Your A-Z of Waste and Recycling
A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z
NB: Please note that Bracknell Forest Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Aerosol Cans
You can place them in your kerbside recycling collection container (blue bin or green box). For your own safety do not squash or burn aerosol cans. Approximately 600 million aerosol cans are used in the UK every year; this equates to 36 aerosols per household.
There are foil banks at several recycling sites. The foil is collected and then flattened into large bales. Aluminium foil has a different composition to cans, and can be recycled for use in other products such as car parts.
Small amounts of household asbestos, which is a hazardous material, such as a shed roof or pipes that you have removed yourself, should be taken in bags to Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre. You are advised to call the re3 waste disposal contractor on 08009883023 before visiting the site to dispose of your asbestos to ensure that there is space in the hazardous containers. When you visit the site, you should report to the Weighbridge office or a site operative if the office is closed.
If a builder or other trader has carried out works at your property and removed asbestos, then they are responsible for disposing of it in the proper manner. Please ensure that your contractor is registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency and is authorised to carry hazardous materials. Longshot Lane site does not accept asbestos from traders.
Contact the Environment Agency on 08707 506506 for more information on asbestos.
Assistance with waste collection
Batteries (Car)
They can be taken to Longshot Lane. 98% of a lead-acid (car) battery can be recycled. Car batteries can be harmful if not disposed of properly. For more information: http://www.recyclenow.co.uk
Batteries (Household)
From September 2008 all councils were required to introduce schemes for recycling batteries to comply with the EU Battery directive. Household batteries can be taken to Longshot Lane site. Some retailers may also take household batteries, visit recyclenow.co.uk. It is better to buy rechargeable batteries for home use. Also, try to buy environmentally-friendly batteries that do not contain mercury. To read more about recycling and disposing of household batteries, visit www.letsrecycle.com. In the UK, domestic batteries make up just 0.1% of household waste, but still create a serious problem as their contents are highly toxic. For information on legislation concerning battery recycling, visit the DEFRA website.
Bicycles
These can be taken to Longshot Lane where they will be refurbished for reuse or visit www.re-buy-cycle.co.uk or give them away.
Bin Cleaning Companies
Several bin cleaning companies operate in the Bracknell area; please refer to your Yellow Pages.
Blankets
The charity Feed the Children appreciates donations such as blankets towards their aid programmes. Visit www.feedthechildren.org.uk.
Books
Local charity shops, many of which are located in Bracknell town centre, will accept donations. Books in good condition may also be accepted by local libraries, or deposited in British Heart Foundation recycling banks at numerous local sites.
Bottle Tops
Bottle tops should be removed from all plastic bottles as the Council is not currently able to process them for recycling. Visit Reduce, Reuse, Recycle for more information.
Business Waste
All businesses have a legal duty of care to dispose of their waste responsibly. Business should not be placed in your household recycling or deposited at public recycling sites. Bracknell Forest Council is working with its re3 partners to help businesses recycle more and reduce waste. If you require more information about business waste and recycling, please contact the Waste and Recycling Team on 01344 352000 or visit www.envirowise.gov.uk or www.netregs.gov.uk.
Cans
These should be washed, flattened and recycled in your kerbside collection container. Recycling aluminium saves 95 per cent of the energy used in primary production and is a valuable resource. In the UK over 6 billion aluminium cans are used every year. Twelve billion steel cans are also used in the UK each year and they are easily recycled. Visit www.scrib.org.
Cardboard - see Paper/Card
Carpet
Please take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Longshot Lane or contact 01344 352000 to arrange for a bulky collection.
In Britain shoppers used around 8 million carrier bags a year, or 134 each, of which 52% are used again as small bin liners. Carrier bags that go to landfill can take hundreds of years to rot down. Most supermarkets offer bags for life and incentives to reuse carrier bags. They also provide carrier bag recycling banks.
Cartons (juices, soups etc)
Tetra Pak waxed cartons make up less than 1% of waste and can be recycled. Carton recycling is relatively new in the UK. Bracknell Forest Borough Council is working with partners in Reading and Wokingham Councils and Waste Recycling Group (WRG) as part of the re3 waste disposal partnership, to trial Tetra Pak banks.
CDs
Please see our page on recycling sites for more information or donate to charity. Collectable CDs may also be sold via the web.
