How To Recycle: Your Questions Answered

Why is recycling important, why should we do it? More and more of us are recycling everyday which helps decrease our reliance on landfill. Recycling also reduces the need for extracting, refining and processing raw materials which create air and water pollution. We spoke with Adam Harriott, waste expert from WRAP UK, about the plastic waste issue. Keep reading to learn how to recycle better. You can read the full interview here.

Do we need to rinse out our plastic recyclables?

Should we keep bottle tops and lids on things when we recycle them?

Can we recycle a yoghurt pot?

Can we recycle a toothpaste tube?

Can we recycle a plastic fork?

Can we recycle a minced meat tray?

What about a nearly empty bottle of suntan lotion?

How to recycle an orange juice carton?

Cartons are a strange one because they are predominantly fibre. It depends on the type of cartons you get (one has foil on it and one doesn't). They've got three types of materials (fibre, plastic and foil) and there will be six to seven layers, which means they're very difficult to separate from the majority.

Collection wise, about 66% of local authorities collect kerbside, but that's not enough to be deemed as recyclable. Other local authorities don't offer kerbside collections, might often bring back collections. So, the best thing to do is check with your local authority.

How to recycle a coffee cup?

Ever wonder what those little recycling symbols mean?

It can sometimes feel like the wild west, so we're here to help you figure out what to do with your packaging. Spot these labels on everything from soda cans to shampoo bottles. They’ll guide you on whether you can recycle at home or need to head to a recycling center. Since recycling rules vary by location, on-pack recycling labels are based on what most places accept.

Recycle Found on items collected by 75% or more UK authorities.

Don’t Recycle Less than 50% of authorities collect these items.

Recycle | Rinse Clean out food residue to avoid contamination.

Recycle | Lid On Keep small lids on bottles.

Recycle at Supermarkets Don't recycle at home, drop off at designated recycling points.

Recycle | Bottle Cap on | Don't Recycle | Remove Sleeve Look out for labels that tell you to remove a sleeve, film, or liner. For instance, if a bottle has a sleeve, just pull the perforated strip to take it off. The bottle goes to recycling, but the sleeve heads to the bin.