What Can Be Recycled?

by Craig Pryce July 28, 2026

Knowing what can be recycled should be easy. The new Simpler Recycling rules for households came into effect in March 2026 to help standardise what rubbish you can recycle at home across England. A postcode lottery of who can recycle glass bottles at home and who must visit a bottle bank should be a thing of the past, for example.

Despite this, figuring out what you can recycle in each household bin and what needs taking to a household waste recycling centre (HWRC) or elsewhere is still sometimes confusing. The same applies to workplace waste with different bins in place.

As of 2023, UK households still recycled less than half of the waste they produced (44.6% according to Defra), with England recycling 44.0% and Scotland just 42.1%. Both Northern Ireland and Wales recycle over half of their domestic waste (50.2% and 57.0%, respectively).

To improve these figures, greater knowledge and confidence about what you can recycle, where, and how for common waste types are required.

Why does recycling matter?

Before we cover what you can recycle, let's look at why it’s important to recycle. There are plenty of benefits, including:

Sending less rubbish to landfill sites
Less litter polluting the environment
Recovering valuable and reusable resources (like precious metals)
Saving energy compared to creating materials from scratch

Minimising carbon emissions generated through waste management

It's crucial to know what can be recycled and the correct way to sort your recycling at home and at work. In this guide, we cover common waste items and materials you can and can't recycle in your domestic or workplace bins to help clear up some of the confusion.

Aerosol cans

Can you recycle aerosol cans?

You can recycle empty deodorant cans and other aerosols (such as hairspray cans) in a mixed recycling bin at home or in a business (for metal, plastic, and glass).

Deodorant cans are usually made of aluminium and can be recycled easily enough. Make sure they're empty, and don't try to pierce or flatten them.

Bottle caps

Can you recycle bottle caps?

The easiest way to recycle bottle caps is to recycle them with the plastic bottles they belong to. Many soft drink bottle lids are now attached for recycling, which makes it simple.

Milk bottle tops are often not attached. However, you can screw them back on before you put them in a mixed recycling or plastic recycling bin.

Carpet

Can you recycle carpet?

Carpet is recyclable, but not in domestic wheelie bins. Instead, you may need to take old carpet and rugs to a local collection point or HWRC.

Any carpet in decent condition is often reusable. Offcuts make matching area rugs for high-wear spots. You can even use carpet and rugs to protect flowerbeds against frost in winter.

Clothing

Can you recycle clothes?

You can recycle clothes, normally in dedicated clothing bins at supermarkets, HWRCs, and other recycling points. You can also donate clothes in good condition to charity shops.

Get more tips on how to recycle your old clothes.

Coffee cups

Can you recycle coffee cups?

Coffee cups can be recycled at designated collection points. The waterproof coatings and coffee remnants mean disposable coffee cups cannot be recycled as paper waste in your recycling bin at home.

If you run a business with lots of coffee-related waste (like disposable cups, used coffee grounds, and used pods), your waste management provider should offer options to manage each waste stream appropriately.

Corks

Can you recycle corks?

You can recycle corks, but not as easily as other waste types. Schemes like Recorked UK resell used corks for charity. You can also put them in your compost bin at home, or chop them up and sprinkle them on flowerbeds.

Crisp packets

Can you recycle crisp packets?

Crisp packet recycling is becoming more common. Local councils have different rules on whether you can recycle thin plastic film (including crisp packet material) along with rigid plastics (like plastic bottles).

Check your local council rules for the plastic packaging waste you can put in your domestic recycling bin. If your council doesn’t accept plastic bags and films, you'll usually find a bin in your local supermarket dedicated to plastic film and packaging waste that includes crisp packets.

Light bulbs

Can you recycle light bulbs?

You can recycle light bulbs, but not in domestic recycling bins or at glass bottle banks. This is because they contain wires that are difficult to separate from the glass, which can contaminate the glass recycling.

You'll usually have to take energy-saving light bulbs to your nearest HWRC or a large supermarket with a dedicated bin for light bulbs.