You can take unwanted items that are in good condition to charity shops within the Borough. They will be happy to accept good quality clothing, shoes, furniture and bric-a-brac which they are able to sell to raise money to support their charity. It is advisable to call the charity shop first to ensure that they are able to accept your items before you make the trip. Please do not dump goods outside the charity shops, as even items that are in very good condition can be ruined by vandals or bad weather, and the charity shop then has to pay for the disposal of these items.
Chemicals
Small quantities of household chemicals, such as garden pesticides, can be disposed of at Longshot Lane where they should be handed to an operative. For more information about chemical disposal, look at: Environment Agency - Dealing with hazardous waste.
Christmas Cards
These can be placed in your kerbside recycling container with paper and card. However W H Smith, Tesco and Marks & Spencer also accept Christmas cards for recycling throughout January to raise money for the Woodland Trust to plant trees. Bracknell Forest residents have contributed to this by donating around 3-4 tonnes of cards each year. Visit Woodland Trust.
The Council offers a clinical waste collection service to residents.
Clothing - see Textiles
Please check whether the item could be of use to someone else. Monitors are now regarded as hazardous waste and need to be disposed of at Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre where they will be sent for recycling of all components as far as possible.
For a full list of organisations and charities that may accept your second-hand computer equipment, visit: Envocare.
Disposable Products
Please try and use alternatives to short-life throwaway items; look for returnable, refillable, rechargeable or recyclable containers
DIY
When working on their own homes, residents of the Borough may take small quantities of DIY waste to Longshot Lane site. If you are likely to have a large amount of DIY waste, it is advisable to get a skip for its disposal (see Yellow Pages). As far as possible this waste will be recycled.
Dumped rubbish and flytipping not only spoils the environment and can be a danger to people, animals and birds, but also these acts are serious offences. Fines in magistrates' courts are up to £50,000 and may include 6 months' imprisonment. If you see anyone flytipping, please note as much detail as you can and report in confidence to Bracknell Forest Customer Services on 01344 352000 or CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
Please ensure you do not hand over your waste to any contractor (other than the Council's contractor) without ensuring that they hold a waste carrier's licence. This applies to contractors carrying out work at your property or who offer to collect your rubbish. If they are not able to produce a licence and then dump your rubbish somewhere, you could be liable which could lead to prosecution. Householders now have a duty of care to ensure that their waste is disposed of responsibly. For a list of contractors who hold a waste carrier's licence, please check with the Environment Agency or telephone them on 0870 8506 506.
If litter cannot be recycled, put it in the bin. If there is no bin, PLEASE TAKE YOUR LITTER HOME.
For more information about litter campaigns: www.encams.org
DVDs
These can be donated to charity or taken to one of the recycling sites where there is a suitable bank.
Egg Boxes
Please avoid polystyrene egg boxes as, unless you can donate them to a children's nursery to make models, they can only be discarded in landfill. Moulded fibre cartons can be recycled with paper and card in your kerbside collection container.
Unwanted items such as cookers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, fridges and freezers can be taken to the Longshot Lane site for recycling or these can be collected using the bulky household service.
For a small fee some electrical retailers may offer take-back when delivering new products.
TVs and PCs can be recycled, but some parts are hazardous.
Video and stereo equipment can be taken to Green Home Electronics based in Bracknell Forest: – 01344 300661.
Smaller electrical items can be recycled, but please do not place in your green bin. Please take them to Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre.
It is the producer’s responsibility to recycle electrical items under the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations.
They should be taken to Longshot Lane and placed in the container for fluorescent tubes so that they can be sent for safe disposal.
Engine oil from your own car can be taken to the Longshot Lane site for recycling. Please note it is illegal to pour motor oil down drains. This causes a serious pollution problem in rivers and seas; in fact it takes just one litre of oil to contaminate 700,000 litres of water. For advice on what to do with waste motor oil, visit Oil Care.
Engine oil from your own car can be taken to the Civic Amenity site for recycling. Please note it is illegal to pour motor oil down drains. This causes a serious pollution problem in rivers and seas; in fact it takes just 1 litre of oil to contaminate 700,000 litres of water. For advice on what to do with waste motor oil visit Oil Care.
