cornwall.gov.uk/rubbishandrecycling

Your rubbish and recycling guideInformation and advice

Don’t put batteries in your bin. They can start

fires when they’re crushed at waste transfer stations.

Recycle them at the supermarket instead.

2 | Your rubbish and recycling guide

Household rubbish

Your kerbside collection

Our weekly kerbside collection service is only for rubbish that:•• can’t be recycled •• fits into a standard black bin bag • • is non-hazardous• • is not generated by businesses, including self-catering holiday accommodation and charities.

The Council does not currently provide bins for your rubbish.You are responsible for protecting your rubbish from wind, seagulls and other animals that might damage your bags, spilling your waste and littering the street. To protect your bags, you can cover them with sheeting,put them out in a dustbin or use a reusable protective bag.

Sharp objectsWe collect your bin bags by hand so please don’t put in anything that could cause injury. Wrap broken glass securely, label it clearly as glass, and leave it next to your bags.

Clinical wasteTo arrange a domestic clinical waste collection for bags and sharps boxes, go to: cornwall.gov.uk/clinicalwaste

All collections start early so please make sure you put your rubbish, recycling or garden waste (if you subscribe to this service) out at the kerbside of your property for us to collect by 7am. Not sure where to leave your waste? Go to: cornwall.gov.uk/rubbish fill in the online contact form and we’ll be in touch to confirm the right place.If you have a disability or medical condition and are unable to put your waste at its collection point yourself, and there’s no-one else at home to help, please go to: cornwall.gov.uk/assisted-collections to arrange an assisted collection.

Your rubbish and recycling guide | 3

Recycling collectionWe collect your recycling using a box for glass and textiles and three separate recycling bags – one for cardboard, one for paper and one for cans and plastics. You can order containment or find your recycling day at: cornwall.gov.uk/recycling

If in doubt leave it out. Black recycling box for glassand bagged textilesGlass bottles and jars.Clothes, shoes, towels, sheets (no duvets or pillows) can go on top of your glass recycling box in a tied plastic bag you don’t need back. Clothes don’t have to be reusable, but they must be clean and dry.

Orange recycling bag forcardboard and brown paperCardboard, brown paper, coloured paper, non-shiny wrapping paper, brown envelopes and greetings cards. Please remove any staples, sticky tape or plastic.Cardboard you can’t fit in the bag needs to be flat packed, tied in a bundle and left next to your cardboard recycling bag.

Blue recycling bag for paperNewspapers, magazines, telephone directories, catalogues, brochures, junk mail and white envelopes. Shredded paper must be in a tied bag and put into the recycling bag.

Red recycling bag for plastic and metal packagingRinsed plastic bottles, lids, pots, tubs and trays including: yoghurt pots, milk, shampoo, detergent and drink bottles, cream pots, meat trays, margarine, ice cream and sweet tubs. Please do not include any black plastic.Rinsed-out food tins, drinks cans, kitchen foil, aerosols, and metal lids.

4 | Your rubbish and recycling guide

Recycling A-ZNot sure what to do with those old batteries? Can you recycle a worn-out tea towel? Find out what you can recycle and which container it goes in using our online A-Z search of recycling: cornwall.gov.uk/recycling

Other services• Where your recycling goes• Report a missed collection• Request more recycling boxes

and bags• Buy a compost bin

• Tour a rubbish or recycling facility• Have some bulky waste collected• How to reduce your waste at home• Our garden waste collection service• Arrange a recycling group talk

You can visit: cornwall.gov.uk/rubbishandrecycling

Garden waste collectionYou should not put garden waste in with your household rubbish. More and more people in Cornwall are using our prepaid subscription garden waste service. Subscribing to the collection service means we’ll come and collect yourgrass cuttings, hedge trimmings and weeds every two weeks, year-round,leaving you more time to enjoy your garden.

