Mixed recycling

This festive season, help us to save money and the planet by recycling more of the right things. Recycling is a more cost effective way to dispose of waste – and it’s better for the environment too. Remember that all your recycling should be placed in your bin clean, dry and loose. In Surrey you can recycle:

  • Paper and cardboard – office paper, card, catalogues, brochures, magazines, newspapers, wrapping paper without glitter/foil/plastic, envelopes
  • Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays – including detergent bottles, yoghurt pots, ready meal trays and ice cream tubs
  • Metal food tins and drinks cans
  • Glass bottles and jars

You can also refresh your knowledge of what can and can’t be recycled in Surrey with our waste sorting game. If you’d like your children to learn more about sustainability, download the Recycling Detectives classroom activity now. Why not try doing a waste audit to see if you could be recycling more? Download the Binterrogator here.

Check out our tips to simplify your recycling and ideas on how to waste less below.

Eight easy ways to own your impact this festive season:

  1. Waste less, swap to reusable items wherever possible – travel cups, drinking bottles, cloth nappies, beeswax wraps for food storage, reusable make-up removers, bamboo toothbrushes. Find out more here.
  2. Keep bows and ribbons and reuse them for other occasions (they cannot go in your recycling) to reduce waste and save money.
  3. Place non-recyclable items such as hard plastic storage boxes, polystyrene, bubble wrap, and flexible plastic film in your rubbish bin. If in doubt, check it out with a quick search on the Surrey Recycles search tool or app.
  4. Plan food shops and party food in advance to avoid overbuying. Freeze excess food to enjoy later. Have you ever tried a food shopping app?
  5. Get more meals for your money, try some of our delicious recipes.
  6. Put food that can’t be eaten, like bones, eggshells and peelings into your food caddy.
  7. Having a pre or post Christmas clear out? Remember some items need to be recycled separately from your main container – such as clothes and home textiles, small electricals, and batteries. In most areas they are collected weekly. Use the Surrey Recycles search tool or app to find out more.
  8. If you’re not planning to replant and reuse your Christmas tree, look for places where you can recycle it by visiting the Surrey Recycles search tool or app or the check local collection services web page. Alternatively, subscribe to your local garden waste recycling collection service and your crew will take it away for you.

Remember, owning your impact now will make a big difference for years to come.