FAQs
- How often do my blue and green bins get emptied?
- Why is my blue bin only collected once a fortnight?
- What goes in the blue bin?
- What can't go in my blue bin?
- What kind of plastics can I put in my blue bin?
- What happens to my recycling after it's collected?
- I recycle a lot, can I have two blue bins?
- I don't have much to recycle. Can I have a smaller bin?
- What if I have too much paper for the caddy?
- Do I need to wash things first?
- What can I put in my green bin?
- How much will I be charged for a replacement bin?
- What if I need help to bin out?
- Who do I contact if I have any problems with the recycling scheme?
- What happens on Bank Holiday weeks?
How often do my blue and green bins get emptied?
Your blue bin will get emptied every fortnight after 7.30am and before 5.30pm, on the same day as your grey bin.
From April 2012, your green bin will get emptied every fortnight during spring, summer and autumn. The collection day is unlikely to be the same as your collection day for your refuse and blue bin. Before the start of each season, you will receive a calendar confirming your collection day and week.
More information on:
Why is my blue bin only collected once a fortnight?
Fortnightly collections are more cost effective and your bin has been designed to hold approximately 2 weeks worth of the recyclable waste.
What goes in the blue bin?
Use the caddy at the top for:
- Paper
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Telephone directories (including Yellow Pages)
- Envelopes
- Junk mail
- Printed paper
Use the main compartment for:
- Cardboard (flattened please)
- Glass bottles and jars
- Food and drinks cans
- Plastic bottles (such as drink bottles, household cleaning bottles)
What can't go in my blue bin?
At the moment we cannot accept:
- Tissue paper, wrapping paper or wallpaper or textiles
- Tetrapaks, such as juice cartons, soup, smoothies, milk, custard, passata
- Yogurt or cream pots - these are normally made of PP (Poly-propelene)
- Plastic carrier bags
- Margarine or butter tubs
- Food trays (from vegetables or frozen/chilled foods)
- Plastic films (cling film, bread wrappers, crisp packets, biscuit wrappers, vegetable wrappings, frozen foods, electrical goods, magazine wrappings.
- Hard plastics (toys, kitchenware, electrical plugs, CD and DVD cases, stationery)
- Ceramic glass and window panes
- Garden waste should be put into your garden waste bin if you have one.
- Food waste should be put into your grey household waste bin unless you have a compost bin or bokashi or wormery.
What kind of plastics can I put in my blue bin?
Most types of plastic bottles can be put into the bin - check for the following letters (or the recycling symbol). If you can see the following, they are safe to go in the blue bin and will go on to be recycled into more products:
- Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Some bottles may indicate (PETE) and these can be put in the bin - High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- Low-density polyethylene (LDPE
Products like yoghurt pots and the spreadable butter containers can not yet be recycled because they are made from PP (Poly-propelene). Clingfilm, food wrappers and carrier bags can not be put in the blue bin either. If in doubt, check for the letters above or the recycle symbol.
What happens to my recycling after it's collected?
Your recycling waste is taken to our 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.
Garden Waste is is turned into compost. The compost which is made is then used by the council in its parks and green spaces or it can be bought at the Recycling Village and shop
I recycle a lot, can I have two blue bins?
If you regularly have more recyclables than can fit in the bin, then you can also use our List of recycling points by area for paper, cans, plastic bottles and glass bottles and jars. Some of our sites also have textile banks, shoe banks and book banks.
If you have excess cardboard, please take it to the Recycling Village and shop
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 email 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
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 can I put in my green bin?
Your green bin is for garden waste only and can accept the following:
- Grass cuttings and leaves
- House plants, dead or alive
- Cut flowers
- Weeds
- Twigs and branches
- Hedge trimmings
- Turf (but remove excess soil so the bin doesn't become too heavy)
Things you can't put in your green bin include:
- Kitchen / food waste
- Stones
- Timber
- Metals, glass or paper
- Flowerpots and seed trays
- Plastic bags
- Packaging
How much will I be charged for a replacement bin?
- 360 litre wheeled bins are £45 new and refurbished £35. (Residents wishing to purchase the 360 litre bin will have to meet the requirements for a larger size bin).
- 240 litre wheeled bins are £31.85 new and refurbished £15.95.
- 140 litre wheeled bin are £25 new and refurbished £15.
- 240 litre replacement for lost or stolen recycling bins (Blue or Green) £10.60.
Replacement black caddies for the recycling blue bins are issued free of charge.
In all cases residents will be asked to sign for the wheeled bin on delivery.
To purchase a replacement bin complete Domestic Bin Replacement
Wheeled bins will be free of charge in the following circumstances:
- Wheeled bins that are damaged by the refuse crew. The crew will identify such occurrences under the same arrangements that are used at present.
- New tenants of developments will also be provided with their first wheeled bin free of charge where there is no bin at the premises.
If you think you qualify for a replacement bin free of charge please contact us on 0191 427 7000 to discuss your circumstances.
What if I need help to bin out?
If you would like to be added to our "assisted pull out" scheme then please contact us on 0191 427 7000.
If you are already on the scheme for your weekly bin collection, you will be automatically placed on our list of residents who will receive similar assistance with the blue bin.
Who do I contact if I have any problems with the recycling scheme?
Please contact South Tyneside Waste and Recycling Team on 0191 427 7000 or email recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk
What happens on Bank Holiday weeks?
Your collection day will usually be a day later than your usual collection date. A full list of dates will be published in advance on these pages so please check if you're not sure.
