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Recycling in St Albans

Every council does recycling differently. Tell us your postcode and what you've got — we'll tell you the right bin, the right day, and how to prepare it.

Your postcode — or just the area (e.g. LN9) if you'd rather not share the full one.
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Consulting the bin oracle…

These are St Albans's rules. A few miles away the colours and the lists change completely — which is exactly why generic “can I recycle this?” advice gets it wrong. BinWise gives you your council's answer, not a national average.

What goes in each bin in St Albans

Black recycling bin
Yes plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, fruit and veg punnets, food and drink cans, tins and trays (rinsed), empty aerosols, clean aluminium foil and foil trays, glass bottles and jars (lids off)
No paper and cardboard (use the paper & card box), plastic film, bags, cellophane and wrappers, polystyrene, food-soiled containers
Brown rubbish bin
Yes non-recyclable items, nappies and sanitary items, food-soiled packaging, pet bedding and litter (bagged), cling film, hot-drink cups
No garden waste (use the green bin), food waste (use the food caddy), recyclables (use the black bin), DIY waste, rubble and hardcore
Food waste caddy
Yes cooked and raw food, fruit and vegetable peelings, meat, fish, bones, dairy and cheese, bread, rice, pasta and pastries, tea bags
No liquid (drain it first), garden waste and cut flowers, pet waste, plastic packaging
Green garden waste bin or reusable sacks
Yes grass cuttings, leaves, hedge trimmings and prunings, small branches up to 150mm (6in) diameter, weeds, cut flowers and plants
No soil, stones, turf and hardcore, plant pots and trays, food waste, animal waste
Paper & card recycling box
Yes cardboard packaging and flattened boxes (cut down to a manageable size), cereal and other food boxes (plastic liners removed), newspapers and magazines, shredded paper, junk mail, leaflets and brochures, envelopes (including windowed)
No Tetra Pak / food and drink cartons (use the black bin), greasy or food-soiled card (e.g. used pizza boxes), greasy, waxed or shiny wrapping paper, carrier bags, plastic packaging and film
Textiles (kerbside bag)
Yes clean, dry clothing (including worn or torn), paired shoes (tied together), bed linen, sheets and pillowcases, towels and tea towels, curtains and fabric, belts, handbags and hats
No wet, dirty or contaminated textiles, single (odd) shoes, duvets, pillows and cushions, carpet, rugs, mats and underlay
Household batteries (kerbside bag)
Yes AA, AAA, C, D and 9V household batteries, button / coin cell batteries, rechargeable household batteries
No car and vehicle batteries, large industrial or leisure batteries, batteries still inside an appliance (put the whole appliance in the electricals bag), damaged, swollen or leaking batteries (take to the recycling centre)
Small electricals & batteries (kerbside bag)
Yes kettles, toasters and irons, hairdryers, straighteners and electric shavers, vapes and disposable e-cigarettes, mobile phones, chargers and cables, radios, headphones, digiboxes and set-top boxes, household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, button and rechargeable)
No large appliances (fridges, freezers, washing machines, cookers), TVs, computers, monitors and screens, light bulbs, anything too big to fit in a carrier bag (recycling centre or bulky collection)

Common questions in St Albans

Pringles tubes?Black plastic trays?Coffee cups?Tetra Pak cartons?Crisp packets?Household batteries?

Sourced from St Albans City & District Council's own published guidance. Always check the council site for the final word.

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