What you can recycle and where

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Book a visit

Starting on Monday 24 November 2025, you must book a slot in advance before visiting a tip. The easiest way is to book a visit online.  

You can book a visit for the same day, and up to 14 days in advance. 

For further details, see our site rules and policies and about the booking system.  

Recycle Right

Recycling right means knowing what can and can’t be recycled. It can be very confusing!

Just remember, keep it clean, dry and loose.

• Clean - no food left in jars, tins, yoghurt pots or meat trays
• Dry - empty liquids from bottles, no wet paper or card
• Loose - put items straight into the bin, not in black bin bags

This guide tells you what to put in your recycling bin, and how to deal with the more tricky items.

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Recycling bin

Put the following items in your recycling bin.

• Aerosol cans
• Aluminium foil and trays
• Cans and tins
• Cardboard
• Glass bottles and jars (including lids)
• Paper
• Plastic bags and film
• Plastic bottles
• Plastic food packaging, such as pots, tubs and trays
• Plastic tubes, such as toothpaste tubes (empty)

For queries about new bins or missed bin collections, please contact your district or borough council.

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Special waste (not for recycling bin)

Do not put any of these items inside your recycling bin.

Our advice suggests other ways to recycle or dispose of them.

Starting on Monday 24 November 2025, you will need to book in advance before visiting a household waste recycling site (tip).

• Book a visit to the tip
• How to book and site rules

Batteries

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes, if you live in Hastings, Rother or Wealden.

• What to do with it:

  Place batteries in a small carrier bag on top of your recycling or rubbish bin on collection day (not inside the bin).

  If you live in Eastbourne or Lewes district, most supermarkets and large retailers have recycling collection points for batteries.

  You can recycle batteries at your local tip.

• More information:

  Read our article The explosive problem with batteries (and how to recycle them).

Black bin liners

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Always use a carrier bag or clear liner for recycling – otherwise we cannot tell if it is recycling or rubbish inside the bag.

  Black bin liners cannot be recycled.

Bric-a-brac

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Many charity shops accept small ornaments and other decorative bric-a-brac.

  You can book a free charity collection from home using Anglo Doorstep Collections.

Cartons, such as Tetra Pak

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Not yet.

• What to do with it:

  Put cartons in your rubbish bin.

  A new service is being introduced from April 2026 that will include recycling cartons at home.

Household chemicals

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Take chemicals to your local tip.

  Small amounts of household chemicals will be accepted in sealed and clearly labelled containers.

Clothes and textiles

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Many charity shops accept clothing and shoes.

  You can book a free charity collection from home using Anglo Doorstep Collections.

  Some neighbourhood recycling points have charity recycling bins for clothes. Find them by searching on Recycle Now.

  You can recycle clothes, shoes, belts and handbags at your local tip.

  We cannot recycle textiles such as curtains, blankets, duvets and pillows at the tip. They go in the household waste containers.

• More information:

  Read our articles Let's get early spring sortin’ and Ditch the plastic bags and make your own!

Coffee pods

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Put coffee pods in your rubbish bin.

  Use the free coffee pod recycling service run by Podback.

Compostable packaging

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Put packaging labelled as ‘compostable’ or ‘biodegradable’ into your rubbish bin.

  These include items such as coffee cups, takeaway food or magazine wrappers. This material is not recycled in the same way as other plastic items or garden waste.

DIY waste, such as hardcore, plasterboard, soil, asbestos

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Check which tip will accept these materials before you visit. They are only accepted at some local tips.

  Charges may apply.

Electrical appliances (small)

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes, if you live in Hastings, Rother or Wealden.

• What to do with it:

  Place small electrical items in a small carrier bag on top of your recycling or rubbish bin on collection day (not inside the bin).

  If you live in Eastbourne or Lewes district, you will need to take small electrical items to your local tip.

  If the item is still working, you may be able to book a free charity collection from home using Anglo Doorstep Collections.

• More information:

  Read our article Recycle your old electricals from home.

Electrical appliances (large)

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

  You may be able to arrange a special collection.

• What to do with it:

  Many charities will collect working electrical appliances upon request. Check these local charities in East Sussex.

  • Age Concern
  • Age UK East Sussex
  • British Heart Foundation
  • Emmaus Hastings and Rother
  • Furniture Now
  • Hastings Furniture Service
  • St Wilfrid’s Hospice

  Book a bulky waste collection from your district or borough council. Charges apply.

  Or take it to your local tip. We accept large electrical items such as cookers, fridges and washing machines. Please bring someone with you to help move the items.

• More information:

  Read our article Recycle your old electricals from home.

Fire extinguishers

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Take small household fire extinguishers to the tip at Crowborough, Eastbourne, Hastings or Newhaven. They are not accepted at other sites.

  The maximum size is one kilogram or one litre.

Food waste

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes, if you live in Lewes district only.

• What to do with it:

  Lewes district residents have a food waste bin. Everyone else must put food waste in your rubbish bin.

  A new service is being introduced from April 2026 that will include food waste collections for all homes in East Sussex.

  Any wet or dirty food packaging must go in the rubbish bin. This is to avoid contaminating other recycling.

Furniture

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

  See specific waste types for more advice about electrical items, hard plastics and mattresses.

• What to do with it:

  Many charities will collect unwanted furniture upon request. Check these local charities in East Sussex.

