In this section you will find:
Car batteries
You can find out what to do with car batteries in section A to B, by looking under 'batteries: car.'
Cans and tins
Recycle
You can recycle cans and tins in your household recycling.
They can also be recycled in the appropriate bin at one of the many recycling points throughout the city and at the city’s Household Waste Recycling Sites.
Please empty and rinse out cans before recycling.
Cardboard
Reuse
Donate locally to people moving houses or use as a weed-suppressing mulch in the garden. You can also add to your compost bin in small pieces.
Recycle
You can put cardboard in your household recycling, or take to one of the city’s Household Waste Recycling Sites.
It can also be placed in the appropriate bin at one of the many recycling points throughout the city.
Please flatten cardboard before recycling it and remove any non-cardboard packaging such as plastic & polystyrene. Normal amounts of tape and staples are acceptable.
Tetra Pak cartons (such as juice and soup cartons) are made from mixed materials and should not be mixed with cardboard. See cartons for more information.
Keep paper and cardboard dry in your recycling.
When paper and cardboard get too wet, cardboard and fibre prevent the material from being recycled. It’s a problem as water content affects the density of the material. This makes it harder to separate from other materials.
The moisture also causes fibres in paper and cardboard to break down. This makes them fragile when they dry out. It's then harder to turn the material into new products at paper mills. If too much wet material finds its way into fibre bales, the paper mills need to reject the bale.
If you have an open recycling box:
- leave paper and cardboard in your house until the rain stops
- take your dry paper and cardboard to a recycling point and put it in the mixed recycling bins
- dispose of very wet paper and cardboard in your household refuse
Cards
Reuse
You could cut off the picture on the card as use it for a new card
Recycle
You can recycle card in your household recycling
Dispose
If a card is covered in glitter or foil, it cannot be recycled. You should place it in your household rubbish
Carpets
Reuse
If in good condition you can sell or donate locally using Freegle and other online platforms.
Dispose
You can dispose of carpets at Brighton and Hove’s Household Waste Recycling Sites and placed in the landfill area.
Cartons
Recycle
Tetra Pak cartons (such as juice and soup cartons) are made from mixed materials and should not be mixed with cardboard. This means you cannot recycle them in your household recycling.
They can be recycled at one of our many recycling points or at our Household Waste Recycling Sites. Flatten empty cartons as much as possible and replace lids.
Find out more about cartons
Dispose
If you are not able to access any of the recycling points for Tetra Paks, please put these in your household rubbish.
Catalogues and magazines
Reuse
You could use these for collages, or donate locally using Freegle for use on art projects.
Recycle
Catalogues and magazines can be put in your household recycling
CDs and DVDs
Reuse
You could reuse them as coasters, in the garden or allotment to deter birds, or sell or donate locally to a charity shop or online using Freegle.
Dispose
CDs and DVDs cannot be recycled and you need to put them in your household rubbish.
Ceramics
Reuse
Sell or donate locally to a charity shop, or online using Freegle.
Recycle
You can recycle ceramics at one of the city’s Household Waste Recycling Sites in the hardcore container
Chairs
You can find out what to do with chairs in section D to F, by looking under 'furniture'.
Chemicals
Recycle
Both Household Waste Recycling Sites accept chemicals. Please ensure they are in sealed leak-proof containers. They should be placed on the chemical deposit table.
Please ask a member of staff if you need assistance.
The recycling sites are for household waste from city residents only.
Business waste will not be accepted. Business waste is any waste from commercial, trade or business activities. This includes any waste from domestic properties used for profit (for example landlords taking waste from a rented property) and waste that is being removed for payment.
Our staff have the right to inspect any waste entering the recycling sites.
If they suspect the waste is business waste the person will be turned away.
Find out more about business waste.
Chipboard
Dispose
A limited amount of chipboard from home improvements or DIY can be disposed of at our Household Waste Recycling Sites.
The recycling sites are for household waste from city residents only.
Business waste will not be accepted. Business waste is any waste from commercial, trade or business activities. This includes any waste from domestic properties used for profit (for example landlords taking waste from a rented property) and waste that is being removed for payment.
Our staff have the right to inspect any waste entering the recycling sites.
If they suspect the waste is business waste the person will be turned away.
Find out more about business waste.
Christmas cards
You can find out what to do with Christmas cards in section C, by looking under 'cards'.
