A to Z directory of waste
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A-Z of items
Something missing from the list? Head to ‘what goes in your bins and recycling‘ for more, or let us know by emailing [email protected].
A
- Aerosols – go in the grey recycling bin (empty deodorant, hairspray, fly spray, polish, air fresheners and hair mousse cans). Aerosols that have previously contained propane or butane gas, paints or oils will not be accepted.
- Animal waste – please put dog waste in your green wheelie bin. Both recycling centres will take up to three bags if mixed with straw. We cannot accept pigeon or dog faeces.
- Bonded Asbestos – a maximum of 3 sheets can be taken to the Grimsby recycling centre. It needs to be double wrapped. You must pre-book your visit by ringing the waste hotline (01472 326288). Further information view on the dedicated asbestos advice page
- Ash (coal and wood) – is recyclable with your garden waste, but coal ash should be put in your general waste bin. Always let the ash cool down first before placing in any bin.
B
- Bathroom suites – from your home are accepted at both recycling centres.
- Batteries (Car) – accepted at the recycling centres only.
- Batteries (Household) – recycling points are available at both recycling centres sites, and in many supermarkets and shops. Go to Recycle Now to find your nearest recycle point.
- Batteries (large, lithium) – battery collection points available at both recycling centres.
- Blister Packs from medication – cannot be recycled at home, because they are made from a mix of materials (plastic and foil.) Blister packs are however accepted at participating Superdrug stores as part of the UK’s first medicine packet recycling programme.
- Books – can be donated to local charity shops.
- Bottles (Glass) –go in the grey recycling bin and if you have a lot of glass bottles they can be taken to either recycling centres.
- Bottles (Plastic) – please wash and squash plastic bottles and put them in your grey bin. As well as bottles from drinks we also accept bleach and cleaning bottles, as well as any bottles from the bathroom.
- Building Waste – bricks, rubble and other building material cannot go in household or garden waste bins. Three small bags can be taken to the Grimsby recycling centre if it’s from your own home and is not business waste.
C
- Cans – rinse, squash and recycle in the grey recycling bin, if you have a lot of cans they can be taken to be recycled at both recycling centres.
- Cardboard – clean card and paper goes in your blue recycling bin, or if you have a lot it can be taken to the Grimsby recycling centre to be recycled. It is accepted at Immingham recycling centre, however this cardboard is processed at the Energy from waste plant which burns it to produce electricity, rather than being turned into more paper or cardboard.
- Car parts – use a scrap metal collector, but please make sure they have a scrap metal collector licence. They also need a waste carriers permit too. Both can be checked on the Environment Agency’s online register: Access the public register for environmental information – GOV.UK
- Carpet (and underlay) – accepted at both recycling centres or collected through our bulky waste collection service. Small amounts can be cut up and put in your green household wheelie bin.
- Carrier Bags –re-use them or take them to your nearest soft plastic collection point which can be found at Recycle Now. If you are disposing of them at home, please put them in the general waste (green) bin.
- Cartons (milk or juice cartons) – tetra pack cartons are a mix of paper and plastic and so cannot be recycled. Please put these in your green household waste bin.
- Chemicals (Household) – five litres or less of chemicals such as fertilisers, wood preservatives and pesticides can be taken to Grimsby recycling centre.
- Christmas Cards – recycled in the blue recycling bin. Please remove any foil or glitter as this can’t be recycled.
- Christmas trees – can be taken to either recycling centre.
- Clinical Waste – the council offers a weekly collection service to registered addresses.
- Clothes – donate to charity. There is a Salvation Army bank at both Grimsby and Immingham recycling centres for the collection of clothes and shoes. Clothes that are clean but damaged can still be donated to some charity shops. You can ask if they accept clothes for ‘rag bags.’
- Composting – grass, fruit, vegetable peel, teabags, eggshells, paper, cardboard and many more items can all be diverted from household waste bins and transformed into compost.
- Community Recycling Centre – the tip/dump.
- CRC- abbreviation for the recycling centres (the tip/dump.)
D
- Dog Waste – any of NELC’s street bins for general non-recyclable waste can be used for dog waste. Your green domestic non-recyclable wheelie bin can be used, but the Council requires the waste to be wrapped (double wrapped is preferable) and for it to be in small quantities.
