Select a material or item and a country to see the correct bin, collection point, and sorting gesture.
These are general national rules. Sorting instructions can vary between municipalities and local waste operators, so check with your local council or waste collector for exceptions specific to where you live.
The council recycling mistake most people make
In the UK, the most common sorting mistake is not a wrong bin but a wrong assumption: people expect all councils to accept the same materials kerbside, when in fact what goes in the recycling bin varies council by council. Some accept all plastics, others only bottles and rigid tubs; some collect food waste weekly, others do not collect it at all yet. Batteries, light bulbs, and electronics are the items people most often get wrong nationwide, because none of them belong in a kerbside bin at all: they need a supermarket collection point or a household waste recycling centre (HWRC).
UK sorting rules by material
| Material | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Plastic bottle | Kerbside recycling bin, cap on, rinsed if needed |
| Glass | Kerbside recycling or a bottle bank, depending on your council |
| Cardboard / paper | Kerbside recycling bin, flattened, film removed |
| Battery | Supermarket collection point or HWRC, never the bin |
| Light bulb (LED / low-energy) | HWRC or retailer take-back point |
| Cigarette butt | General waste bin |
| Polystyrene | General waste in most councils, check local exceptions |
| Food waste / compost | Food waste caddy where collected, or home compost |
| Textile / clothing | Clothing bank or charity shop drop-off |
| Electronic waste (WEEE) | HWRC or retailer take-back scheme |
Limits of this guide
Every council in the UK runs its own collection scheme, so the exact plastics accepted, whether glass is collected kerbside, and whether food waste is picked up at all can differ from the general picture above. Always check your own council's website for the definitive local list before assuming an item is or is not accepted.
What happens if you sort something wrong
Councils that spot contaminated recycling, food waste mixed into dry recycling, or a battery in the bin, can refuse to empty that bin until it is corrected, and repeated contamination can affect the whole street's collection. Batteries and electronics are a fire risk in bin lorries and sorting centres, which is why retailers are legally required to take them back for free. For a related tool on your overall plastic use, see the Plastic Footprint Calculator.