Your blue recycling bin is collected weekly. Your blue recycling bin is for your mixed recycling.
Place your bins on the boundary of your property by 6 am on your collection day.
Recycle right for Barnet
In Barnet, we want to ensure that only the right items are collected and sent for recycling.
Incorrect items placed in recycling bins is called ‘contamination’. Contamination can affect the quality of the recycling collected and the processes at the recycling facility.
Food packaging must be clean and free from food. Please note that we cannot recycle items containing food residue.
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You should only use your blue recycling bin for:
- 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, place in your black waste bin).
Excess recycling
Flattened cardboard no larger than one metre squared and clean recyclables in a clear sack can be put out by your blue recycling bin for collection.
Batteries
Household batteries can be put in a clear bag on top of the lid of your blue recycling bin for collection. Please do not place any batteries inside the bin.
Do not use your blue recycling bin for:
- nappies: these can’t be recycled and should be placed in the refuse bin
- food waste: this can’t be recycled and should be placed in the refuse bin
- textiles: textiles can be taken to Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre, charity shops or swapped
- wood: wood can be taken to Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre
- electrical items: these items can be taken to Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre
- polystyrene: this can’t be recycled and should be placed in the refuse bin
- plastic film and wrapping: this can’t be recycled and should be placed in the refuse bin
- pet waste: this can’t be recycled and should be placed in the refuse bin
- clinical waste: clinical waste items such as syringes, needles or other sharp items can’t be recycled and are extremely dangerous in the manual processing of materials. You can arrange a clinical waste collection here
- batteries: these can be taken to Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre. Most supermarkets also have battery drop off points
- carrier bags and black sacks: please do not place these in your recycling bins, recyclable materials should be place loose in the bin. Some local supermarkets offer in-store collection points where plastic bags can be taken, or place these in your black refuse bin
- plastic toys: take to local charity shops
- garden waste: put your garden waste in a green garden waste bin or compost it.
If your item is not listed, unfortunately it cannot be recycled.
Request a blue recycling bin
Use the new, additional or replacement bin form to request a blue recycling bin.
Clear recycling sacks
If you cannot physically have a blue bin on your property, we can provide a clear sack recycling service.
We deliver batches of recycling sacks on request, and you can put the same items in your sack as in a blue bin. Your sacks will be collected weekly on your normal collection day. Sacks should be placed on the boundary of your property by 6 am on your collection day.
If you have run out of sacks, you can order more using our new, additional or replacement bin or sack order form. You will only be able to use this form if your property has been assessed as requiring clear sacks.
If you do not currently receive clear sacks but think you should, please contact us on 020 8359 4600.
Recycling Tips
You can find out more information about recycling around the home in this video.
What happens to your recycling
Find out what happens to your recycling in Barnet.