  • Age Concern
  • Age UK East Sussex
  • British Heart Foundation
  • Emmaus Hastings and Rother
  • Furniture Now
  • Hastings Furniture Service
  • St Wilfrid’s Hospice

  Repair Cafes may be able to fix the furniture, and offer repair guides online.

  If you can't donate or repair it, book a bulky waste collection from your district or borough council. Charges apply.

  Or take it to your local tip. We may sell suitable items at low cost for reuse.

Garden waste

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes, if you subscribe to garden waste collections.

• What to do with it:

  Put it in your garden waste bin if you have one. District and borough councils offer garden waste collections for an annual charge.

  Compost it. See the Royal Horticultural Society advice on composting at home.

  Or take it to your local tip.

• More information:

  Read our articles Eco-Friendly Garden Ideas to Support Earth Month and 'Tis the season to recycle.

Gas canisters and cylinders, such as camping gas

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Take small non-refillable gas canisters from camping stoves to your local tip. The canister must be empty.

  Larger LPG bottles and cylinders are not accepted at tips. This includes refillable cylinders used for caravans.

  You must return large bottles and cylinders to the company named on the container, such as BOC or Calor. Many other brands are accepted by Flogas.

Glass (except bottles)

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

  You can only recycle ordinary glass bottles and jars at home.

• What to do with it:

  Check if you can donate glassware such as vases to a charity shop, or book a free charity collection from home using Anglo Doorstep Collections.

  Other types of glass cannot be recycled. Put it in your rubbish bin or take it to your local tip. This includes:

  • oven proof glass such as Pyrex
  • window panes
  • double glazing units
  • safety glass

Junk mail

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes (except some packaging).

• What to do with it:

  Paper, leaflets and catalogues can go in your recycling bin. Remove any plastic, foil or compostable wrapping because these cannot be recycled.

  Take action to reduce the mail you receive:

  • to reduce addressed mail, register with the Mailing Preference Service
  • to reduce unaddressed mail, register with the Royal Mail opt-out service
  • tell the organisation that sent the mail to remove your name from their mailing list
  • if there is a return address, send junk mail back unopened and unstamped, write ‘Return to sender - please remove name from mailing list’ on the envelope
  • state you do not want marketing material when filling in forms or giving details on the phone
  • when doing your annual voter registration form, choose the option to exclude your details from the edited register that companies can buy

Mattress

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

  You may be able to arrange a special collection.

• What to do with it:

  Many charities will collect unwanted beds and mattresses upon request. Check these local charities in East Sussex.

  • Age Concern
  • Age UK East Sussex
  • British Heart Foundation
  • Emmaus Hastings and Rother
  • Furniture Now
  • Hastings Furniture Service
  • St Wilfrid’s Hospice

  Bed shops may collect old items for a fee or part-exchange when you buy a new bed or mattress.

  Book a bulky waste collection from your district or borough council. Charges apply.

  Or you can take the mattress to your local tip. They are accepted but not recycled.

Nappies and sanitary waste

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Put nappies and sanitary waste in your rubbish bin.

  Consider switching to reusable versions instead to reduce plastic waste.

• More information:

  Read our article How to ban single-use plastics from your home.

Paint

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Try asking local community groups if they need any leftover paint.

  Or take the paint to your local tip.

Petrol and diesel

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Our tips are not licenced to accept petrol or diesel.

  Try asking a local repair garage if they can take it.

  You may need to pay a specialist hazardous waste disposal company to arrange safe collection and disposal. Search online for these services.

Hard plastics, such as garden furniture and toys

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Some hard plastics are accepted at local tips in Crowborough, Eastbourne, Heathfield, Lewes, Maresfield, Newhaven or Seaford. They are not accepted at other sites.

  We accept storage containers, buckets, bins, patio furniture, plant pots (empty), gutters and downpipes, car bumpers, traffic cones and barriers, and large children’s toys.

  We do not accept video tapes, DVDs, CDs or small children’s toys. Many charity shops will take them but check first.

  We do not accept brittle plastics that shatter easily (such as coat hangers or CD cases), fibreglass (such as baths), rubber products (such as hoses), upholstered plastic (such as child car seats), mastic tubes or empty containers of oil, grease, paint or chemicals.

• More information:

  Read our article How to ban single-use plastics from your home.

Polystyrene

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Put polystyrene in your rubbish bin if it will fit, or take it to your local tip.

Printer cartridges

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  You can recycle printer cartridges at your local tip.

  This includes ink and toner cartridges, for use with inkjet and laser printers.

Vapes

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  Yes, if you live in Hastings, Rother or Wealden.

• What to do with it:

  Place vapes in a small carrier bag on top of your recycling or rubbish bin on collection day (not inside the bin). Put any batteries in a separate carrier bag on top of the bin.

  If you live in Eastbourne or Lewes district, try using a local vape takeback scheme. See Recycle your electricals.

  You can recycle vapes at your local tip.

• More information:

  Read our article The explosive problem with batteries (and how to recycle them).

Wood and MDF

• Can you recycle it at home?:

  No.

• What to do with it:

  Take unwanted wood and MDF to your local tip.

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Donate items online

You could also try online services to donate items for reuse:

• Freecycle
• Freegle
• Facebook

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What happens to your recycling

Ever wondered what happens to your recycling after it has been collected?

Read our article What happens to your recycling in East Sussex?

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Ask us for advice

Still not sure what to do with your waste?

Please contact the Waste Team for advice and guidance.

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