Recycling collection
Hard Plastics
Please be aware that we currently cannot accept hard plastics, such as garden furniture, for recycling.
This is a very difficult material to recycle and we do not have an outlet for it at present, but we are hoping to reinstate this option in the near future.
Until then, hard plastics can still be accepted at the Reuse and Recycling Centres for disposal. They will be processed into an alternative to fossil fuels for the recovery of heat and electricity, and will not be landfilled.
Recycling Boxes
Recycling boxes are now back in stock and you can order them for £7.20 per box, which includes lost/stolen and damaged boxes. This price includes delivery.
We are aware lots of people have ring door bell or CCTV. If you have video evidence showing our crew members misplacing or damaging your box, then please provide us with this and we will investigate accordingly. This may result in boxes, or wheelie bin, being supplied free of charge. Please send this to cleansing.services@redbridge.gov.uk
You can also present your recycling in clear sack and/or cardboard box.
Please note that we will not collect recycling presented in a bin or wheelie bin.
All boxes are provided with hats, not rigid lids.
Presence of non-recyclable items
If a recycling box is contaminated (waste that does not belong in the box), then the whole box may not be taken. Please ensure correct items are presented (see chart below).
Check your collection day
We offer kerbside recycling collection on the same day as your normal bin collection.
Was your recycling missed?
If you feel that your recycling waste has been missed by the crew, then please use the button below to report it. Please note that if your waste was not presented correctly (at the boundary) then the crew may have not taken it because of that. This means that they may also have noted it as such on their tablets, and you will be blocked from reporting it.
Cardboard
- Cardboard packaging and boxes (flattened or cut up to fit inside your recycling box, or left in a neat, manageable bundle - maximum 2ftx3ft) also include boxes for pizza, cereal, eggs etc.
Recycling for communal properties
If you live in an area that shares bins (communal), then please visit the Recycling for Communal Properties page.
Disposing of laughing gas canisters
Please take them to Chigwell Road Recycling Centre where they can be placed in the gas canister cage (site staff will advise).
I live in a flat above a shop - how do I recycle?
We are unable to provide facilities for flats above shops due to collection access issues. If you live in a property above a shop we are happy to provide you with a reusable bag.
Click here to find your nearest public recycling site on a map
Presenting your recycling
Place your black recycling boxes (or blue boxes if you still have them). Boxes should be left just within the boundary of your property by 6am on the day of collection.
Cardboard must be flattened and presented inside your existing recycling box. It may be necessary to cut larger items up to ensure they fit in the box.
Your recycling can also be presented in clear sacks or cardboard boxes (not black sacks) .
Recycling must not be presented in dustbins or storage (or moving) crates
What goes in your recycling boxes?
Please ensure your recycling is completely free from food, rinsed and squashed to save space in your box.
Box 1:
- Food tins, drinks cans
- Glass bottles and jars
- Plastic bottles
- Clean plastic pots, tubs and trays (rinsed, no food, no black plastic)
- Empty aerosol cans
- Clean aluminium foil, including foil trays (rinsed, no food, scrunch small pieces)
Box 2:
- Paper
- Envelopes (including windows)
- Thin card
- Thick card (ensure this is folded or cut to fit inside your recycling box)
- Larger cardboard will only be taken if presented neatly and flat, next to your recycling box.
Please see table below for a full list of what you can and can't recycle in Redbridge. Want to know more about our service? Find out the technical details of waste and recycling in the borough, including what happens to your refuse with our in depth guide.
Materials in the spotlight
We are frequently asked about recycling provision for the following items that we do not currently collect for recycling in Redbridge:
Plastic pots, tubs and trays
Since September 2021 we have accepted plastic pots, tubs and trays in our mixed recycling boxes. Please ensure they are free from food waste and that you don't include black plastic as this cannot be seen by laser sort on black conveyor belts at the reprocessing facility.
There are around 21 different types of plastic and much of the plastic we use is designed to be “single use” which is not environmentally friendly. For residents wishing to reduce their single use plastic waste and save money we have some simple steps to help you get started.
Food waste
Redbridge does not currently run a separate food waste collection.
Redbridge’s waste is not incinerated or sent to landfill but rather processed by the Jenkins Lane waste management facility which further separates recyclable materials from the refuse. This includes an organic material which is sent on for composting, and makes use of the biodegradable fraction (which includes food waste) to produce heat which helps power the process. Through this process, food waste in Redbridge is diverted from landfill. However, to reduce the environmental and economic impact of food waste we encourage residents to 'love food and hate waste' by:
- Planning what to buy
- Portioning correctly to avoid waste
- Storing cooked and uncooked food to make it last
- Using up leftovers instead of throwing them away
- Sharing excess with friends/neighbours/charity instead of throwing away.
Home composting significantly reduces the volume of waste in your wheelie bin. The bits of fruit and veg (skins, peels, stalks) you don't eat, your garden clippings and bedding from vegetarian pets can be turned into a nutrient rich soil improver. You don't have to be a keen gardener, or have a lot of outdoor space to give home composting a go.
Tetra Pack cartons and ‘take away’ coffee cups
Redbridge does not currently collect Tetra Pack/Juice cartons in our kerbside recycling service. These items are composite materials, meaning they are made of more than one thing. Tetra Packs are made from aluminium, card and plastic. Coffee cups are made from card and plastic. Therefore, cartons and coffee cups cannot be reprocessed directly with any of the other materials in the Redbridge kerbside recycling service. We do not currently have the infrastructure to separate them into a single material stream for reprocessing. Tetra Packs and coffee cups can be taken to Chigwell Road RRC. Alternatively, reusable options for coffee on the go are easy to find.
