County Durham residents are being given a helpful reminder of what to put in their rubbish and recycling bins.
Durham County Council is placing stickers on all household rubbish and recycling bins to reduce contamination of recycling.
The council has seen a significant increase in the amount of waste and recycling produced
since the pandemic, in line with other authorities across the country. Unfortunately, this
has also resulted in contamination levels rising in recent years, which has a significant cost
implication for the authority.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “It’s
really important that we all follow the guidelines around what to put in each bin. When the
wrong items are put in the wrong bin, this is classed as contamination and the recycling
can be rejected.
“We all recycle with the best intentions but by just taking a moment to review what goes
where, we can make a huge difference. It will not only help to reduce contamination but
help us to recycle, reuse or compost more of your waste. That’s why we are encouraging
everyone to do their bit to support us in this campaign.
“Please play your part in protecting our environment and tackling climate change. Please
also help us to become one of the best areas for recycling in the country.”
Items which are commonly found inside the blue-lidded recycling bins but cannot be
accepted on the kerbside scheme include:
Food waste
Black bags, plastic bags and ready meal film
Polystyrene
Pizza boxes
Nappies and pet waste
Bedding and textiles, which should be taken to a charity or household waste
recycling centre where possible.
Electrical items and batteries, which can cause fires in refuse vehicles and must be
taken to a dedicated battery recycling point
Details about the council’s small electrical and battery recycling points can be found at
For more information about what goes where, visit www.durham.gov.uk/whatgoeswhere