Blue bin information
New blue wheelie bins have now been delivered to households across the borough to help you recycle more on your doorstep.
The blue bins have replaced the black Kerb-it boxes. They are much larger, hold more materials (such as plastic bottles and cardboard) and have a caddy which sits inside the bin which holds paper only, all the other materials go into the main part of the bin.
We have answered the most common queries we get below. If you have any further questions about this service, or if there is anything that you are not sure of, please call 0191 427 7000 and we will do our best to help you.
Blue bin FAQs:
- What can I put in my blue bin?
- What types of plastic bottles can I put in the bin?
- What can NOT be put into the bin?
- Why is the recycling system changing?
- What do I do with my old Kerb-it box?
- Do I need to wash things first?
- How big is the bin?
- What if I need help with my blue bin and caddy?
- Do I own the bin?
- 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?
- How often will my blue bin be collected?
- 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?
- What will happen to my recycling after it's collected?
- I live in a flat and haven't got my own blue bin - why?
- What happens on Bank Holiday weeks?
- I do not have a blue bin – how do I get one?
What can I put in my blue bin?
Use the caddy at the top for:
- Paper
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Telephone directories (including Yellow Pages)
- Envelopes
- Junk mail
- Printed paper
Use the other compartment for:
- Cardboard (flattened please)
- Glass bottles and jars
- Food and drinks cans
- Plastic bottles (such as drink bottles, household cleaning bottles)
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)
What can NOT be put into the 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) or polystyrene
- 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, window panes or Pyrex
- 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.
Why is the recycling system changing?
We are introducing the new recycling service to:
- Make it easier for you to recycle on your doorstep
- Increase the different types of materials collected
- Help us reduce the amount we have to send to landfill.
What do I do with my old Kerb-it box?
You are welcome to keep your old box for your own use. They are very useful for storage and many people have told us they would like to keep them.
However, if you would like us to collect it from you please ring 0191 427 7000 or email 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.
How big is the blue bin and caddy?
The wheeled bin is the same size as our standard bin (240 litres) that we use for refuse collection and the green waste service. The caddy is 40 litres and fits inside the bin.
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.
Do I own the bin?
No, South Tyneside Council will own the bin but it has been allocated to your property. If you move house, the bin must be left for the new owner or occupier.
Will I be charged for a replacement bin?
No - you will not be charged for a replacement recycling bin.
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 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
How often will my blue bin be collected?
We will collect the bin, fortnightly, between 7.30am and 5.30pm.
Collections will be on the same day as your refuse is collected.
Please bring your bin in as soon as possible after collection to prevent your bin being damaged or stolen.
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.
I live in a flat and haven't got my own blue bin - why?
If you live in a block of flats and the new recycling bins aren't suitable we'll be introducing communal facilities if you don't already have them.
If you think you should have a blue bin, for example, you have moved into a new house and no blue bin is present and the rest of your area is recycling, contact 0191 427 7000 or recycle@southtyneside.gov.uk
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.
