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A-Z of Recycling

Most household goods can be recycled and made into new things. Find out what can be recycled and where with our A-Z of recycling.

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Junk mail 

You can put your junk mail in the mixed recycling. 

To stop unaddressed mail being delivered to your address, register your address with Royal Mail

To stop receiving unsolicited addressed mail, register with the Mailing Preference Service

Kitchen towels 

You can buy recycled kitchen towel from supermarkets. Better still, use cotton dish cloths, which can be re-used. Please put used kitchen towels in your rubbish. 

Knives 

Westminster has two knife surrender bins which are not operated by Westminster City Council. For more information and locations have a look at the Word 4 Weapons website. 

Knives should never be put loose in the household rubbish due to the risk they pose to our collection crews and the public.  

Knives, cutlery and other sharp items like broken crockery, mirrors and drinking glasses must be wrapped and taped in plastic, paper or bubble wrap and placed in a sealed and secure rigid cardboard box or plastic container marked with ‘SHARP ITEMS’. Please leave the box next to your household rubbish bags or put the box inside the household rubbish bin. 

Labels 

You don't have to remove the labels from cans and bottles - just remember to rinse these containers out before putting them in the mixed recycling.  

Laptops 

Please see information on computers

Laser toner cartridges 

See printer cartridges

Leaves 

Leaves can be composted. See composting. If you have no access to a compost bin place the leaves in your household rubbish 

Lids 

Put jar lids, metal screw caps, plastic [an bottle tops, tray lids and clean plastic yoghurt pot lids in your mixed recycling. 

Light bulbs 

Energy saving light bulbs and fluorescent tubes. These contain small amounts of mercury, a hazardous substance, and should not be put into your rubbish or mixed recycling. 

You can recycle your energy saving light bulbs at the household waste recycling centre at Smugglers Way.

To find your nearest light bulb recycling point, please check Recolight’s locator

More information on energy saving light bulbs and what to do when you break one is also available from Recolight or on this video

Filament bulbs  

Old-style, halogen or non-energy saving light bulbs cannot be recycled and should be wrapped in paper and put in your household rubbish. 

Replace your old light bulbs with energy saving ones, which last eight times longer, use a quarter of the energy and give the same brightness. LED lighting, though more expensive, is even more energy efficient and is becoming a better long-term investment. 

Loo rolls 

You can put the cardboard centre of a toilet paper roll in your mixed recycling.  

Look out for toilet paper made from recycled paper.   

Published: 8 January 2021

Last updated: 18 May 2023