In January the Material Recycling Facility that takes the items collected in our borough’s white lidded recycling bins had to reject several recycling loads as they were heavily contaminated.

Contamination happens when the incorrect items are put in recycling bins. The rejected loads contained material that cannot be accepted such as nappies, plastic bags, food waste, large plastic or electrical items and textiles. 

Nappies and plastic bags cannot be recycled these must go in your green general waste bin. 

Food waste should go into your food recycling box that is collected weekly. 

Large pieces of plastic, electrical items and textiles should be placed in designated recycling bins across the Borough or taken to our two reuse and recycling centres at Thames Road (DA1 5QJ) and Foots Cray (DA14 5HS).

Only plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays from your kitchen and bathroom, aluminium drinks cans, tin food cans and tin foil, glass bottles and jars should go in the white-lidded recycling bin. All items must be fully emptied.

Putting the wrong items in recycling bins means that your whole streets recycling efforts are wasted and that recyclables may have to go to incineration as general waste. It is also a misuse of the collection services time and council taxpayers’ money.

A reminder of what can goes in each of our recycling bins is available on our Recycling page.

Please take the time to put the right rubbish in the right bins.