If your bin has the wrong items in it, or it is too heavy to move, it may be refused collection. Find out what can be put in each bin:
Recycling
We take:
- plastic packaging including bottles, bottle tops, pots, tubs, trays, clean plant pots, carrier bags, bread bags, cling film and bubble wrap
- glass bottles and jars (including broken glass bottles and jars)
- paper and card (put shredded paper in the garden bin)
- biscuit and sweet tins
- newspapers and magazines
- egg boxes (plastic and cardboard)
- aerosols
- cans and tins
- clean foil
We don’t take:
- black sacks/bin bags
- cellulose/crinkly plastic (such as salad leaf bags)
- clothes, textiles or shoes (take to charity shops, clothing banks)
- crisp packets (recycle at local TerraCycle Scheme or put in grey bin)
- food (put in garden bin)
- polystyrene
- foam/sponge
- batteries (recycle at household recycling centres and some supermarkets)
- shredded paper (put in garden bin)
- paint tins (recycle at household recycling centres)
- broken toys or housewares (recycle at household recycling centres)
- broken Pyrex-type glass or mirrors (put in grey bin, wrapped in newspaper or in a bag so it's not loose in the bin)
- hard plastic (recycle at household recycling centres)
Please rinse your containers before recycling to prevent food contaminating other materials.
If you have extra recycling that won’t fit in your wheeled bin, we will take it if it is placed in a clear/transparent sack next to your bin. Any other type of sacks will not be collected.
To find out how the materials we collect are recycled, please visit the Amey website.
Garden waste
We take:
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real Christmas trees can be put next to your bin for composting in January. If the tree is taller than your bin, please chop it to the size of your bin
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garden waste, such as grass cuttings and leaves
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untreated wood
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food waste - raw and cooked (can be wrapped in newspaper or paper sacks)
-
shredded paper (if mixed in with other garden waste)
-
straw and sawdust
-
cold ashes (if mixed with other garden waste)
We don’t take:
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plastic
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plastic type bags, including corn starch, compostable, degradable and biodegradable
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other domestic waste
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turf or soil
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treated wood (this can be recycled at the household recycling centres)
-
rubble
- cat or dog waste
All garden waste is processed by Amey at their site in Waterbeach where it is made into good quality soil improver and used on agricultural land.
View further information on garden waste and composting
Domestic waste
We take:
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household rubbish that cannot be recycled, composted or reused
- cat or dog waste
We don’t take:
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hot ashes
-
heavy materials
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electrical and electronic equipment
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fluorescent tubes/light bulbs
-
liquids
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oil and paint
Any excess waste outside of the bin will not be collected.
If you have a sack collection, only waste in the blue sacks provided will be collected.
Useful information
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do not overfill your wheeled bin and ensure the lid is closed
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if your bin is too heavy to move, it will not be emptied
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if the bin has the wrong items in it, we may refuse to take it.
Frozen waste
The contents of your bins may freeze during very cold weather. We may not be able to empty your bin if the contents become frozen and are stuck inside the bin. We will leave the lid of the bin open where possible to show that the crew have tried to empty the bin. We will not return to empty frozen bins before the next scheduled collection.
To avoid this situation you can:
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wrap food waste in paper
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store your bin where it is less likely to freeze, for example in a shed or garage
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loosen the waste inside the bin before your collection is due
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put your bin out for collection every time so you are not stuck with a full bin.