- Duty of Care – everyone has a legal ‘duty of care’ to make sure your household waste is disposed of correctly. You can be fined, even if your waste is fly tipped by someone else on your behalf. If it’s your waste, it’s your responsibility to use a registered waste carrier to collect your rubbish. Find a registered waste carrier in your area on the Environment Agency’s website.
- DVD and/or CD discs – donate them, check Recycle Now for places to take them, or they can go in your green household waste bin.
E
- Electronic and electrical equipment – some charities can accept them for re-sale or they can be taken to both recycling centres. Also check Recycle Now for an up-to-date list of local schemes that will accept them.
F
- Fertilisers (household chemicals) – five litres or less accepted in liquid form at Grimsby recycling centre.
- Fire extinguishers – not accepted at the recycling centres, local companies may be willing to accept them for a small disposal fee.
- Fly tipping – any waste that is illegally dumped.
- Fluorescent tubes and energy saving light bulbs – contain mercury and must not be disposed of in general household waste. Special containers are provided for fluorescent tubes and low energy light bulbs at the Grimsby recycling centre.
- Food – compost at home or visit Love Food Hate Waste for ideas and recipes to help you waste less food.
- Fridges and/or freezers – some charities can accept them for re-sale. They can be taken to both recycling centres, or the council offers a bulky waste collection.
- Furniture – some charities can accept them for re-sale. They can be taken to both recycling centre, or the council offers a bulky waste collection.
G
- Garden waste – small cuttings, leaves, bark, weeds, fallen fruit, twigs & small branches and grass (not soil) can go in household garden waste bins. Larger items can be taken to either recycling centres.
- Gas bottles (liquid petroleum) – return empty bottles to suppliers for a refill, re-use, or will be accepted at Grimsby recycling centre.
- Glass (window / plate) – pyrex and window glass melt at a higher temperature and so contaminate the recycling process. Instead they can be placed in the green refuse bin or taken to both recycling centres. Do not put in the grey recycling bin.
- Glasses – opticians collect old glasses for recycling.
- Grass cuttings – should be put in your garden waste wheelie bin or taken to either recycling centres.
H
- Hedge cuttings – should be put in your brown garden waste wheelie bin or taken to either recycling centres.
- Household waste – every property in North East Lincolnshire is provided with a green wheelie bin or has shared access to a communal waste bin for household waste.
I
- Ink cartridges – try to use refillable ink cartridges or go to Recycle Now to find your nearest recycle scheme.
J
- Jars (Glass) – go in the grey recycling bin and if you have a lot of glass jars they can be taken to either recycling centre.
- Junk mail – letters and envelopes with windows can be recycled in the blue wheelie bin. Use the Mail Preference Service or The Royal Mail “opt out” service to receive less.
K
- Kitchen equipment – small electrical items are accepted for re-sale by some charities, or they can be taken to either recycling centre. Alternatively go to www.recylenow.com for local recycle schemes that will take small electrical items.
L
- Light Bulbs – energy saving bulbs may be taken to the recycling centres where the operatives will take them for disposal with the fluorescent tubes. The older incandescent light bulbs can be put in the residual waste bin.
- Lino – small amounts the green wheelie bin, can be taken to either recycling centre, or the council offers a bulky waste collection.
- Loft insulation – can be taken to the tip t(up to 10 bags per day).
M
- Magazines – recycle in the blue wheelie bin.
- Manure – horse owners may like to contact local farmers or allotment groups to see if they would like to take any, or they will need to compost it themselves. Cannot be taken for disposal at either of the recycling centres as it is not licensed to take it.
- Mattresses – memory foam mattresses must be cut up before arriving at our CRC sites. A double mattress in to a minimum of 4 pieces and single mattress in to a minimum of 2 pieces.
- Medicines – return to your doctor or pharmacy.
- Mirrors – if broken, wrap and put in the green wheelie bin or take to either recycling centre.
- Mobile phones – go to Recycle Now for places to take mobile phones.
N
- Nappies – disposable nappies should be placed in the green household wheelie bin.
- Needles (syringes) – the council offer a weekly collection service to registered addresses.
- Newspapers – recycle in the blue wheelie bin.
