A to Z of reusing, recycling and waste disposal

You can stop junk mail by registering with the Mail Preference Service: Telephone 0207 291 3310. MPS Freepost 22 London, WE1 7EZ. Junk mail can be recycled using your green recycling bin. Please remove all plastic packaging before recycling.

Please recycle your unwanted leaflets and flyers in your green recycling bin, your nearest bring site or recycling centre . They will be recycled into new paper products.

Try to re-use magazines by donating them to your friends, relatives, colleagues or your local doctor's surgery. They can be recycled in your green bin or at your nearest bring site or recycling centre. Recycled magazines will be made into new paper products.

If your milk containers are made from glass, you should return them to your milk man. If they are made from plastic, they can be put in your green recycling bin, taken to your nearest bring site or recycling centre.

Old newspapers have many uses. For example, it can be used for animal bedding or art projects (papier mache). You can recycle your newspaper by putting it in your green recycling bin or taking it to your nearest bring site or recycling centre. It will be made into new paper products.

Paper can be recycled in your green bin, at your nearest bring site or recycling centre. Please note that we are not able to accept shredded paper for recycling (please see shredded paper).

All the following types of plastic bottles found around the home can be recycled in your green bin: drinks bottles, cooking oil bottles, milk bottles, skincare and soap bottles, bleach bottles, washing up bottles.

Caps, lids, pumps and triggers can all be left on as they will be recycled too.

Remember to take out a shopping bag or few carrier bags with you so that you don't need to accept anymore. Save money by using carrier bags as bin liners at home. Carrier bags, bread bags and stretchy fresh or frozen fruit and vegetable bags can be recycled in your green bin.

Please try avoid using plastic cups by using drinking glasses instead. They can be put in your green recycling bin if the cups are made from plastic types 1 (PET/PETE), 2 (HDPE/PE-HD), 4 (LDPE/PE-LD) or 5 (PP).  These numbers can be found in a triangle on the cup. 

All your plastic fruit, meat and vegetable trays (except those made of black or brown plastic) can be recycled in your green bin.

See yogurt pots.

You can put the following types of plastic in your green recycling bin - types 1 (PET/PETE), 2 (HDPE/PE-HD), 4 (LDPE/PE-LD) and 5 (PP). These numbers are be found in a triangle on plastic items. These items include plastic bags, plastic shampoo bottles, soft drink bottles, detergent bottles and plastic milk containers.

Caps, lids, pumps and triggers can all be left on bottles as they will be recycled too.

If your bottles are plastic or glass, you can wash them (squashing plastic ones) and put them in your green recycling bin.

You can recycle your unwanted telephone directories by putting them in your green recycling bin.

With the exception of the shiny metallic and glitter varieties, wrapping paper can be recycled in your green bin. To find out if paper is recyclable try the scrunch test, paper that is recyclable stays in a ball when it is scrunched.