Plastic recycling guide

Plastics you cannot recycle in your blue bin

Please do not put the following plastic items in your blue bin:

  • Carrier bags and bin bags of any colour
  • Polystyrene
  • Rigid plastics such as garden furniture, toys, coat hangers etc
  • Plant pots and garden trays
  • Bubble wrap
  • Plastic electrical items (these should go to your local tip)

These items tend to be made of the following plastics:

Non Recycling Symbols

PVC

PVC is one of the most widely used plastics worldwide, however its high chlorine content and high levels of hazardous additives added to the polymer to achieve the desired material quality, make it difficult to recycle. You’ll find PVC in pipes, flooring, healthcare uses, wiring and window frames.

Please put this type of plastic in your black bin or take to the tip.

LDPE

Low-density polyethylene, also known as plastic-type 4, is used to make plastic bags. Technically, LDPE can be recycled, however please don’t put it in your blue bin, as it can often tangle in recycling machinery risking endangering the entire recycling process. 

Please try to use reusable bags. If you can’t please recycle your bags at your nearest supermarket plastic bag recycling point or put this type of plastic in your black bin or take to the tip.

PS

Polystyrene cannot be recycled unfortunately.

Please put polystyrene in your black bin or take to the tip.

Other

Plastic Number 7 is a complex group. It includes all plastic types except for number 1 to 6 including PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS and PVC. Plastic number 7 has a wide range of plastics with many different characteristics.

Please put this type of plastic in your black bin or take to the tip.