Contents

What goes in my recycling boxes?

If where you live isn’t suitable for wheelie bins, we’ll give you boxes instead.

They are:

  • green for clean, dry paper and cardboard
  • black and maroon for plastic packaging, glass, cans and cartons

And of course, you’ll have a brown food waste box.

Green boxes

We’ll collect::

  • newspapers and magazines
  • letters, envelopes and junk mail (whole or shredded)
  • cereal boxes and other dry food and medicine packaging
  • paper bags
  • cardboard boxes (flattened)

We will not collect:

  • food or drink cartons
  • plastics (including bags), glass or foil
  • foam cups, or used paper cups, plates and straws
  • foil/glittery wrapping paper or gift bags
green recycle box

Black and maroon boxes

We’ll collect:

  • bottles
  • glass jars (with the lids removed)
  • plastic food containers like yoghurt pots, spread tubs and meat, fruit or ready meal trays
  • food and drink cartons and cans
  • plastic tubs or metal tins from sweets and cakes
  • foil

We will not collect:

  • mirrors or sheet glass (see dangerous waste)
  • lightbulbs
  • glass cookware (like Pyrex) or drinking glasses
  • pet food pouches
  • polystyrene (general waste bin or recycling centre)
  • nappies
  • other household plastics like plant pots or plastic bags

Putting these in with your other recycling makes it more difficult and expensive for us to sort, and could mean we don’t collect your recycling.

recycle boxes black and maroon
Bexley factsheet guide to recycling

A to Z of recycling

Most household goods can be recycled and made into new things. Find out what can be recycled and where with our A to Z of recycling.

Check how to recycle your items