Your blue wheelie bin is for household waste that can be recycled, and is emptied every two weeks on the same day as your green bin.

In the main part of the blue bin, please put items in clean and loose not inside bags - 

Yes please:

• all plastic bottles (drinks, toiletries, cleaning products) remove lids and put in loose
• plastic pots and tubs (yoghurt, margarine, ice cream etc)
• plastic food trays and punnets for example, meat trays, fruit punnets
• chocolate and biscuit tins (plastic and metal)
• drinks cans and food tins
• empty aerosols
• clean aluminum food trays and foil (scrunched)
• card and corrugated cardboard (flattened)
• newspapers, magazines and brochures
• shredded paper
• catalogues and directories (including yellow pages, direct mail)
• envelopes (no need to tear out the window)
• greetings cards and wrapping paper (please remove all tape and plastic)

No thanks:

• plastic bags for example, black sacks, carrier bags, bread wrappers, cereal bags
• plastic film for example, bubble wrap, magazine wrapping, lids from food trays
• crisp and biscuit packets/sweet wrappers
• polystyrene for example, packaging, takeaway food trays
• hard plastics for example, buckets, toys, coat hangers
• glass bottles and jars (must be put in the separate black caddy/box) .
• metal items for example, pans, baking trays, cutlery
• textiles for example, clothes, shoes, bedding
• food waste
• food / drink cartons and Tetra Pak® for example, fruit juice cartons
• foil pouches for example, pet food, coffee
• medication foil pill packets 
• tissues and wet wipes
• Pringle tubes
• wallpaper
• nappies and general waste

Find out what to do with these types of waste 

In the inner caddy/box - 

Yes please:

All glass bottles and jars with lids left on (rinsed out, please)

No thanks:

• Pyrex and drinking glasses
• window glass
• light bulbs
• microwave plates

Find out what to do with these types of waste 

Please don't mix glass with your other recycling materials. This could lead to a whole lorry of recycling being spoilt. 

Too much recycling for your blue bin?

You can put extra recycling next to your blue bin on collection day.

Please make sure it won't blow away - please flatten and bundle up any cardboard and leave tucked behind the blue bin. 

Extra loose recycling can be put out in a clear bag (not black sack) or a plastic box. Please keep glass separate.

If you regularly have extra recycling ask us for an extra blue bin or hessian sack.

Small electrical items

Many small household electrical appliances can be recycled by leaving them on top of your blue bin - find out more here.  

Common myth - there's no point separating your recycling as it all gets mixed together anyway

This isn't true - our refuse collection vehicles (RCV) have separate compartments close together within the vehicle, so it can look like all your recycling is being mixed together, but the glass is actually going into a different compartment from the rest of the recycling.

Our crews use a separate bin for collecting glass - the glass from your caddy is emptied into this bin before being tipped into the glass compartment of the RCV. This might make it look like your recycling is all being mixed together when in fact it's kept separate

Recyclable waste is processed at special recycling centres where materials such as paper, cardboard, cans and plastics are sorted by machines and by hand. The separated materials are bought by companies who can make them into new products.

See more recycling myth busters on the Derbyshire County Council website.

Good to know:

• When your bin will be emptied
• How to put your bin out
• What can be recycled and where
• Report a problem or request a replacement bin
• Shared bins at flats, bedsits and older people's accommodation