Blue bin information
Find your bin collection day
Recycling rewards
There are £10,000 of prizes to be won when you recycle your aerosols and glass jars.
If you live in South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland, Northumberland or Durham Council areas you could be in with a chance of winning a prize each month, thanks to the North East Recycling Rewards scheme in partnership with Valpak Limited and Waste Aware North East (WANE).
Register for the competition to receive a sheet of stickers to apply to aerosols and glass jars before putting in your blue recycling bin. Winners will be drawn at random each month. You can accept the prize yourself or donate it to a Community group if you prefer.
To register visit North East Recycling Rewardsor call Recycle More on 0844 844 4546.
Why is this incentive for aerosols and glass jars?
Many people aren’t aware that they can recycle aerosols so we are aiming to let people know that they can, and avoid unnecessary landfill.
We have also found that some people are put off recycling their glass jars because they need to be rinsed. Hopefully this incentive will encourage us all to make the extra effort to recycle more!
| Bin colour | Materials | Collected |
|---|---|---|
| Use the caddy at the top for:
Use the other compartment for:
At the moment, we can not accept:
For more info, please read the Blue bin FAQs | Once a fortnight (on the same day as your grey bin) Please remember: Put your bin out before 7.30am Place your bin where the edge of your property meets the footpath/road. Don't leave out large items or extra bags as they will not be collected. Take your bin back in once it has been emptied. |
Blue bin FAQ's:
- What types of plastic bottles can I put in the bin?
- Do I need to wash things first?
- What if I need help with my blue bin and caddy?
- Will I be charged for a replacement bin?
- I recycle as much as possible, can I have two bins/caddies?
- I don't have much to recycle. Can I have a smaller bin?
- What if I have too much paper for the caddy?
- I don't have enough space for my blue bin, can it be taken away?
- Where do I put my blue bin and caddy for collection?
- I do not have a blue bin - how do I get one?
What types of plastic bottles can I put in the bin?
Most types of plastic bottles can be put in the bin.
These are primarily made of PET, HDPE or LDPE plastic, for which there is a market for and can quite easily be recycled into new products.
Look out for the following numbers or letters in a recycling symbol on the bottle:
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Some bottles may indicate (PETE) and these can be put in the bin - High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
Do I need to wash things first?
To avoid contamination we ask you to rinse plastic bottles and glass jars. Rinsing out bottles and tins reduces residues building up in your bin and reduces the need to clean it out, preventing smells. It also helps prevent contamination of the different materials in your bin.
Removing lids also helps the recycling process, but plastic lids can be put in the recycling bin separately.
What if I need help with my blue bin and caddy?
If you are already on the "assisted pull out" scheme for your weekly refuse collection, you will be automatically placed on our list of residents who will receive similar assistance with your new bin and caddy.
If you need to clarify this or wish to discuss the Assisted Pull Out scheme further then please do not hesitate to contact to contact us on 0191 427 7000.
Will I be charged for a replacement bin?
Yes- there is now a charge for replacement recycling bins of £10.60.
I recycle as much as possible, can I have two bins/caddies?
If you regularly have more recyclables than can fit in the bin, then you can also use our network of recycling centres for paper, cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles and jars. Some of our sites also have textile banks, shoe banks and book banks.
To find your nearest site and what can be recycled visit our Recycling sites web page.
For excess cardboard, we have facilities at the Recycling Village and shop for cardboard.
If you can't get to either the recycling sites or the recycling village then please contact us to discuss your problems on 0191 427 7000 or recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk
I don't have much to recycle. Can I have a smaller bin?
Even if your recycling bin is not full, please put it out for collection. You may be surprised how much you use your new bin, now that we can collect more materials.
If you wish to discuss your bin size then please contact us on 0191 427 7000 or email us at recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk
What if I have too much paper for the caddy?
If you regularly have too much paper please contact us on 0191 427 7000 or email us at recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk
I don't have enough space for my blue bin, can it be taken away?
If your space is limited - how about sharing with your neighbour or others in your street?
If you contact us on 0191 427 7000 or email us at recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk we can talk to you about coming up with a solution, which may be better for you.
You can opt out of having the new bin, but we will no longer collect the Kerb-it boxes. Any goods for recycling should be then taken to your local recycling site or the Middlefields Recycling Village.
Where do I put my new bin and caddy for collection?
You will need to put it out for collection in the place you usually put your grey waste bin, and bring it back onto your property promptly after it has been emptied.
What will happen to my recycling after it's collected?
It is taken to our contractors' recycling depot where the different materials are sorted and graded. Once this process is completed the different materials are sold to what are known as reprocessors to be recycled for manufacturing into new products.
This benefits the environment in a number of ways. Less of your waste goes to landfill and because the materials you have saved in your recycling bin and caddy are recovered and sorted, valuable resources are reused instead of being dumped. Recyclable materials often require substantially less energy to reprocess than manufacture using what is known as virgin materials.
What happens on Bank Holiday weeks?
Changes to your day of collection for recycling collections in bank holiday weeks will be the same as the changes to your refuse collections.
We'll publicise any changes so that you know in advance in the local press or on this website.
