What can be recycled?

We collect all items marked with a tick for recycling.

Please make careful note of the items we cannot accept as we incur costs disposing of these.

Glass:

WE CAN RECYCLE:

Jars must be clean inside, but replace lids, if possible. It does not matter if they have labels on them.

WE CANNOT RECYCLE:

Light bulbs etc can be deposited in bins outside various supermarkets/hardware stores.

WE CAN RECYCLE:

Beverage cans, such as cool drink and beer cans. These can be crushed if preferred or left as they are for collection.
Food cans can also be collected but they need to be clean. Labels do not need to be removed.
Aerosol cans.
Paint cans.

WE CAN RECYCLE:

Office paper: Includes printer paper, writing paper, school books, envelopes. (See also our confidential document shredding service)
Cardboard: Includes cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, cardboard dividers, egg boxes, toilet roll inners, any other cardboard packaging
Newspapers
Magazines & flyers
Books: reading books, phone books, old school books, etc.
(Books that are still in good condition can be donated to the Children�s Feeding Trust. Their shop is on the left side of the Walmer Town Hall)
Long Life Cartons: drain or rinse if used for milk and juice

WE CANNOT RECYCLE:

We can take most kinds of plastic. Here are some examples of what we do want:

	WE CAN RECYCLE: Most plastic containers such as cool drink and water bottles, cleaning product bottles, milk bottles, yoghurt pots, margarine and ice cream tubs (usually numbers 1, 2, or 5) Soft plastic bags and packaging Cling wrap, pallet wrap and bubble wrap Crackly shopping bags Chunky, white polystyrene (such as used to package electronic items) Plastic items such as garden chairs, buckets, flower pots. Some trays used to package fruit and vegetables (but not if made of PET or black polystyrene)
	YES PLEASE
	WE CANNOT RECYCLE: Black soft plastic Black rigid trays Black polystyrene trays White polystyrene trays, containers, cups Plastic trays made from PET (marked with '1' in the triangle) Plastic contaminated with oil, paint or glue, or plastic bonded with paper such as laminated paper Plastic items containing metal parts (like screws) which cannot easily be removed Chip packets, tea bag wrap and many biscuit wrappers
	NO THANKS
	Confused about PET??? There seems to be some confusion about the recycling of PET. We can take all PET bottles for recycling - they are used to make carpets and fleeces etc. We cannot take the PET containers (the ones that fresh fruit and sandwiches come in) - they are *not recyclable in South Africa*. So please send us all your bottles; some examples are shown below:

WE CAN RECYCLE:

Used printer cartridges
Large batteries, e.g. those from gate motors, alarm systems
Electronic Waste: Any broken electrical equipment such as irons, microwaves, washing machines or computer equipment
Aluminium foil, e.g. Pie plates, some yoghurt seals, foil food wrap
Any craft materials such as wool, cotton, material scraps, beads, greeting cards, etc. also for the Motherwell Buyback Centre ladies to make items for sale
Used cooking oil for manufacturing bio fuel. (Please put in a screw top, plastic bottle any size and ensure it is closed tightly as a leak will contaminate the rest of your recycling)
Old X-Rays
Any office stationery that can be reused, e.g. lever arch files, file dividers, storage containers

WE CANNOT RECYCLE:

Cassette and video tapes
Domestic batteries such as torch batteries (these can be deposited to safe disposal at some shopping centres)
Rubber
Vinyl
Items made from mixed plastics and/or other materials, e.g. toothbrushes, pens, some toys
Wooden items (unless in the form of office shelving ☺)