Our corporate bin policy

With more than 85,000 households in Warrington we have a lot of bins to empty!  To help us do this as efficiently and safely as possible, make sure:

  1. Place your wheelie bin out on your normal collection day, but not before 5pm the day before
  2. All rubbish must be inside the correct wheelie bin with the lid closed
  3. Don’t leave your wheelie bin in a position that will block the way for others
  4. Return your wheelie bin to your property as soon as possible after collection, but no later than midnight the same day
  5. Glass, plastic bottles, cans, paper and cardboard must be placed loosely in the correct recycling wheelie bin provided for this purpose, for collection
  6. Label your bins with your house number

You’re responsible for returning and storing your wheelie bins.

Things you can put in your blue bin

Your blue bin is for items that we CAN recycle:

  • Aerosols (empty)
  • Cardboard
  • Envelopes (with windows) and junk mail
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Plastic bottles - drinks bottles, household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles etc
  • Plastic food trays/tubs/pots i.e margarine tubs, yogurt pots
  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Tetra pak drink cartons
  • Food and drink tins and cans
  • Kitchen foil, and clean foil trays
  • Yellow Pages and phone directories
  • Shredded paper – small amounts. Please place in paper bags or small cardboard boxes to keep it contained. 

Please rinse your containers to get rid of any leftover food or liquid, and put them straight in the blue bin and not in plastic bags. If you're putting cardboard packaging i.e. pizza boxes in your blue bin, can you please ensure that they are clean and don't contain any food.

Please do NOT put any of these in your blue recycling bin:

Please note this list is not exhaustive. Any item placed in the blue bin that is not listed in the items you can recycle will be classed as a ‘wrong item’ and your blue bin will not be emptied.

Plastic bags, pet food pouches, crisps packets and plastic wrappers cannot be recycled in the blue bin, most supermarkets now have a facility to recycle them in store, check at your local supermarket to see if it's something they provide.

Any kind of plastic bag (including compostable bags) Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Hard plastic - toys / coat hangers / plant pots / buckets / tupperware etc Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Any food or liquids Food can be disposed of in your black bin  
Polystyrene Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Sharps boxes Ask you GP or local pharmacy where you can exchange your sharps box  
PPE (including gloves and face masks) Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Nappies Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Clothing and shoes   Can be accepted at CRCs
Light bulbs Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Cling film / plastic wrapping / bubble wrap Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Crisp packets Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Electrical items   Can be accepted at CRCs
Pet waste Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Pet food pouches Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Carpets / rugs   Can be accepted at CRCs
Paint, trays and brushes   Can be accepted at CRCs
Hose pipes Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Glass from windows   Can be accepted at CRCs
Scrap metal   Can be accepted at CRCs
Plates, dishes and pyrex Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Cushions, duvets and bedding items   Can be accepted at CRCs
Used tissues, kitchen roll / paper towels Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Wallpaper Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Wrapping paper (foil or with glitter) Can be disposed of in your black bin Can be accepted at CRCs
Dust from hoover Can be disposed of in your black bin  
Garden waste   Can be accepted at CRCs
Soil   Can be accepted at CRCs
Wood   Can be accepted at CRCs
Furniture   Can be accepted at CRCs
Hardcore and rubble    *Small amounts can be at CRCs
Batteries   Can be accepted at CRCs
Blister packs Can be disposed of in your black bin or can be recycled at Boots o Superdrug Can be accepted at CRC's

* Please note that CRCs can accept general waste from your black bin if you have extra bags to dispose of.

Blue bin recycling frequently asked questions

Why can’t plastic bags be recycled in the blue bin?

Unfortunately we cannot accept bagged-up recycling as the sorting facility where the items from the blue bins go cannot accept them. Bags and bin liners get stuck in the machinery which can cause a lot of problems.

Why can’t crisp packets, plastic wrappers and pet food pouches be recycled in the blue bin even though they have a recycling symbol on?

Currently there is no way to separate them at the sorting facility where the recyclables from the blue bin go and they can get caught in the machinery. Bags and soft plastics such as films, wrappers and crisp packets are recyclable but not in the blue bin. Many supermarkets are now providing in-store recycling facilities for them.

Why can’t all packaging labelled as ‘recyclable’ go in the blue bin?

We can only accept limited items in the blue bin including food and drinks cans, aerosol cans, plastic bottles, plastic food tubs, yogurt pots and margarine tubs, glass bottles and jars, paper, cardboard and drinks cartons.

We cannot recycle any other items because they are not accepted at the sorting facility, and can sometimes cause problems in the sorting process. Scrap metal, clothes/shoes, batteries and electrical items (including chargers) can be recycled at Community Recycling Centres.

Why rinse items when it is going to a sorting site?

Food waste / liquids still in containers can reduce the quality of recyclables, for example paper and cardboard, potentially making them unsuitable for recycling.

What do I do if my blue bin is not emptied and there is red sticker on it?

If your blue bin is not emptied and there is a red sticker on it, there will be item(s) in your blue bin we cannot accept. When you remove the incorrect item(s) we will empty your bin on the next collection day. In the meantime, recyclables can be taken to one of the Community Recycling Centres, or stored somewhere clean and dry until the blue bin has been emptied and then put in the blue bin.

Things you can put in your green bin

Your green bin is for garden waste:

  • Flowers
  • Grass cuttings
  • Hedge clippings
  • Leaves
  • Plants – indoor and outdoor
  • Twigs, small branches and bark
  • Weeds

Don’t put turf, large branches, soil, stone or rubble, or your pet’s poo, bedding or straw in your green bin.

Put your garden waste straight into the bin and not into plastic bags.

We only collect your green bin if you have paid for a green bin subscription.

Things you can put in your black bin

Your black bin is for general rubbish that we can’t recycle including leftover food, plastic bags and wrappers, polystyrene, nappies and dog/cat poo.

Don’t put garden waste in your black bin.  Don’t put soil, stone or rubble, or building materials – this will make the bin too heavy for us to move, so we won’t be able to empty it.

You can put your rubbish in plastic bin bags before it goes in the bin.

Things you can take to the tip

You can take things you no longer need to one of our community recycling centres.  Before you go, check their opening times, what items they accept and whether you may need a permit:

Things you can take to a recycling bank

There are local recycling points, often on supermarket or pub car parks, where you can take some things to be recycled.  Before you go, check where they are, when they’re open and what you can take.

Batteries

Never put batteries in your black, or any other, bin – they can cause a fire.  You can take batteries to a community recycling centre, to your local Livewire library, or you can find your nearest collection point from Take Charge + Recycle your batteries

10 December 2024