Stevenage households have a number of different bins for different materials. The following page summarises what your household should have and what they can be used for.

If you would like to report a damaged or lost bin, or you would like additional capacity to be able to recycle more, please see our request new or additional bins page.

Flat blocks

Most flat blocks are provided with communal bins. Those that do not have communal bins, are entitled to a roll of purple sacks once a year. To request a roll of purple sacks, please see our request new or additional bins page.

Black bin

Your black "wheelie bin" is for waste that cannot be recycled. Our standard bin size was 240 litres but we are now issuing 180 litre bins as standard as we are now able to offer residents more recycling facilities

• Crisp packets and chocolate wrappers
• Plastic bags - carrier bags, bread /salad / fruit / veg bags, frozen food bags
• Cling film and film lids
• Laminated plastic food/drink pouches - baby food pouches, pet food pouches
• Sanitary waste and disposable nappies
• Polystyrene - cups and packaging material
• Vacuum cleaner bags and contents
• Glittery cards or wrapping paper
• Pet faeces
• Electrical waste
• Paint and solvent tins

Brown bin

Your brown bin is for food and garden waste only. Compostable bags with the seedling logo may be used for food waste.

We cannot collect any other items marked as compostable in the brown bin. Currently, the composting facility are unable to reprocess these.

• All food waste (raw or cooked)
• Garden waste (including hedge trimmings, grass cuttings, twigs and leaves - no plant pots, treated wood or tools)
• Compostable bags (with the seed logo) or newspaper for wrapping food

Soil should not be placed in your brown bin as this makes the bin too heavy to collect.

Black container / bags

Please note that black containers are being phased out and replaced with 65 litre durable bags as and when containers need replacing. 

You can recycle the following in your black container or bag:

Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays

• Drink bottles -  juice, squash, milk
• Cleaner and detergent bottles - bathroom / kitchen cleaners, washing up liquid, bleach
• Toiletries and other bathroom bottles -shampoo, shower gel
• Pots - yoghurt, soup
• Tubs - margarine, ice cream
• Trays / punnets - meat trays, take-away trays, fruit /veg trays (including black plastic)
• Chocolate and biscuit tubs and trays

Metals

• Drink cans
• Food tins
• Metal lids and tops
• Biscuit/chocolate tins (including lids)
• Aluminium foil
• Foil trays, for example, take-away trays
• Aerosols

Please remember the following:

• Lids and labels can be left on.
• Left over liquid or food can make other recyclables dirty so please empty your containers before recycling and give them a quick rinse.
• Remove plastic film, this should go in your general rubbish.
• Save space by squashing bottles.
• Firm lids on plastic pots and tubs can be recycled.
• Give foil a quick clean and roll into a golf-ball sized ball to be recycled.

If you have additional recycling which does not fit in your recycling boxes, this can be put out for collection in an appropriate clear container (not a black sack), with your boxes.

Blue container / bags

Please note that blue containers are being phased out and replaced with 65 litre durable bags as and when containers need replacing.

You can recycle the following in your blue container or bag:

Paper

• Newspaper and magazines
• White paper, for example, printer paper, letters
• Envelopes (including windows)
• Junk mail, for example, leaflets, flyers
• Telephone directories (please remove the outer cover before recycling)
• Shredded paper
• Brown paper and envelopes
• Plain wrapping paper (no foil or plastic).

Card

• Cardboard boxes, for example, cereal boxes, delivery boxes
• Corrugated cardboard
• Cardboard egg boxes
• Plain greeting cards
• Cardboard sleeves, for example, ready meal sleeves
• Cardboard tubes, for example, from inside kitchen/toilet roll
• Cardboard sandwich boxes
• Food and juice cartons (Tetra Pak), for example, juice, soup

Please remember the following:

• Remove plastic wrapping and free gifts from newspapers, magazines and flyers, these should go in your general rubbish.
• Please flatten cardboard boxes, remove plastic inserts, polystyrene and tape.
• Greeting cards with foil or glitter cannot be recycled.
• Left over liquid or food can make other recyclables dirty so please empty your containers before recycling and give them a quick rinse.

If you have additional recycling which does not fit in your recycling boxes, this can be put out for collection in an appropriate clear container (not a black sack), with your boxes.

Red container

• Glass bottles, any colour e.g. wine, beer, spirits (labels can be left on)
• Glass jars - sauces, jam, baby food
• Other glass bottles - perfume, aftershave, face / body cream

Please remember the following:

• Lids and labels can be left on.
• Left over liquid or food can make other recyclables dirty so please empty your containers before recycling and give them a quick rinse.

If you have additional recycling which does not fit in your recycling boxes, this can be put out for collection in an appropriate clear container (not a black sack), with your boxes.

Green caddy

• Vegetable and fruit peelings
• Leftover food and plate scrapings
• Bread, cakes and pastries
• Dairy, meat and bones
• Tea bags and coffee grounds

When your green caddy gets full, it can be emptied into your brown bin.

Compostable bags

You can use compostable bags to line your food caddy. Only bags with the seedling logo can be used for your food waste.

Most supermarkets and a number of online retailers sell compostable bags. They are a good way to contain all types of food waste and are clean, reduce smells and the likelihood of maggots. You should buy 5 - 7 litre bags to fit your caddy.

Recycling bags

Your black and blue containers will soon be replaced with black and blue recycling bags. Please continue to recycle your items as you normally would, so plastic bottles, pots, tubs, trays and metals should be placed in the black recycling bag and paper and card should be placed in the blue recycling bag.