Your brown bin is for mixed recycling. It is collected every fortnight on the same day as your green bin (if you have a garden waste subscription).
Important information
Loose, not bagged - if you are using a bag to carry your recyclables to the bin please empty the items into the recycling bin first, then dispose of the bag in the general waste bin or reuse it.
Clean and empty - make sure your recyclables are empty and give them a quick rinse. If they are too dirty they may not be collected e.g. grease covered foil or plastic trays/pots with food in.
What to put in
Glass
Glass bottles (any colour) e.g. wine, beer, spirit
Glass jars e.g. sauces, jam, baby food
Other glass bottles e.g. perfume, aftershave, face/body cream
Plastic
Plastic cleaner and detergent bottles e.g. bathroom cleaners, washing up liquid, bleach
Toiletries and other plastic bathroom bottles e.g. shampoo, shower gel
Plastic drinks bottles e.g. juice, squash, milk
Plastic pots e.g. yoghurt, soup
Plastic tubs e.g. margarine, ice cream
Plastic trays/punnets e.g. meat trays, take-away trays, fruit/veg trays, including black plastic)
Chocolate and biscuit tubs and trays
Metal
Drinks cans
Food tins
Metal lids and tops
Biscuit/chocolate tins (including lids)
Aerosol cans
Aluminium foil
Foil trays e.g. take-away trays
Cartons
Drinks cartons e.g. juices and milk NOT disposable coffee cups
Food cartons e.g. soup
Cardboard and paper
Cardboard boxes e.g. cereal boxes, delivery boxes
Corrugated cardboard
Plain greetings cards (no foil or glitter)
Cardboard egg boxes
Cardboard sleeves e.g. ready meal sleeves
Cardboard tubes e.g. from inside toilet rolls and kitchen roll
Brown packaging paper and brown envelopes
Newspapers
Magazines
White paper e.g. printer paper and letters
Brochures, catalogues and directories
Junk mail including leaflets and flyers
Envelopes (including windows)
Shredded paper - please wrap this in a newspaper or envelope.
Items to keep out
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. We cannot include every item that is not permitted in your bin. If an item is not on the 'acceptable' list and you are unsure, it's best to follow the rule: 'If in doubt, leave it out'
Crisp packets, sweet wrappers, soft plastics and film
Film lids from plastic pots and trays
Laminated plastic food/drink pouches e.g. baby food pouches, cat food pouches or coffee pouches
Rigid plastics e.g. toys, Tupperware, pipes and hangers
Medicine pill packets e.g. blister packs
Toothpaste tubes
Polystyrene e.g. cups and packaging materials
Plastic straws and cutlery
Plastic flower/plant pots
Unacceptable cartons
Pringles/Twiglet style tubes
Single use coffee cups
Unacceptable cardboard and paper
Greeting cards with foil or glitter decoration
Paper towels, kitchen roll and tissues
Gift bags
Wrapping paper
Wallpaper
Padded envelopes e.g. Jiffy bags
Sandwich boxes
Dirty and greasy pizza boxes
Disposable nappies
Cotton wool/make up pads
Wet wipes
Unacceptable metal and other items
Gas cylinders, e.g. soda stream or helium cylinders
Paint and solvent tins (full or empty)
General kitchenware e.g. cutlery, pots and pans
Electrical items such as kettles, irons, pipes, white goods
Batteries, vapes and e-cigarettes
Compostable plastic
Whilst we recognise the benefit of reducing single use plastic some of the 'compostable' alternatives are not suited to the technologies used in Hertfordshire. For more information please see:
Larger brown bin If there are five or more of you in your household and you struggle to fit all of your recycling in your brown bin, you can apply for a larger bin.
What happens to my recycling?
Find out more about the journey of your recyclables from kerbside to end destination. Visit Herts WasteAware's What Happens to my Recycling? and read some of the most frequently asked questions.
Flats recycling
Visit our Recycling in Flats page for more information for both residents and managing agents.
