A-Z list of waste types
Find out about the different types of waste, where to recycle or dispose of them, and any restrictions or charges for these.
- Description
- Reduce: General care and routine maintenance of wooden items can help to prolong the life.
Recycle: Wooden items can be taken to any of Staffordshire's recycling centres.
- Description
- Recycle (restrictions apply): Fire extinguishers can be taken to Staffordshire's recycling centres. You can take up to two extinguishers (up to 2kg) every six months.
- Description
- Reduce: Where possible consider repairing broken items. Reuse: Before you throw anything away why not see if it can be reused or upcycled. There are lots of ways this can be done.Recycle (restrictions apply): Your local council offers a bulky waste collection. Check your local council for further information and charges. You can take fitted items to your nearest recycling centre. You can take up to 1 cubic metre (1m3), broadly equivalent to a load that can be brought to the recycling centre in a family car, every six months.
- Description
- Reduce: Where possible consider repairing broken items. Reuse: Before you throw anything away why not see if it can be reused or upcycled. There are lots of ways this can be done.Recycle (restrictions apply): Your local council offers a bulky waste collection. Check your local council for further information and charges. You can take fitted items to your nearest recycling centre. You can take up to 1 cubic metre (1m3), broadly equivalent to a load that can be brought to the recycling centre in a family car, every six months.
- Description
- Reduce: Consider replacing broken bulbs with LED bulbs where compatible. They last for longer and are more energy efficient.
Recycle: Staffordshire's recycling centres accept fluorescent tubes and low energy bulbs, some shops also offer low energy bulb collection points.
- Description
- Reduce: Every year UK households waste 7 million tonnes of food, 5 million of which is edible. That's enough to fill 40 million wheelie bins! Planning meals and only buying what you need can help to reduce food waste. Think about making a list before you go shopping or take a fridge 'shelfie' so you don't buy what you already have. If you have bought too much, check the label and if suitable, store it in the freezer.
Reuse: on't let your leftovers go to waste, turn them into another tasty meal. For a few ideas for using leftovers, check out our recipe book. For other ideas add what your left over ingredients are in the Love Food Hate Waste website to generate suggested recipes.
Recycle: You can recycle uncooked fruit and vegetables in your home compost as well as eggshells. Newcastle-Under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council offer a food waste collection service for its residents. For other Staffordshire councils food waste must go in the general waste bin. Check your local council for further information. Do not place food waste in your dry recycling bin.
Dispose: If your council does not offer a food waste recycling service for food waste this should be disposed of in the general waste bin. All waste placed in your rubbish bin is taken to one of Staffordshire's energy recovery plants.
- Description
- Electrical items should never be thrown in the rubbish bin, they contain hazardous and valuable materials and should be recycled properly.Reuse:Reuse networks such as Freecycle, Freegle and Ecobees allow members to advertise goods. There are a variety of online selling websites. Other options are advertising in the local paper, or noticeboards in a newsagents or some supermarkets.
Recycle: Small electrical and electronic items are accepted through some council collections. They also offer bulky waste collections for larger items. Check your local council for further information and charges. Small and large electrical and electronic items can be brought to any of Staffordshire's recycling centres.
- Description
- Electrical items should never be thrown in the rubbish bin, they contain hazardous and valuable materials and should be recycled properly.Reuse:Reuse networks such as Freecycle, Freegle and Ecobees allow members to advertise goods. There are a variety of online selling websites. Other options are advertising in the local paper, or noticeboards in a newsagents or some supermarkets.
Recycle: Small electrical and electronic items are accepted through some council collections. They also offer bulky waste collections for larger items. Check your local council for further information and charges. Small and large electrical and electronic items can be brought to any of Staffordshire's recycling centres.
- Description
- Reduce: Wherever possible repair broken items to keep them in use that bit longer.
Reuse: Before you throw anything away why not see if it can be reused or upcycled. There are lots of ways this can be done, including the reuse area at Staffordshire's recycling centres, charity shops, reuse networks such as Freecycle, Freegle and Ecobees, or even sell your items.
Recycle: Furniture can be recycled at any Staffordshire Recycling Centre, and local councils can arrange for bulky waste collections.