We still have a network of bottle banks around the Borough focused on the areas that need them most. You can find your nearest bottle bank on the Recycle Now website.

How often will the bins be emptied?

Collection dates for the new glass bin will be detailed on a new collection calendar that we distribute each year at the end of November. However, we plan to collect the new bins on the same day as your current grey bin collections, but on a six-week cycle.

What do I do if my bin is lost or damaged?

If your bin goes missing, complete our missing bin form. We’ll investigate what happened, and hopefully be able to find it. If your bin is damaged, it will generally be replaced free of charge. If the damage is as a result of misuse, you have to pay for a replacement.

Can I have two glass bins?

We are confident most residents will need just the one bin to be emptied every six weeks, but if you do need an additional bin contact us online.

What happens to the recycled glass?

All the glass collected is sent to a reprocessor where it is colour separated by machines and recycled back into glass bottles and jars.

Blue bin

National Simpler Recycling changes come into effect from Tuesday 31 March.

Key points:

All items must be loose, empty, clean and dry
This is especially important for foil and metal food trays

Material type

Paper and card
Cartons
Metals
Plastics

Paper and card

Yes please
- Egg boxes
- Cereal boxes
- Newspaper, magazines, junk mail
- Envelopes (include those with a clear window)
- Cardboard tube (for example toilet roll, kitchen roll tubes)
- Delivery boxes
- Greetings cards and wrapping paper (not those with glitter of other embellishments)
No thank you
- Cardboard lids from takeaway containers
- Padded envelopes
- Pizza boxes, fish and chip boxes or similar
- Shredded paper
- Tissues or kitchen roll
- Used paper towels
- Wallpaper
- Waxed paper

Cartons

Yes please
- Fruit juice cartons
- Alternative milks (oat, almond, soya etc)
- Cartons that contained custard, tomato passata, lentils or soup

Please keep lids on.

Metals

Yes please
- Food tins
- Drinks cans
- Aerosols (lid on)
- Foil - clean and scrunched into a ball
- Metal foil food tray
- Metal cake, pie or tart cases - clean
- Metal tubes (for example, tomato puree or hand cream) - empty and lid on
- Metal lids from glass bottles and jars
No thank you
- Coffee pods
- Foil lined composite packaging (for example, ground coffee)
- Metal kitchenware, utensils
- Paint tins
- Reusable water bottle or drink cups

Plastics

Yes please
- Plastic bottles - lids on, including trigger sprays and pumps (don't put the trigger spray or pump into the bin loose)
  - Cleaning product bottles
  - Contact lens solution bottles
  - Drinks bottles
  - Laundry bottles
  - Milk bottles
  - Sauce or condiment bottles
  - Shampoo bottles
- Plastic pots - no black plastic - remove film lid (place film in grey general waste bin)
  - Baking powder, cake sprinkles
  - Coleslaw, dips, humous, sandwich fillers
  - Moisturiser
  - Sponge pudding pot
  - Vitamin pot
  - Yoghurt pot
- Plastic tubs
  - Ice cream
  - Margarine
  - Sweets and chocolates (for example Celebrations)
- Plastic trays - no black plastic - remove film lid (place film in grey general waste bin)
  - Cooked meat (for example meat for sandwiches)
  - Fruit punnet
  - Microwave rick tray - not black plastic
  - Plastic base of fish or meat packet
  - Ready meal tray
  - Sliced cheese packet - remove film
- Plastic tubes
  - Make up
  - Toothpaste
- Plastic takeaway containers
- Plastic egg boxes
- Plastic biscuit or chocolate inners (not black)
- Plastic plant pots - not black and empty and clean
No thank you
- Air freshener (including plug in refills)
- Biodegradable / compostable plastics
- Biscuit wrappers
- Black plant pots
- Black food tray
- Carrier bags / bin liners
- Coat hangers
- Coffee pods
- Crisp packets
- Disposable contact lens packaging
- Loose plastic lids
- Make up palette
- Mascara tube
- Medicine blister pack
- Microwaveable rice pouch
- Pens
- Pet food pouches
- Plastic bags and wrapping
- Plastic cork from drinks bottles
- Plastic disposable razor
- Plastic disposable razor head cartridge
- Plastic filing wallets
- Plastic film from fish / meat packaging
- Plastic kitchenware / utensils
- Plastic netting from around fruit such as oranges
- Plastic scoop from e.g. laundry products
- Plastic storage boxes
- Plastic syringes / spoons from medicines
- Plastic wrapping around multipack of drinks
- Plastic wrapping from around cheese
- Plastic wrapping from around minced meat
- Polystyrene and bubble wrap
- Roll on deodorants
- Toothbrushes (manual and electric)
- Toys
- Water filters

NO OTHER items should be put into your blue recycling bin.

