass bottles and jars
As we collect the three colours of glass separately, our glass is able to go back into the container industry. Our glass is taken to O-I Manufacturing (UK) Ltd in Harlow, where it is made back into glass bottles and jars. The bottles are sold to companies who bottle drinks such as Gordon's Gin, Smirnoff Ice and Stella Artrois.
Gas bottles
Collected by specialist gas bottle collectors and re-used or recycled as scrap metal.
Green garden waste collected at the Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre
Sent for outdoor composting in Elstree, Hertfordshire and the compost produced is sold.
Green garden and kitchen waste collected from the green wheeled bins
Sent for in-vessel composting at the London Waste plant in Edmonton. The compost produced is used on North London parks or in agriculture. More information about London Waste compost centre (external link)
Hardcore and building materials
These are put through a screening process and recycled in Chingford, London. Our hardcore is typically recycled into road surfaces and foundations. Some materials are sold back to construction companies
Household and car batteries
Batteries are shredded and recycled into separate materials- metal and plastic. The water and acid are treated and gypsum salt is extracted to be reused. Car batteries are recycled in the West Midlands and household batteries are sent to one of two specialist recycling plants, one of which is in France and the other in Canada.
Light bulbs
The tube lightings are taken to WISER Recycling in Cambridgeshire where they are separated down into glass / metal / mercury for recycling (only energy efficient light bulbs and fluorescent tubes can be recycled).
Metal
Scrap metal is taken to GD Metals in Hertfordshire, where it is broken down into small pieces. It is then separated into ferrous and non-ferrous metals (98% of the metal we collect is ferrous.) The metal is then sold to steelworks in the UK, such as Corus or Thames Steel. The non-ferrous metal is mainly aluminium and is sent to Europe for reprocessing.
Mobile phones
Collected by The Treehouse Charity and sent to developing countries, which raises money to give children with severe autism educational opportunities.
Newspaper, magazines, junk mail, printer paper, envelopes and telephone directories
All paper is taken to the Aylesford Newsprint paper mill in Kent, where it is made into newsprint. This newsprint is mainly sold to conglomerates such as News International.
Paper can be recycled several times over into new paper, with any one fibre going around the “loop” up to six or seven times before it finally breaks.
Paint
Paints are collected and re-used by community groups in and outside the Borough. Waste paint is disposed of by specialist contractors.
Plastic bottles
These are taken to JayPlas in Leicestershire where the plastic bottles are sorted into the different polymer types. They are then granulated and turned into new plastic products such as pipes, in Leicestershire. Please note we only collect plastic bottles for recycling as there are currently very limited facilities for reprocessing other plastic items in the UK.
Printer and toner cartridges
These are taken to a plant in Surrey where they are either remanufactured or repaired and refilled and sold as toner cartridges again.
Shoes
These are collected by D Robinson & Company in Kettering and are sent to Africa for reuse.
Sports equipment
Re-used via Sport England – community groups can ask for sports equipment, or equipment is recycled as scrap metal.
Textiles
Roughly half of the textiles we collect are in a good condition and so are sent to Africa or Pakistan where they are reused. Clothes and other textiles which cannot be reused are recycled in the UK and become stuffing for furniture, industrial wiping rags. Synthetics are re-pulled and turned into balls of wool or blankets.
Tools
Collected by ‘Work Aid’ a charity that sends the tools to East African farms and rural projects.
Wood and timber offcuts
This material goes to London Waste Ltd, where it is shredded into chips, which can be used for animal bedding, new wood based products or as a fuel.
Email this pageLast modified by: Rachel Jones on 14/01/2010