McDonald's cups

Can you recycle McDonald's cups?

Recycle used McDonald’s cups at a McDonald's restaurant during your next visit. You usually can't put a used McDonald's paper cup in a domestic recycling bin.

Businesses can order a Cup Box from the National Cup Recycling Scheme to use for takeaway cups and disposable coffee cups. Alternatively, a designated paper cup recycling bin in a unique colour (like a purple recycling bin) can keep them apart from your 'clean' paper recycling waste, ready for collection.

Packing peanuts

Can you recycle packing peanuts?

Some retailers will accept and recycle packing peanuts. They’re usually made of polystyrene, which cannot go in a normal plastic recycling bin or most domestic recycling bins.

However, some packaging retailers now have a designated packing peanut recycling bin on-site where you can drop off used packing chips. You can also buy corn starch packing peanuts, which are fully compostable.

Perfume bottles

Can you recycle perfume bottles?

You can recycle aftershave bottles and perfume bottles in your normal glass recycling bin. Ensure they’re empty, clean, and dry to recycle confidently alongside other glass bottles and jars.

Plastic bottles

Can you recycle plastic bottles?

Recycle clean and dry plastic bottles in your mixed recycling bin at home or a plastic recycling bin at work. Make sure any liquid remnants are removed, flatten the bottle to save space, and keep the lid attached if possible.

Pringles cans

Can you recycle Pringles cans?

Most Pringles cans are recyclable now, but you might need to use three different bins to recycle them correctly:

Paper tube in a paper recycling bin
Plastic lid in a plastic recycling bin
Peel-off seal in general waste

Pringles recently introduced cans with a paper bottom, replacing the old metal bottom. That means you should be able to put the whole tube (without the seal or lid) in paper recycling.

Toothbrushes

Can you recycle toothbrushes?

Recycle toothbrushes at some retailers. The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association take-back scheme allows you to return used manual and electric toothbrushes, toothbrush heads, and toothpaste tubes to retailers like Boots, Superdrug and Holland & Barratt. Plus, you might even get loyalty card points for doing so.

This scheme also includes lots of other items like make-up tubes, plastic combs, packets from single-use face masks, and empty lip balm containers.

Vapes

Can you recycle vapes?

You can recycle used vapes, but not at home. Under the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS), all retailers that sell vapes should take back used vapes in-store or at another collection point for recycling.

Alternatively, take empty vapes to your nearby HWRC (if your council accepts them).

Wrapping paper

Can you recycle wrapping paper?

Some wrapping paper can be recycled, but it depends on the type. Do the scrunch test to find out (if it stays in a ball, it should be recyclable; if it springs open, then it’s probably not).

Normal printed wrapping paper can be recycled as paper waste. Fancy wrapping paper, such as metallic foils and films, shiny holographic prints, or glued-on glitter, can’t be recycled with paper recycling. Read more about the shocking environmental impact of wrapping paper and how to deal with it.

Recycle with the right bin

Knowing what materials you can recycle in UK wheelie bins is important for having a positive environmental impact and boosting recycling rates. Even if you can't recycle rubbish in your household or workplace recycling bin, there are very few limits on what can be recycled at HWRCs or within retailer take-back schemes.

That's excellent news for the environment. If you have a specific type of rubbish you need to segregate for recycling at home or within a business, explore our huge range of recycling bins in different sizes and colours for a suitable option.

Craig Pryce

With over 17 years of experience in the waste and recycling industry, Craig is passionate about making recycling easier and reducing the negative impact of litter. He has been the managing director of Wheelie Bin Solutions (WBS) since January 2016, and prides the company on his expert knowledge, top-quality products, and customer service. His proudest moment was when WBS supported the 2012 Olympic Games, working in partnership with Contenur UK to supply over 9000 bin containers to all Olympic venues. Craig is always keen to share his knowledge, so whether you need advice about the benefits of a wheelie bin lock, or ideas for alternative uses for your wheelie bin, Craig will ensure your recycling and waste disposal habits are gold medal worthy.