Thank you for recycling!

Find out what you can and can't put in your household recycling, and why recycling is so important.

Thank you for recycling:

  • tins and cans - empty and washed, with lids inside
  • aerosols - empty with lids removed
  • cardboard - flattened and folded so that it fits into the bin or box
  • paper - including magazines and windowed envelopes
  • plastic bottles - washed and squashed, with lids back on
  • all glass bottles and jars, washed, with metal lids back on - please separate glass from your other recycling

Do not recycle:

  • plastic yoghurt pots
  • butter tubs
  • food trays
  • plastic bags
  • any other materials

Visit our A to Z of recycling.

Love our city.

Why we recycle

In response to the global climate crisis, we’re aiming for Brighton & Hove to be a carbon neutral city by 2030.

By recycling more, you’re helping to reduce waste, protect natural resources, save energy, and reduce air and water pollution.

A major issue we face is ‘contaminated’ recycling. This happens when waste is mixed with recyclable materials.

When recycling is contaminated, the contents of the whole bin and – in many cases – lorry load must be treated as waste and not recycled.

To avoid contaminating your recycling:

  • keep glass separate from your other recycling- when glass gets mixed with other materials, it has to be treated as general waste
  • reuse plastic bags and put in your general waste when they’re no longer usable - plastic bags are not recyclable
  • put yoghurt pots, butter tubs and food trays in your general waste - we don’t recycle low grade plastics like these
  • don’t put tetrapak cartons in your recycling - you can recycle cartons at 20 recycling points and two recycling sites

You can also recycle:

  • batteries at supermarkets or our 2 recycling sites - they contain hazardous materials so please do not put in a bin
  • used electrical items – take small items to 10 recycling points, and larger items to our recycling sites. Find out about our collection service.
  • clothes and shoes at 60 textile banks located at most of our recycling points