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Plastics recycling

There are lots of plastics you can recycle, but there are also some that you cannot.

Plastic bags and wrapping recycling collection trial

This trial has ended. You can now include plastic bags and wrappings loose in your black-lidded mixed recycling bin.

Plastics you can recycle in your mixed recycling bin

Please make sure all of your plastics are clean and empty before putting them into your black-lidded mixed recycling bin.

Type of plastic Examples
Washing products Washing-up liquid bottles
Fabric softener bottles
Food trays and containers Yoghurt pots, food 'pots/tubs' for soup, noodles and cakes
Meat trays
Margarine tubs
Ready-meal containers
Punnet-style containers that hold fruit / vegetables, such as mushrooms or grapes
Health and beauty Hair gel containers
Facial or body cream pots
Shampoo and Conditioner bottles
Sun cream bottles
Bottles Milk bottles
Squash bottles
Water bottles
Cleaning Products Tubs for cleaning products, such as stain remover and detergent
Detergent bottles
Cleaning fluid bottles
Bleach bottles
Garden and garage Fertiliser and lawn care bottles
Pesticide and pest care bottles
Weed killer bottles
Plastic carrier bags Plastic bread bags, cereal bags, plastic wrapping from drinks/toilet rolls
Bubble wrap Plastic freezer bags, crisps packets, cling film
Food and drinks pouches Sauce packets, pet food pouches, film lids

Don't forget to also recycle, cartons, glass, cans, aerosols and clean foil.

Plastics that cannot be recycled - put them in your lidded-purple non-recycling bin

Any non-Polyethylene film (e.g. PP, PVC, others) Plant pots (greater than 9cm in diameter)
Buckets Paint tins
Toys Lipstick
Pressed powder containers Toothpaste tubes

Plastics you can recycle at your local recycling centre

Hard plastics from the home and garden
Plastic toys

Find your nearest recycling centre in Hertfordshire.