FAQs for recycling
Why can't we recycle plastics from
the kerbside?
Plastic bottles can now be recycled at the kerbside in the
clear sacks, once the scheme has started
fully in your area. Plastics with the following symbols can also be
placed within the 
clear sack.
Of all the materials recycled nationally, plastic is the most
difficult due to its high volume and light weight. This makes it
very expensive to collect and transport. In addition, the market
for plastic reprocessing is limited to a few specific types of
plastic bottle, and this is why other types of plastic are
not recycled at the kerbside.
Other types of plastic such as yogurt pots and foo dtrays can be
taken to the Household Waste Recycling
Sites
Why can't card paper be put out with newspapers - where should
it go?
Paper, such as newspapers, magazines and white 'office' type
paper, is made up of white fibres and is used for making newsprint.
This type of white paper can be recycled in the paper banks or in
the kerbside recycling boxes. If
cardboard gets mixed in with the white paper, it contaminates the
mix resulting in a weaker strength of paper. This will result in
the paper mill rejecting any load of 'contaminated' paper.
Cardboard can be recycled in the cardboard banks at the NRCs located throughout the Borough. This
can then be made into new cardboard and paper bags.
If you get a large item delivered to you in a cardboard box, the
manufacturer should be able to take it away for you and recycle
it.
Can broken bottles and jars be put in the kerbside box?
There is no reason why a broken glass bottle or jar cannot be
recycled - bottles get smashed when dropped into the public glass
banks. However, for safety reasons it is advisable not to put
broken glass bottles and jars into the kerbside box as this will be left on the edge of
your property for collection, and may be a risk to pedestrians.
Please wrap the broken glass in paper and place in your refuse bin,
or put the glass only into a recycling
bank yourself.
Do I need to wash out my bottles before putting them out for
recycling?
Glass bottles do not need to be rinsed, or have labels removed,
but corks and lids should be taken off. Food cans should be rinsed
to avoid nuisance from smells or vermin during storage.
Can Pyrex, green house glass, drinks glasses and light bulbs be
recycled?
Pyrex, green house glass, drinks glasses and light bulbs cannot
be recycled. They are made from glass with a different melting
point and chemical composition and therefore contaminate the glass
containers. If included, they produce weak points in the new glass
containers produced, which would make them unsafe to use. There are
further details of what can and cannot be put into your
green kerbside box.
Can jars as well as bottles be recycled?
All glass jars can be recycled with bottles in your kerbside box or at an NRC. Pyrex, ceramics, greenhouse glass, drinks
glasses, light bulbs and spectacles cannot be collected.
Can I recycle shredded paper?
Shredded paper can now be recycled at the kerbside. Please wrap
any shredded paper in newspaper in order to prevent it blowing
around and place it in your kerbside box
for collection. Shredded paper can also be put it in your
compost bin.
What happens to materials collected for recycling?
All material collected for recycling is transported to a site to
be processed and made into a new product. For instance:
- Papers and magazines are taken in bulk to Aylesford Newsprint's
paper mill in Kent, where they are made into fresh newsprint
- Glass in the bottle banks is transported in bulk to Harlow
Glass Factory where it is made into new bottles and jars to store
specific products such as Budweiser Beer and Nescafe Coffee
- Cans and Tins are taken to a scrap metal merchant who separates
the aluminium cans from the steel using a magnet. The separated
cans are then crushed and baled and sent to steel and aluminium
reprocessors to be made into new metal products
Why do recycling services differ between borough councils?
Local councils are operated under the instruction of locally
elected councillors who aim to provide services that meet their
residents' needs. Refuse and recycling services provided by local
councils are planned and implemented at different rates and in
different ways, according to spending priorities. The distance from
reprocessing facilities also has a major effect - for instance a
borough which is mainly urban and is located near to a paper mill,
can provide paper recycling at a lower cost than a rural borough
located some distance from a paper mill, due to the high cost of
collection and transportation.
Why shouldn't I put green garden waste in the refuse bin -
surely it's best to put things that rot into landfill?
When green garden waste is put out
with general refuse it is collected and sent to landfill. Green
waste decomposes, producing liquid and gas in the process. As the
liquid mixes with the other waste in the landfill, such as
batteries, cleaning equipment, metals etc it may become toxic. This
liquid is called leachate, and will pollute water courses should it
escape from the landfill. The gas produced is a mixture of methane
and carbon dioxide. Not only does this contribute to climate
change, but it can also make the landfill site unstable making the
aftercare of the site very expensive.