O
- Oil (cooking) –accepted at both recycling centres site up to a maximum of 5 litres (1 gallon). It is unlawful to dispose of oils of any description down a drain.
- Oil (vehicle) – only accepted at Grimsby’s recycling centre site up to a maximum of 5 litres (1 gallon). It is unlawful to dispose of oils of any description down a drain.
P
- Paint – accepted at either recycling centre. We only accept a maximum of 4 tins of paint (2.5 litres). Any bigger it will be less than 4 tins. Alternatively, residents can put paint in the green general waste bin. Householders opting to use their general waste bin to dispose of partly used or empty paint tins, are advised to first add small quantities of sand or soil to each tin (as an absorbent) and refit the lid.
- Paper – recycle in your blue wheelie bin, if you have a lot of paper this can be taken to either recycling centre.
- Pesticides – a maximum of 5 litres accepted at Grimsby recycling centre.
- Plasterboard – clean, dry plasterboard only. Contaminated plasterboard with insulation / foil / plaster attached to it is not accepted as it classed as demolition and construction waste (maximum of three bags per household per day). Plasterboard should not be placed in your domestic bin as it can produce a poisonous gas when disposed with biodegradable waste.
- Plastic containers – clean plastic pots, tubs and trays (except black plastic) can be put in the grey recycling bin. You can also take plastic containers to the either recycling centre.
- Pizza box (takeaway) – go in the general waste (green) bin. They can’t be recycled due to the grease left over from the food.
- Polystyrene – break up and put in the green general waste bin. Can also be taken to either recycling centre.
Q
- Quilts – go to Recycle Now to see a list of the closest places to you that except quilts and similar textiles for recycling.
S
- Scrap metal – accepted at either recycling centre. You can use a scrap metal collector, but please make sure they have a scrap metal collector licence. They also need a waste carriers permit too. Both can be checked on the Environment Agency’s online register: Access the public register for environmental information – GOV.UK
- Shoes – donate to charity. There is a Salvation Army bank at both Grimsby and Immingham recycling centres for the collection of clothes and shoes.
- Small electrical equipment– small electrical items, such as hairdryers, hoovers or laptops are accepted for re-sale by some charities, or they can be taken to either recycling centre. Alternatively go to www.recylenow.com for local recycle schemes that will take small electrical items.
- Syringes – the council offer a weekly collection service to registered addresses.
T
- Textiles – taken to textile banks at recycling sites or donate to charity. Clean rags can also be donated to St Andrews Hospice Shops.
- Trade waste – if you operate a business and produce ‘trade’ waste you must ensure that you make the appropriate arrangements for disposal under the Duty of Care as set out in the Environmental Protection Act. Trade Waste is managed by Bell Waste Control who can be contacted on 01472 277299.
- Toys and/or games – donate to local charities.
- Tyres – up to 4 tyres can be taken to either recycling centre.
U
- Underlay and/or carpets – accepted at both recycling centres or collected through our bulky waste collection service. Small amounts can be cut up and put in your green household wheelie bin.
V
- Vapes – are accepted at both recycling centres. Or go towww.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk to find a list of shops that take vapes for recycling. Do not put vapes in your household bins, they can start fires.
- Varnish (household chemicals) – accepted at Grimsby’s recycling centre.
W
- Wallpaper – should be put in your Green household waste bin or taken to one of our recycling centres.
- Waste carriers licence – if you pay someone to take away your rubbish you must always check that they are a registered waste carrier. This means they are a legitimate company who will get rid of it properly. Find a registered waste carrier in your area on the Environment Agency’s website. You risk being fined if your waste is fly tipped.
- White goods – some electrical items are accepted for re-sale by some charities. They can be taken to either recycling centre or use our Bulky Waste Collection to take away white goods.
- Wood – large items of wood, timber and MDF can be taken to either recycling centre.
- Wrapping Paper – recycled in the blue recycling bin. Please remove any foil or glitter as this can’t be recycled.
Y
- Yoghurt pots (plastic) – please clean yoghurt pots first to help stop smells in the bins. All films and lids should be completely removed. Recycle in the grey wheelie bin.
Contact details
Waste Services Hotline
Telephone: 01472 326288, option 1
Telephone opening times: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, except bank holidays
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