Envelopes
Please reuse envelopes as far as possible. All paper and card envelopes (including windows) can be placed in your kerbside collection containers. Padded bags and plastic sleeves cannot be recycled. Padded bags can be reused and plastic sleeves used to wrap food waste.
Fire Extinguishers
Non-refillable extinguishers must be discharged before disposal. These should, if possible, be returned to the supplier for refilling or disposal. For advice on what to do with spent extinguishers, contact the Fire Extinguishers Trade Association at their website: www.bafe.org.uk. If you are unable to source the original supplier, you may take them to Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre for sale disposal.
Flytipping – see Dumped Rubbish.
Longshot Lane site has a special collection container for fluorescent tubes and energy-saving light bulbs so that they can be recycled safely. 98% of the materials in a fluorescent lamp can be recycled. Around 80 million fluorescent lamps are used in the UK, which means 5 tonnes of dangerous mercury end up in landfill each year.
Foil - see Aluminium Foil
Fridges/Freezers – see Electrical Goods.
Furniture
Local charities may collect furniture in good condition and there may be a charge. Thames Hospicecare and Oxfam, both located on Broadway in Bracknell town centre, will take furniture that is in good condition. There are also a number of organisations that can assist with disposal of presentable furniture. Non reusable or non fire retardant furniture can be disposed of via the bulky collection service or taken to Longshot Lane Civic Amenity Site
Garden Tools
Garden equipment in good condition can be donated or it can be taken to Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Gas cylinders should be returned to the original supplier/manufacturer. If returned to the place of purchase, you may be able to exchange an empty bottle for a full one or money back. Remember that gas is highly flammable and potentially dangerous, and must always be handled with care. Please do not discard in your wheeled bin. Unidentifiable gas canisters can be handed over by householders to an operative at the Longshot Lane site.
Glass
Take your glass bottles and jars (excluding Pyrex, mirrors, spectacles, glass or window panes) to the nearest recycling site and please take care not to mix colours. Blue bottles can go in the green bank. If you are in doubt about the colour, put it in the green bank. Bracknell Forest Council collects over 2,000 tonnes of glass for recycling. Drinking glasses and other small glass items can be donated to charity shops. Recycling glass saves energy and resources. 315 Kg of CO2 is saved for every tonne of recycled glass used. For more information on recycling glass: www.recyclenow.com.
Glasses – see Spectacles.
Hardcore
Ideally a skip should be hired, but small quantities of hardcore and rubble can be taken by householders to Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Hearing Aids
Unwanted and working hearing aids can be sent to Help The Aged to be cleaned and tested before being sent to India. Send your hearing aid to Hearing Aid Appeal, Help The Aged, FREEPOST CON 13616 or to Help The Children Hear, PO Box 98, Caldwell, N 07006 or visit www.recyclenow.com.
Most charities will accept toner cartridges to raise funds. Please contact your favourite charity; also consider using refillable cartridges. For more information check www.recyclenow.com.
Junk Mail
Junk mail can be placed in your kerbside recycling container. You can stop junk mail by registering with the Mail Preference Services at these addresses:
Addressed Mail:
Mail Preference Service
FREEPOST 29 LON20771
London
W1E 0ZT
Unaddressed Mail:
FREEPOST CRBT – 28XB –TTTS
Royal Mail Door to Door Opt Outs
Kingsmead House
Oxford Road
Oxford
OX1 1RX
or ask for an opt out form by email: optout@royalmail.com
Kitchen Waste – see Food Waste.
Knitting
Schools and charities may be able to reuse old or unused wool. Why not reuse your old carrier bags and knit them into a handbag? For knitting patterns try: http://www.allfreecrafts.com/knitting/bag/shtml or you can buy them online at www.allthingsgreen.net.
Lighting/Lamps - see Fluorescent Tubes.
Please try and use energy-saving light bulbs.
Litter – please see Dumped Rubbish and Litter
Medicines
Return unwanted or unused prescription medicines and drugs to your pharmacist for safe disposal.
Metals
For food, drink and pet food cans, see Cans. Please take all other metal items to the Longshot Lane site and place in the appropriate area for recycling.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones can be recycled as many components can be reused, but they also contain hazardous materials that should be disposed of safely. Several charities collect mobile phones to generate income and most mobile phone shops take back old phones. £3.50 from every mobile phone successfully recycled can be donated to World Cancer Research Fund.
