Recycling rules are a lot like navigating public transport on a hangover – confusing, frustrating, and a little bit overwhelming. But we’re here to change that! We’ve laid out what you can and can’t recycle, as well as some general bin rules that may have been lost in translation.
According to Bury Council:
Here’s what you CAN put into your recycling bins:
Blue bin:
- • Rinsed glass bottles and jars
- • Plastic bottles
- • Aluminium and steel food and drink cans
- • Empty aerosol cans
- • Clean aluminium foil and food trays
Brown bin:
- • Grass cuttings
- • Hedge clippings
- • Cut flowers and plants
- • Leaves, bark and twigs
- • Small branches and logs
- • Meat and fish – both raw and cooked, including the bones
- • Fruit and vegetables – raw and cooked, including the peelings
- • Dairy products like cheese
- • Eggs
- • Bread, cakes, and pastries
- • Uneaten food from your plates and dishes
- • Tea bags and coffee grounds
Green bin:
- • Newspaper, magazines, and junk mail
- • Catalogues, and phone directories
- • Paper and shredded paper
- • Cardboard boxes and packaging
- • Loo roll tubes
- • Wrapping paper, greeting cards, and envelopes
- • Cardboard food and drink cartons
- • Books
Here’s what CANNOT go into your recycling bins:
Blue bin:
- Plastic bags
- Plastic yogurt pots, margarine containers or food trays
- Plastic toys
- Plastic coat hangers
- Plastic storage crates
- Tops, caps, and lids
Brown bin:
- Any kind of packaging
- Plastic bags
- Liquids (like juice or milk)
- Cooking oil or liquid fat
- Large amounts of soil
- Big logs
- Plant pots
Green bin:
- Plastic bags
- Metallic wrapping paper
- Plastic film and polystyrene
- Packaging (like from the inside of cardboard boxes)
- Wet wipes
- Cotton wool and make-up pads
- Wallpaper
- Tissues and used paper towels
- Nappies and sanitary products
As well, your council has a few extra notes to keep in mind when sorting out your waste.
When using your blue bin, be sure to give your items a wash or rinse (just like your milk bottles). You can also squash plastic bottles or crush cans to make more room in your bin (we recommend doing this after a stressful day at work).
Please only use the compostable liners your council provides when using your brown bin. If you need more liners, attach the ribbon that’s toward the end of your roll onto your brown bin, and they’ll get you a new roll. It’s almost like sending a secret message.
When using your green bin, be sure to squash your cardboard to make more space. As well, wash and squash all your cardboard food and drink cartons.
For more of Bury Council’s recycling details, just follow the link here.
Where does it all go?
In Bury, your paper and card are taken to a facility where it’s sorted and graded (but not into Hogwarts houses). It’s then transported to a reprocessing facility that recycles it into new products. According to Recycle for Greater Manchester, these new products are then sold – with 51% of recycled paper and card sold to UK markets and 7% sold to EU markets. The rest goes to other world markets outside of the EU.
Bury’s mixed recycling is taken to a Materials Recovery Facility in Manchester. There, your plastic bottles, tins, glass jars, and drink cans are all separated. It’s then all put together and ready for the recycling process. 66% of recycled plastic bottles are then sold to UK markets, and 33% are sold to EU markets. 100% of your glass bottles, jars, aerosol cans, food cans, drink cans, and foil were then sold to UK markets (Recycle for Greater Manchester).
All your food and garden waste is taken to an in-vessel composting facility in the UK. What’s that? It’s basically one huge compost that can break down everything in just six weeks. The compost is then used in the UK as a soil improver.
If you’d like to learn more about where your recycling goes, just follow the link here.
We hope this helps uncomplicate your local recycling rules and makes it easier to sort through your waste. We know recycling isn’t the answer to the waste crisis, but it’s a step in the right direction. Happy recycling!
*This information is up to date as of 16th March 2022.
