Bins - Frequently Asked Questions
Contents
Recycling - Blue Bin
Why do some items have ‘Widely Recycled’ on the packaging, but I cannot place them in my blue bin?
These recycling labels are designed to encourage people to recycle as effectively as possible nationwide, but are not supposed to replace guidance from your local council.
Please refer to your bin calendar or our for accurate information about what can be placed in your blue, grey and green bins respectively.
Why can’t I place all plastics in my blue bin?
Not all plastics can be economically recycled at the recycling plant that we use to process your material. As a result, you cannot place certain plastic items in your blue bin.
Please be aware that, despite what may be written on the packaging, we can only recycle these items, if you put any other plastics in your blue bin they will not be recycled.
All of the plastic that we do collect in Rushcliffe is sorted in Nottinghamshire and then reprocessed and sold back to the plastics industry, mainly in the UK.
We use this process because currently there are sustainable end markets for these types of plastic.
I have more recyclable material than will fit into the blue bin, what can I do?
If you have more recyclables than fits into your blue bin you can flatten your card and place it neatly beside your blue bin on collection days to ensure space is used efficiently.
We always recommend that residents consider how much packaging and waste they may be creating when buying goods, to avoid their bins filling up too quickly.
However, if you believe your household will regularly create more recycling waste than your blue bin can hold, please contact the Council’s Customer Services Centre on 0115 981 9911 to enquire about an additional blue bin.
Why can’t I place food and drinks cartons in my blue bin?
The sorting plant where your blue bin recyclable waste goes does not accept food and drinks cartons.
Our Bring Sites have specific banks for these items to ensure they can be recycled more effectively.
Some food and drink cartons are waxy in texture – also called Tetra Pak – and are sent to a facility in the UK that breaks the items down into paper, card and plastics for recycling.
Why can’t I place tin foil and foil trays in my blue bin?
These materials are usually covered in fats, oil or food, which would contaminate the other materials in the blue bin, meaning they could not be recycled.
As a result, we ask that you place these items in your grey bin to avoid contaminating all the recyclable materials in your blue bin.
What should I do with small Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment (WEEE)?
Residents can place small electrical items on the top of their blue bins to be recycled.
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 items will be collected 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.
Glass Recycling - Glass Bin
Rushcliffe households are now benefitting from new Simpler Recycling rules that will see kerbside glass collections introduced from outside your home from December 2025.
Under this new service, the glass will be collected more simply as mixed glass, and will then be colour sorted at the reprocessor, meaning we can continue to help your glass be remanufactured into new glass bottles and jars.
What can go into my glass bin?
ONLY THESE GLASS ITEMS
- Empty glass bottles and jars of any colour.
- Food jars, drink bottles, toiletry jars, perfume bottles and feed diffuser bottles.
- Items must be empty and clean.
These items should not go into the bin.
- oven-proof glass such as Pyrex,
- mirrors,
- drinking glasses,
- vases,
- nail varnish bottes,
- window or greenhouse glass,
- microwave plates,
- spectacles,
- light bulbs or tubes.
What is happening to existing glass bring banks?
At present, the following sites will remain and all others will be removed in January 2026.
Glass Recycling sites to remain in place
| Town/Village | Location |
|---|---|
| West Bridgford | Morrisons, Gamston |
| West Bridgford | ASDA, Loughborough Road |
| West Bridgford | The Hook Car Park, Lady Bay |
| Bingham | Newgate Street Car Park |
| Cotgrave | Leisure Centre Car Park, Woodview |
| East Leake | Co-op, Main Street |
| Keyworth | Bunny Lane Car Park |
| Radcliffe-on-Trent | Health Centre Car Park |
| Ruddington | Co-op, Church Street |
Further work will be undertaken on the best collection options for communal bin stores and flat complexes where different receptacles for glass and other recyclables may be more appropriate.
Do the lids need to be taken off the bottles?
- Lids can be left on all glass bottles and jars.
Do labels need removing?
- Labels can stay on.
How often will the bins be emptied?
Collection dates for the new glass bin have now been detailed on a new collection calendar delivered to households in November. We plan to collect the new bins on the same day as your current grey bin collections, but on a six-week cycle.
Garden Waste - Green Bin
Residents can now join the 2019/2020 Garden Waste Scheme online, check out our Rushcliffe Garden Waste page for more information.
Why can’t I place food waste in my green bin?
We take your garden waste to a local compost site that cannot accept any waste that may have been on a surface in a kitchen or come into contact with animal by-products, such as meat.
We would, instead, encourage you to consider composting your vegetable waste at home, you can find out about compost bins.
Please be aware of composting regulations if you choose to dispose of your food waste in this manner.
Non-Recyclable Waste - Grey Bin
Can I have an extra grey bin?
Firstly, please ensure all of the items in your grey bin could not be placed in your blue or green bin.
If you are a household of five or more permanent residents you could be eligible for an additional grey bin.