Nappies
The Council offers an incentive of £30 to parents willing to spend it on non-disposable nappies. To find out more see real nappies.
Oil (Motor) - see Engine Oil
Oil (Cooking)
Unfortunately household cooking oil cannot be recycled at the Longshot Lane site due to food scares in the past, but you can hand it over to staff in a sealed container. For other ideas for dealing with waste cooking oil, see the Recycle Now website.
Mixed paper and card can be placed into your kerbside recycling container. Around 12.7 million tonnes of paper waste is processed in the UK each year.
Bracknell Forest Council recycles over 7,500 tonnes of mixed paper and card each year.
Shredded paper is acceptable in small quantities. Please place inside a box, eg, a cereal box, before placing in your recycling container. Only shred confidential details on documents, eg, names, addresses, banking information. Shredded paper can also be used for pet bedding and in your home composter.
Paint
In the UK over 300 million litres of decorative paint is discarded every year. Try not to buy more paint than you need – the amount required for the room size is usually indicated on the tin. Try to save surplus paint for later use or retouching, or give it to someone you know who could use it. Organisations such as local charities, youth clubs or schools may also find spare paint useful.
Pet Waste
Cage and hutch waste from small vegetarian animals, such as hamsters and rabbits, can be put in home composters in your garden. Dog and cat faeces should be wrapped in a plastic bag and put in the landfill bin - it cannot be put in the brown bin or biodegradable sacks with garden waste. Alternatively, you could consider buying an inexpensive dog loo – see www.petstuffgalore.co.uk.
Plastic Bottles
Plastic bottles only are accepted in your kerbside recycling container. On average every household uses 373 plastic bottles each year. A wide range of products – including fleeces, garden furniture, window frames and fibre filling for duvets, and T-shirts – can be made from recycled plastic. For further information please visit www.recyclenow.com
Plastic Containers and Packaging
Plastic trays, yoghurt pots, butter and margarine tubs and other moulded plastic packaging cannot be recycled at this time. Items such as plastic plant pots and ice cream containers can be reused. The Council would very much like to be able to collect all different types of plastics, but the UK industry for plastics reprocessing is relatively new and scarce. Currently, processors in the UK will only accept plastic bottles for recycling. Until there is an industrial demand for reprocessing of trays, yoghurt pots and margarine tubs etc, residents only have the option of avoiding the purchase of food in trays or to reuse some of them. In the short term such material will have to be placed in the refuse bin. Many retailers are looking at reducing plastic containers and packaging. Some containers, particularly small plastic bags, are compostable. For information on plastic carrier bags, see Carrier Bags.
Polystyrene
The Council is unable to recycle the small amounts of polystyrene that are generated in the Borough so it needs to be placed in the landfill bin. If you have purchased a large item with polystyrene packaging, your supplier may participate in a commercial polystyrene recycling collection scheme so may take back your polystyrene.
Queues
Avoid the queues at Longshot Lane by using your kerbside garden waste collection service and visiting the site in late afternoon when it is less busy
Records (vinyl)
Visit www.recyclethis.co.uk for recycling ideas. Take to local charity shops; sell via the web or at car boot sales.
Schools Recycling
For schools' information check SITA and re3.
Shoes
If you are unable to repair shoes, please place shoes in your nearest shoe recycling bank, and please remember to tie together pairs of shoes. Odd shoes are not used and will go to landfill. 260 million pairs of shoes are purchased in the UK every year, the majority ending up in landfill. Charity shops in the town centre will also accept shoes in pairs and in good condition. For more information visit the website for the European Recycling Company Ltd.
Shredded Paper – see Paper and Card.
Old spectacles can be donated to charity via opticians to help people with eyesight difficulties in developing countries. You can donate these at most opticians including SpecSaver and Vision Express. Contact Vision Aid Overseas on 01293 535016, or visit www.vao.org.uk to find out more.
Stamps
Stamps can be valuable to charities as they are sometimes able to sell them to dealers. Oxfam, RSPCA, Sue Ryder charity shops and Guide Dog Association collect stamps
Steel Cans - see Cans.
Telephone Directories
These can be placed in your kerbside recycling container.
Tetra Paks (cartons for juices and soups etc)
Tetra Pak waxed cartons make up less than 1% of waste and can be recycled. Carton recycling is relatively new in the UK. Bracknell Forest Council is working with partners in Reading and Wokingham Councils and Waste Recycling Group (WRG) as part of the re3 waste disposal partnership, to trial Tetra Pak banks.
