Business recycling

What to recycle

You can recycle:

• cardboard
• cartons - including fruit juice cartons, milk cartons, Tetra Pak
• food tins and drinks cans
• mixed glass, bottles and jars (lids and tops can be either left on or off)
• mixed paper
• plastic bottles - lids and tops can be either left on or off
• plastic tubs, pots and trays (remove any film lids and pads in the bottom of trays)

You cannot recycle the following using our services:

• nappies
• food waste
• textiles
• wood
• electrical items
• polystyrene
• plastic film and wrapping
• pet waste
• clinical waste
• batteries
• carrier bags and black sacks
• plastic toys
• garden waste

What happens to your recycling

Find out what happens to your recycling after we have collected it.

Save money and reduce your waste

You can reduce the cost of your waste collections by reducing the amount of waste you generate in the first place:

Food waste

• ensure food with shorter use-by dates is used or sold first. If possible, prepare food to order rather than in advance
• offer a choice of portion sizes and promote ‘doggie bags’ where food is leftover

Reduce the need for single-use items and packing

• ask before giving customers carrier bags and disposable cutlery and don’t over-package take away items
• if using disposables, only give each customer one disposable napkin – not a handful.
• stock loose fruit and vegetables
• provide reusable glasses and mugs where possible and serve sauces in refillable containers

Packaging and paper

• print only when necessary and set defaults on printers to print in black and white and double-sided
• shred low-quality paper or cardboard and use as protective packaging
• bulk buy goods to reduce unnecessary packaging
• request reusable, recyclable or recycled packaging from your supplier
• reuse incoming packaging and boxes for outgoing deliveries
• ask your supplier to take back bulk packaging for reuse

Other ways to reduce your waste

Computer Aid professionally refurbishes telephones, tables and computers donated by companies and distributes them in the UK and abroad.

Use websites such as Freecycle or Freegle to advertise your unwanted items and give them a new home.

Donate left-over paint to your local charity. Find your nearest scheme with Community Repaint.