Recycling at home

So you’ve got a recycling routine that works for you. You know it inside and out and there’s not one empty plastic milk bottle or food can in sight in the kitchen – they’re all patiently waiting to be collected for recycling. The job is done! But is it really?

There are lots of items that people often forget to recycle from other rooms in the house including the bathroom, bedroom and the living room. 

Visit the Recycle Now website to find out about other unusual suspects hiding around your home.

Simple steps to help us all recycle more across Lancashire:

  • Double check if anything you are going to throw in the rubbish bin can be recycled instead – either at home in your recycling bins/boxes or at your local recycling centre
  • Rinse out empty food and drink containers before you recycle them
  • Squash plastic bottles and flatten cardboard boxes so you can fit more in your recycling bin
  • If its plastic and bottle shaped it can be recycled – don’t forget the shampoo, spray cleaner and bleach bottles from your bathroom
  • It is not just newspapers that you can recycle – we want wrapping paper, envelopes, toilet roll tubes and toothpaste boxes
  • It might help you to get a second bin or box in your kitchen and bathroom for collecting things to recycle from around the house, before you put them into your main recycling bin

Recycling plastic

It is estimated that an average of 35.8 million plastic bottles are used EVERY DAY in the UK, but only 19.8 million are recycled each day. This means there are on average 16 million plastic bottles a day not making their way into the recycling bin.

Type of plastic bottles can you recycle

  • All clear and coloured plastic bottles from around the home
  • Detergent and soap bottles (minus the pump)
  • Cleaning product bottles (e.g. bathroom cleaners, bleach) (Triggers can be left on)
  • Skin care product bottles
  • Shampoo and shower gel bottles
  • Fizzy and non-fizzy drinks and water bottles
  • Milk bottles
  • Ready-to-use plant food and pesticides bottles (check the label)

All other types of plastic, including meat trays, yoghurt pots and margarine tubs, should be rinsed out and taken to your local recycling centre or disposed of in your general waste bin.

Recycling plastic bottles

You can put any of the plastic bottles listed above into your recycling bin or box for collection - or you can take them to your local recycling centre.

  • Replace lids and tops - If they stay on the container they will get recycled.
  • Squash bottles to save space
  • Empty and rinse bottles - Use left over washing up water to rinse your plastic. Left over foods or liquids can contaminate other recyclables and if bottles contain liquid they may not be recycled as deemed too heavy by the automated sorting process. Liquid can also damage the machinery
  • Leave labels on- these will be removed in the process

Reducing single use plastic

Single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These are items like plastic bags, straws, coffee cups and stirrers, water bottles and most food packaging.

Most single-use plastic items are completely unnecessary and have only been introduced into our lifestyles relatively recently for convenience.

Tips for reducing plastic waste

  • Always keep a reusable shopping bag with you
  • Carry a reusable water bottle
  • Buy a reusable coffee cup
  • Pack your lunch in a reusable container – don’t use sandwich bags or cling film
  • Say no to plastic straws and cutlery
  • If it’s plastic and its black, put it back
  • Slow down and dine in – reduce the amount of single use take-out containers you buy
  • Skip the plastic produce bags – put your fruit and veg straight into your reusable bags
  • Wipe out wipes

Recycling from your bathroom

We all use toiletries and bathroom cleaners on a daily basis and our bathrooms are packed full of stuff that can be recycled after we’ve finished with it. 

Things you can recycle from your bathroom

  • Shampoo and conditioner bottles
  • Shower gel and bubble bath bottles
  • Cardboard e.g. toothpaste or soap boxes and toilet roll tubes
  • Bathroom cleaner and bleach bottles (even the spray dispenser can be recycled)
  • Deodorant and shaving foam cans
  • Hand soap bottles (you can’t recycle the pump dispenser)
  • Moisturiser bottles

5 hacks to make bathroom recycling easier 

  1. Hang a bag on the back of the door
  2. Hide your empties away in a cupboard or drawer
  3. Get a second bathroom bin for recycling
  4. Re-purpose a nice basket or box
  5. Pop them on the landing and take them down to your recycling bin next time you head downstairs

Find more information and top tips for bathroom recycling from Recycle Now.