This list is not exhaustive, find out more about what can and cannot go in your blue recycling bin.

We will also take flat packed cardboard next to the bin if it is too large to place into the bin.

Small electrical items

Residents can place small electrical items on the top of their blue bins in a new service launched in October 2024.

This includes the following items and the list could be extended in the future:

Kettles
Toasters
Irons
Lamps - must have bulb removed
Hairdryers
Straighteners
Hair clippers
Shavers
Electric toothbrushes
Games consoles
Digital clocks
Digital watches
Remote controls
Torches
Calculators
Laptops and tablets
Cameras and camera chargers
Mobile phones
Radios

The Council’s waste teams will collect the items at the same time or on the same day as the blue bin collection and they will be recycled at local contractors where other blue bin waste is sorted.

Residents are advised to fully wipe and remove any data cards from laptops, tablets, cameras or phones before being left on a bin to be recycled.

For larger electrical items including microwaves, fridges and freezers please either book a bulky waste collection or take them to one of Nottinghamshire's 12 recycling centres where they will be separated for recycling.

Items with built-in batteries do not need to be removed before recycling and removable batteries such as AAA, AA and 9V are as ever requested to be left in a separate bag on the top of any coloured bin.

Green bin - garden waste

Your green bin is for green, organic garden waste.

What can go into a green garden waste bin - and what cannot
First column - what can go in Second column - items that cannot go in
Yes please	No thanks
Grass cuttings Hedge clippings Twigs and small branches Weeds with soil shaken off Flowers and plants Leaves and bark	Plastic of any description Large quantities of soil Bricks, rubble etc Any household waste Animal waste Any food waste

Find out how to join the Garden Waste Scheme, or visit our page for more information.

Grey bin - household items that cannot be recycled

Your grey bin is for household waste that cannot be recycled or composted in your blue or green bin or at bring sites.

Please wrap food waste in paper and/or plastic bags before placing in the bin and keep the lid shut. Make sure bags are free of air as this takes up space in the bin.

Please think carefully about what you are throwing away- can it be reused or recycled?

Find out more about grey bin collections on our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Day of collection

Find your day of collection and colour of bin being collected with our online refuse collection calendar.

On your collection day, place your bin at the edge of your property at the nearest point to the footpath or highway, closest to where the collection vehicle passes by 7am. It will be returned to this position.
Remove your bin from it's collection point by the end of the day or directly after it has been collected.
Collection date calendars are delivered to every household once a year (if you need a new calendar, contact us).
Bins will only be emptied on the days shown on your collection calendars.
We will only empty bins that have closed lids and no extra waste will be taken.

Battery recycling

We collect your used batteries. Put your used household batteries in any bag, place on any colour bin, any week and we will recycle them. Find out what batteries we collect.

Large unwanted item collections

For a small charge we can collect your large household items.

Additional bins

If there are five or more people in a household or where two or more children are in nappies, you may be entitled to an extra grey bin. We will need to check to your waste to find out what your need is.

Help for elderly, infirm or disabled people

We understand that not everyone is able to manage a wheeled bin, so we offer an assisted collection service. If you are struggling with your bin, contact us online and a waste advisor will decide whether we can help you out. Please note that if you live with an able-bodied person then you will not be offered an assisted collection.

Missed collections

If your bin has been missed, complete our missed collection form. However, if you have forgotten to put your bin out, you will need to wait until the next collection day, or take your refuse to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Lost or stolen bins

If your bin goes missing, complete our missing bin form. We’ll investigate what happened, and hopefully be able to find it. If your bin is damaged, it will generally be replaced free of charge. If the damage is as a result of misuse, you have to pay for a replacement.

Householders’ duty of care - what are you responsible for?

Householders are legally responsible for making sure their waste is disposed of by an authorised waste carrier. If you use a waste carrier who doesn't have the correct licence and your waste is dumped illegally (fly tipping), you are responsible and will be liable to prosecution and could be fined up to £5,000.

So, always remember to check the licence of a waste carrier you employ and note their licence numbers. People that would need a waste carriers licence are odd jobbers, gardeners, builders and others offering a waste collection services.

Rushcliffe Borough Council is exempt from holding a waste carriers licence because we are a Waste Collection Authority and hold a Waste Management Licence (WML No:43426).

Waste Collection