Please get in contact with our Customer Services Centre on 0115 981 9911 if you would like your property to be considered.
Once the application is received a member of our team will assess your circumstances as part of a waste audit.
Why can’t you collect my grey bin every week?
Unfortunately, weekly grey bin collections could cost significantly more in Council Tax and would not encourage everyone to use their blue or green bins as effectively as possible.
Why won’t you take the bags that I leave at the side of my grey bin?
We only collect the non-recyclable waste that will fit inside your grey bin.
If you are unable to safely store any additional non-recyclable waste until your next collection day, then you must responsibility and legally dispose of this waste at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.
My bin gets full because I have children in nappies, what can I do?
We know that nappies can fill bins quickly and busy parents may need an additional grey bin for a short period of time.
If you are a household of four or more, you are can apply for an additional grey bin for an agreed period of time.
If you believe your household would benefit for an additional bin for this reason, then you will need to apply by contacting Customer Services on 0115 981 9911.
Further Queries
What happens to the waste in my bin once it has been collected?
In Nottinghamshire we have a two tier system for getting rid of your waste.
Seven District and Borough Councils, including Rushcliffe, are ‘Waste Collection Authorities’ (WCA), meaning we are responsible for the collection of your waste.
Once collected, we deliver waste to Nottinghamshire County Council who serve as the ‘Waste Disposal Authority’ (WDA).
The WDA sometimes work with private contractors to manage what they receive from across the county.
Visit Nottinghamshire County Council to find out more about how they dispose of your waste.
Where does my waste go?
Waste from the grey bin is delivered to Eastcroft depot on London Road in Nottingham for incineration.
When your waste is incinerated, the steam is used to drive turbines and produce electricity for areas in The Meadows, St Annes and shopping centres in Nottingham, with any residual energy sent back into the National Grid.
Materials from the blue bin are delivered to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Mansfield.
Waste from your green bin is delivered to composting facilities in either Oxton or Stragglethorpe in Nottinghamshire.
Where should I dispose of my food and drinks cartons?
Some of our Bring Sites have specific banks for these items to ensure they can be recycled more effectively.
Where should I dispose of textiles and shoes?
Many of our Bring Sites have a textiles or shoe bank linked with a local charity.
We only use charities where possible that are local and aligned with the Textiles Recycling Association.
The Textiles Recycling Association works to promote best practice in the industry and sets out a Code of Practice for all members.
This provides some assurance that your unwanted textiles are being used for their intended purpose and wherever possible are re-processed into something sustainable.
Why do I have to put my bin out at 7am when it isn’t emptied until later in the day?
Sometimes, due to unforeseen incidents such as breakdowns, accidents, road works and other events out of our control, we may change your collection time at very short notice.
Why don’t you empty blue and green bins at the same time?
Different crews empty each differently coloured bin to avoid the cross-contamination of materials, which helps to maximise the items we can recycle.
Why have you left a tag on my bin?
This means there is something in the bin that shouldn’t be there and cannot be processed at the relevant facility.
Please check the bin collection webpage for information on what should be placed in your blue, grey and green bins and remove any incorrect items before leaving the bins out for your next collection.
If you’ve checked your bin and believe everything is where it should be, then please contact our Customer Services Centre on 0115 981 9911 for more information.
Why can’t I put waste into sacks or bags before putting it in my green or blue bin?
These materials would contaminate the contents of the bin and prevent it from being appropriately composted or recycled.
To avoid these items unnecessarily going to landfill, please do not place bags or sacks into the green and blue bins.
What happens if I struggle to put my bin out for collection?
Please let us know if you’re having difficulties by contacting our Customer Services Centre on 0115 981 9911 or via our assisted collections form
We will then arrange for an advisor to visit you to assess your situation.
What happens if my bin is damaged?
Accidents can sometimes mean that your bin is no longer fit for purpose.
In these scenarios we will replace or repair your bin.
Please be aware that properties that deliberately or regularly damage their bin may face a charge for a replacement bin. Please contact our Customer Services team on 0115 981 9911 for more details.
How can I keep my bins clean?
For the grey bin, please ensure any food waste is bagged appropriately and the is lid closed to avoid flies and maggots laying eggs.
For the green bin and the grey bin, we recommend putting a newspaper at the bottom before filling with waste and occasionally cleaning your bins with disinfectant and water, or use a reputable bin cleaning company.
How do I get a new collections calendar?
Our calendars are designed to help you keep track of your collections and are delivered to households every November.
Please keep this safe, as it contains important information about changes to collection days, such as over the Christmas, New Year and Bank Holiday periods, and provides an up to date recycling list for your blue bin.
If you have recently moved into the Borough, or have misplaced your calendar, then you can find your refuse collection day or contact our Customer Services Centre on 0115 981 9911 to request a replacement.
Where should I leave my bin on collection days?
Please leave your bin at the edge of your property in a location closest to where the refuse vehicle passes.
We will return it to the same position once the collection is complete so that you can return it to your property as soon as possible.