What can I recycle?
You have a set of bags, boxes and caddies to sort your recycling, which must be out by 7am on your collection day. If your recycling is not in the right container, we will not empty it.
Sorting your recycling the right way keeps it clean and valuable, making it easier to turn into new products and reducing the amount sent to landfill. By sending less to landfill, we cut down on disposal costs and save money that can be used for important local services.
That's why sorting your recycling at home really matters — thank you for doing your bit!
And now we've got new recycling lorries with separate compartments to keep materials sorted when they're collected.
Here's what you can recycle and which container it should go in.
Food waste - collected weekly
What goes in your food waste caddy
- uneaten food
- plate scrapings
- eggshells
- cooked vegetables
- peelings
- out‑of‑date or mouldy food
- raw and cooked meat and fish (including bones)
- tea bags and coffee grounds
- pet food (wet and dry) - please ensure all packaging, such as plastic pouches, wrappers, or metal tins, is removed first, as only the food itself is accepted for anaerobic digestion
What does not go in your food waste caddy
- liquids
- packaging
How to use your food waste caddy
- line your indoor caddy with a biodegradable liner - remember: all food waste must be bagged
- place all food waste into the caddy
- when full, tie the liner, take it out of your small caddy and place it in the outdoor caddy (don't forget to lock it!)
Locking the caddy
The outdoor caddy locks when the handle is in the front position. This will help to keep intruders from getting into the caddy.
Re‑ordering liners
Tie the re‑order ribbon (found near the end of the roll) to the handle of your outdoor caddy. This lets the crew know you need more liners.
Blue bag for plastics, tins and cartons - collected weekly
What goes in the blue bag
- plastic bottles
- plastic meat trays (clean)
- plastic microwaveable meal trays (clean)
- liquid food and drink cartons
- yoghurt pots
- margarine and butter tubs
- shampoo and cleaning bottles
- toothpaste tubes
- aluminium and steel tins and cans
- aluminium foil
- aerosols (empty)
All plastics should be cleaned before being recycled.
What does not go in the blue bag
- soft plastics, such as bread bags and crisps packets can be recycled at libraries across the borough at large supermarkets
White bag for cardboard and paper - collected weekly
What goes in the white bag
- cardboard boxes
- cereal boxes
- corrugated packaging
- egg boxes
- toilet or kitchen roll tubes
- Pringle crisp tube (but the plastic lid goes in the blue bag!)
Any cardboard placed in the white bag needs to be flat packed and must fit inside the bag itself.
Residents should take large bulky cardboard such as those from large appliances or furniture deliveries to Haverton Hill Household Waste Recycling Centre.
The government says councils must separate paper and cardboard, so please keep them apart.
What goes in the paper pouch
- paper
- newspapers
- magazines
- junk mail
- envelopes
Blue box for glass and batteries - collected weekly
What goes in the blue box
- glass bottles
- glass jars
- household batteries (in a clear bag)
What does not go in the blue box
- tins and cans - they go in the blue bag
Small electrical items - collected weekly
You can recycle small electrical items from the kerbside.
How it works
- put small electricals in one carrier bag per week
- items must be no larger than a kettle or toaster
Examples of what we'll take
- hairstyling tools
- kettles
- toasters
- electric toothbrushes
- shavers
- telephones
- children's electronic toys
What we won't take
- vapes
Clothes and shoes - collected weekly
How it works
- only put out one carrier bag per week
- include clothes and shoes only - no other fabrics
Please remember
- if your items are still in good condition, take them to a charity shop first - it helps others and reduces waste
- curtains, towels, bedding, and blankets should go to Haverton Hill Household Waste Recycling Centre
- make sure everything is clean and dry before recycling
General waste - collected every two weeks
Your green wheeled bin is for rubbish that can't be recycled.
What goes in the green bin
- nappies
- absorbent hygiene products
- contaminated takeaway containers
- light bulbs
- non‑recyclable items
What does not go in the green bin
- vapes
- food waste
- recyclable plastics
- cardboard
- paper
- glass
- batteries
- electrical items
Replacement recycling bags and boxes, food caddies and caddy liners
If you need food caddies, blue bags, white bags and blue boxes, they can be collected from:
- Stockton Library, Stockton Town Centre, TS18 1TU
- Thornaby Library, Thornaby Town Centre, TS17 9EP
- Billingham Library, Billingham Town Centre, TS23 2LN
- Ingleby Barwick Library, Blair Avenue, Ingleby Barwick, TS17 5BL
Replacements are on a first-come first-serve basis and we are unable to reserve stock.
Caddy liners
To re-order caddy liners, tie the re‑order ribbon (found near the end of the roll) to the handle of your outdoor caddy. This lets the crew know you need more liners.
Why we use bags and boxes for recycling
You might wonder why we don't just add another wheelie bin for recycling. Separating your recycling into bags and boxes means:
Cleaner materials
Sorting keeps recyclables uncontaminated, so more can be reused.
Lower costs
Mixed recycling, such as putting everything into one bin, requires extra processing, which is more expensive and costs the Council more.
Better for the planet
More materials can be recycled in the UK, reducing waste exports.
Legal requirements
The government says councils must:
- collect food waste in a separate bin
- reduce mixed recycling
- separate cardboard and paper