Christmas trees
Recycle
Christmas trees can be taken to one of the Christmas tree recycling sites we open each year after Christmas, or taken to one of the city’s Household Waste Recycling Sites.
If you have signed up to our garden waste collections, a Christmas tree can be placed in your brown garden bin if it is cut up into smaller pieces to fit inside and does not include any logs wider than 10cm.
Christmas wrapping paper
You can find out what to do with Christmas wrapping paper in section W to Z, by looking under 'wrapping paper'.
Clinical waste
Dispose
Clinical waste cannot be accepted at the Household Waste Recycling Sites.
You must contact Cityclean if you require a clinical waste collection.
Clothes
Reduce
Consider shopping for clothes in charity shops to give second-hand clothes a new life.
Reuse
Clothes in good condition can be sold or donated to a charity shop or online using Freegle and other online platforms.
Recycle
You can recycle any clothes at one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites or textiles recycling points across the city.
Coat hangers
Reuse
Hangers in working condition can be sold or donated to a charity shop or online using Freegle and other online platforms.
Recycle
Broken wire hangers at either one of the city’s Household Waste Recycling Sites in the metal recycling container.
Dispose
Broken plastic and wooden coat hangers cannot be recycled and should be disposed of in your household rubbish.
Coffee cups
Reduce
Where possible use a reusable cup for on-the-go drinking.
Recycle
You can recycle coffee cups in one of the Cup Neutral coffee cup shaped bins across the city.
Dispose
If you are not able to access any of the recycling points for coffee cups, please put these in your household rubbish.
Computers and laptops
You can find out what to do with computers and laptops in section D to F, by looking under 'electrical appliances and electronic equipment'.
Construction and demolition materials
Dispose
A limited amount of construction/demolition materials from home improvements or DIY can be disposed of at Household Waste Recycling Sites.
The recycling sites are for household waste from city residents only.
Business waste will not be accepted. Business waste is any waste from commercial, trade or business activities. This includes any waste from domestic properties used for profit (for example landlords taking waste from a rented property) and waste that is being removed for payment.
Our staff have the right to inspect any waste entering the recycling sites.
If they suspect the waste is business waste the person will be turned away.
Find out more about business waste.
Confidential paper waste (shredded)
Reuse
Can be reused as animal bedding
Dispose
Confidential waste cannot be recycled in your household recycling, you should dispose of it in your household rubbish.
Conservatories
Reuse
If in good condition you can sell or donate locally using Freegle.
Dispose
Small dismantled conservatories from home improvements or DIY can be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Sites providing you have done the work yourself. If you have paid someone to install or dismantle your conservatory then they must pay to dispose of it as business waste.
Please note: Business waste will not be accepted as the recycling sites are for household waste from city residents only.
Business waste is any waste from commercial, trade or business activities. This includes any waste from domestic properties used for profit (for example landlords taking waste from a rented property) and waste that is being removed for payment.
Our staff have the right to inspect any waste entering the recycling sites.
If they suspect the waste is business waste the person will be turned away.
Find out more about business waste.
Cookers, ovens and hobs
Reuse
If in good condition you can sell or donate locally using Freegle.
Recycle
You can take these to either of the Brighton & Hove Household Waste Recycling Sites.
Cooking oil
Recycle
You can take cooking oil to the Household Waste Recycling Sites and recycle it. Please take it in a sealed leak-proof container and place it on the oil deposit table.
Dispose
Small quantities in a sealed leak-free container can be placed in your household rubbish
Do not dispose of oil down drains, in toilets, onto soil or near water.
Corks
Reuse
You could give corks to schools for use in art projects.
Dispose
Corks can be disposed of in your household rubbish
Creosote
You can find out what to do with creosote by looking under 'chemicals'.
Crisp packets
Dispose
Crisp packets cannot be recycled and you should dispose of them in your household rubbish
Crockery: plates, saucers, bowls
You can find out what to do with crockery by looking under 'ceramics'.
Curtains
Reuse
Sell or donate locally to a charity shop, or online using Freegle.
Recycle
You can recycle curtains at one of the textiles recycling points throughout the city. They can also be recycled at Household Waste Recycling Sites.
Cutlery
Reuse
Sell or donate locally to a charity shop, or online using Freegle.
Recycle
In the metal recycling container at our Household Waste Recycling Sites.