There are a large number of textile banks in the area. This helps people in need of clothing at home and abroad, as well as supplying the textile industry. Clothing can also be donated to jumble sales or charity shops in the town centre, but must be in good condition. Soiled items and duvets and pillows cannot be accepted. Around 7.5 billion items of clothing are placed in UK recycling bins every year, many of which still have 60% of their usage left. For more information on recycling textiles and clothing, try the Salvation Army, Oxfam and Clothing Warehouse. If you receive a bag through your door for charity clothing collections, please ensure that the charity is a genuine known charity as there are sometimes bogus collections made in the area. Please be aware that some bogus collectors may also collect charity bags that are not theirs.
Toner Cartridges - see Inkjet Cartridges.
Tools
There are non-profit organisations that will take your used hand tools (not garden tools). Tools For Self Reliance operates with governments in six African countries and provides refurbished tools and light machinery to aid poverty relief. Visit them on the web at www.tfsr.org for more information.
Toys and Games
If in good working order donate them to charity shops or your local toy library, church, playgroup or hospital. Please check first what those organisations need. Alternatively give toys to family, friends or neighbours.
Trees – see Garden Waste.
Tyres
Over 38 million tyres are discarded in the UK each year. Discarded tyres can occur as flytipping on garage forecourts, industrial estates or supermarket car parks. Please dispose of unwanted tyres in the proper manner via your local garage. Tyres are not accepted at Longshot Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre, but can be taken to Reading Smallmead Household Waste Recycling Centre. Most tyres are incinerated or end up in landfill, but they can be a useful source of energy. For more information visit the Dunlop website.
Underwear
If in good condition, charity shops will accept old underwear – don't be embarrassed – there is a shortage in some Third World countries. For further information see Reduce Reuse Recycle website. Unwearable cotton underwear items make good cleaning cloths.
Vegetable Peelings and Unused Vegetables – see Home Composting.
Videos – Recycling Sites or visit www.recyclenow.com.
Waste Management Strategy
Bracknell Forest,working with re3 partners Reading Borough Council, Wokingham Borough Council and their contractor partner WRG, has adopted a Waste Management Strategy for the period 2008-2013. For more information and to download the strategy documents, please visit the re3 website.
Water Filters (Brita only)
Brita will reuse their water filters. When you have 6 or more used filters, send them to: BritaRecycling, FREEPOST NAT17876, Bicester, OX26 4BR.
Wheeled Bins
The Council empties green wheelie bins for landfill waste for residents of the borough one week and blue wheelie bins for recyclable waste and brown wheelie bins for garden waste the following week. These should be left with the lid closed at the nearest kerb or collection point by 6.30am on the morning of collection day. Excess landfill will not be collected for health and safety reasons, so try and reduce your waste by recycling and re-using as much as possible. The Council only issues one landfill bin per property unless additional bins are authorised in special circumstances. Find out when your bin is collected. Assisted collection is provided by the Council for elderly or disabled residents. Remember that collection days alter in weeks with bank holidays, so remember to check your calendar. Further information on refuse collection is available.
White Goods – see Bulky Collections or Electrical Goods in A-Z.
Wood
Try to save and reuse wood. Unwanted wood can be taken to Longshot Lane. For more details on recycling wood and to find your nearest wood recycling site, visit www.recyclewood.org.uk. Treated wood needs to be separated from untreated wood.
Wormeries
Wormeries can be purchased to deal with certain types of food and they are great fun for children. See www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/shop.
eXcess Waste!
Please do not leave excess waste on the kerb next to the wheeled bin. The Council operates a closed lid policy. Keep excess waste for the next collection or take it to the Longshot Lane site. Placing waste on the kerb could be described as dumping – which is illegal.
Yellow Pages
These can be placed in your kerbside recycling container.
Yoghurt Pots – see Plastic Containers and Packaging.
Zero Waste
Waste should be regarded as a resource and zero waste can be achieved if waste is minimised, recycled, reused, composted or used to generate energy.
Further Information
This guide introduces the main aspects of waste management and recycling, and it should be noted that the companies included are simply examples of specialist companies and are not guaranteed by the Council.
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