You can buy your bin andsubscribe to the service at:cornwall.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Bude

TintagelLaunceston

Newquay BodminLiskeard

St AustellSaltash

St Erth

Helston

PoolUnited DownsPenryn

Truro

Your rubbish and recycling guide | 5

Household bulky waste

HWRCs

If you have a large trailer or a van designed to carry goods, you need to apply for a vehicle permit. To find out if you need a permit or how to apply, go to: cornwall.gov.uk/wastepermit

The following items are accepted at our HWRCs• • Asbestos* • • Batteries (all types) • • Cans • • Cardboard • • Clothes and textiles• • Cookers • • Engine oil • • Fridges and freezers • • Fluorescent tubes • • Gas bottles • • Glass • • Green/garden waste • • Household chemicals • • Household waste items for reuse • • Mattresses • • Metal • • Newspaper and magazines • • Plasterboard* • • Plastic bottles • • Soil and rubble* • • Small electrical items • • TVs/monitors • • Tyres* • • Wood

You can find out more about our HWRCs and what each site accepts at: cornwall.gov.uk/hwrc*There are charges for some types of waste: asbestos, plasterboard, soil, rubble and tyres. We can’t take business waste.

If you have items that can’t be collected by the rubbish or recycling service, you can take them to one of 14 Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) across Cornwall.

We can’t collect bulky waste with your kerbside collection. For larger items such as fridges, washing machines, sofas and mattresses you can arrange a chargeable bulky waste collection at: cornwall.gov.uk/bulkywaste, or dispose of them for free at your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre. This service is only available for households and does not include businesses or self-catering properties and charities.

6 | Your rubbish and recycling guide

Home composting Composting is an inexpensive, natural process which transforms your kitchen and garden waste into a valuable and nutrient-rich food for your garden. It’s easy to make and use.Do your bit for the environment by composting at home and reducing the amount of waste thrown away.You can compost a great deal from your home including:•• Grass cuttings •• Cardboard •• Carrot tops•• Citrus peels •• Coff ee grounds •• Cut flowers•• Egg boxes •• Egg shells •• Fruit peelings and pulp•• Paper bags •• Tea leaves/bags •• Used kitchen paper•• Vegetable peelings and pulp

To find out more and to purchase your compost bin visit: getcomposting.com

Common questionsWhere can I get recycling boxes and bags? You can go online to order your free recycling box and bags. These will then be delivered to you. Visit: cornwall.gov.uk/recycling

Why can’t you take black plastics?This is a national issue. In the UK, recycling is sorted by lasers that can’t detect black plastic so it ends up in the reject pile.

What happens to your rubbish?There are no active landfill sites in Cornwall. Your non-recyclable rubbish goes to the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre where it generates enough electricity in a year to power 21,000 homes.

What happens to your recycling?We check your items at our centres in Bodmin and Pool, then send them for recycling. Because residents of Cornwall are so good at sorting their recycling, we are able to send over 99% of the material we collect to be recycled. For more information on the end destinations of your recycling visit: cornwall.gov.uk/recycling

4,913 4,769

29 512

miles of streets litter bins

beaches and...

public spaces

cleaning

cleaning

emptying

across the county.

Your rubbish and recycling guide | 7

Street and beach cleansing

207 people to carry out this role with a range of equipment, from state of the art street cleaning vehicles through to traditional barrows and brooms.

The workforce is organised in such a way to avoid bins overflowing or litter accumulating in public places.If you do spot an issue which needs our attention please let us know at:cornwall.gov.uk/report-it or call 0300 1234 141 This includes full litter or dog bins, fly tipping, litter, graff iti or dog fouling.

Cornwall Council is responsible for...

Contact usFor advice and guidance please email us at:refuseandrecycling@cornwall.gov.ukOr call us on: 0300 1234 141

If you would like this information in another format or language please contact:Cornwall Council, County Hall,Treyew Road, Truro, TR1 3AY

e: equality@cornwall.gov.ukt: 0300 1234 100

February 2021 JN50478

Stay in touchSign up for the latest news andinformation from Cornwall Council at:cornwall.gov.uk/newsletter

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