A to Z of recycling - B

Reduce

Balloons are so engrained in our minds when we think of celebrating but is there an alternative to avoid buying these non-recyclable balloons? How about paper chains, fabric-scrap bunting, tissue paper bouquets?  The back of old wallpaper rolls makes great banners, or even a draw-able table cover. Pinterest has loads of inspiration! 

Re-use

Mylar (foil type) balloons do not degrade, so you can re-use them in art and craft projects, as gift wrap or even to keep the birds away. You can find lots of re-use ideas online.

Disposal

You cannot recycle balloons, so do not place them in your recycling bin.

Put old deflated balloons:

 in your rubbish bin

in the non-recyclable container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

Recycle

You can take toilets, sinks and baths made out of porcelain and/or ceramic to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and place them in the hardcore and rubble container. There will be a charge for disposing of these. Please see the pricing chart for fees.

You can recycle any metal, glass and rigid plastic bathroom suite items at Suffolk Recycling Centres for free.

Reduce

Why not consider using re-usable batteries instead of disposable ones? 

Recycle

Household batteries

You can recycle household batteries at any Suffolk Recycling Centre or place them in battery containers which are often found in supermarkets. Find your nearest recycling point.

Leaking batteries can also be brought to the recycling centre if these are sealed in a plastic bag or wrapped in clingfilm.

Car batteries

You can recycle car batteries at any Suffolk Recycling Centre in the car battery container.

(For advice on other car parts & oil, see entries for "car parts", "car seats" and "engine oil".)  

Disposal

You must not throw away batteries in your rubbish bin.

They contain small quantities of hazardous material as well as precious metals and should be properly recycled

Re-use

Stuffed textiles such as old pillows, quilts, duvets or cushions could be re-used as pet beds or to kneel on whilst gardening.

Vets or animal sanctuaries may accept clean, unwanted bedding. 

Disposal

If bedding is not in a re-usable condition, you can put it:

in your kerbside rubbish bin

in the non-recyclable container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

Recycle

Small store brought beer barrels can be recycled in the appropriate container (e.g. metal/ plastic) at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.

Normal beer barrels are the property of the brewery and as such should be returned to them. 

Reduce

Before thinking about reuse, recycling or disposal options for your bicycle, have you considered whether it could be repaired?

There are several repair cafes and groups in Suffolk who offer free help to local communities. Please visit this page to find out more.

Re-use

You can donate unwanted bicycles to local bicycle projects such as Re-cycle or the Green Bike Project. Alternatively, you can advertise bikes on a free online re-use network such as Freegle.

You can also take old or unwanted gently used items to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and to put them in the orange re-use containers at site. These items can then be used to support local charities. (Check which items are accepted)

Recycle

If a bicycle is beyond repair or in parts, you can recycle it in the metal container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.

See "Telescopes"

Re-use

These tins are a great storage container so try and reuse before you recycle.

Recycle

Empty metal and plastic biscuit/sweet tins can be put in your:

 in your kerbside recycling bin (Please note that plastic film/seals as well as mixed plastic and metal sweet wrappers can’t be recycled in your kerbside recycling bin, however some supermarkets have plastic film recycling bins in store that might accept some of these materials). 

Alternatively the tins can be taken to our recycling centres and the metal tins can go in the scrap metal container and the plastic tubs can go in the plastic tubs and trays container. Please ask staff on site if unsure which container to use. 

Recycle

Biscuit wrappers are made from a plastic that cannot currently be recycled in your household recycling bin or at any recycling centre. 

However, there are other recycling schemes that will take them:

• Terracycle has a scheme where you can send in your biscuit and cracker wrappers and they will be recycled. Find out how to get involved here.
• The Co-op and other large supermarkets are now offering soft plastic recycling schemes to collect items like biscuit wrappers. Please see ‘Plastic film’ in the A-Z.  

Disposal

If none of the recycling options above are available to you then:

You can put them:

in your kerbside rubbish bin

in the non-recyclable container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

See "Non-recyclable waste"

See "Fibreglass" 

Reduce

Before thinking about reuse, recycling or disposal options for your board game, have you considered whether it could be repaired?

There are several repair cafes and groups in Suffolk who offer free help to local communities. Please visit this page to find out more.

Re-use

 Offer items in good condition to charity shops or through an online re-use network, or sell through a car boot sale, jumble sale, or online market place.

You can also take old or unwanted gently used items to any Suffolk Recycling Centre  and to put them in the orange re-use containers at site. These items can then be used to support local charities. Check which items are accepted (PDF, 2MB).

Recycle

Take board games to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and place it in the container appropriate to the material it is made of (for example, box cover in cardboard container).

Reduce

By reducing the number of books we buy, the less of a problem there will be in disposing of them later on. 

Do consider using libraries, who stock the latest titles as well as DVDs and CDs.

You could also consider getting a e-reader, such as a Kindle. 

Re-use

Local charity shops will also be pleased to accept books in good condition, or you could pass onto friends and colleagues.

Recycle

If books are beyond re-use, you can put them:

in your kerbside recycling bin

in the media bank at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

Recycle

Leave metal lids on empty glass bottles and jars for recycling at glass bottle banks.

 You can put metal bottle tops in the scrap metal container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.

Recycle

Loose bottle tops are too small to survive the pre-sorting process at the recycling facility.

Bottle tops won’t get recycled unless you wash and squash your empty plastics bottles and then place the top back on. 

You can then put whole bottle either:

 in your kerbside recycling bin

in the plastic container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

Disposal

Trigger spray tops (commonly found on cleaning products) cannot be recycled due to mix of materials used to make them.

You can put it:

  in your kerbside rubbish bin

in the non-recyclable container.at any Suffolk Recycling Centre

Re-use

You can use bubble wrap for insulating wormeries (with air holes) or for packaging fragile items. 

Disposal

This item is currently not recyclable so needs to go in your general rubbish bin at home or in the non-recyclable container at Suffolk Recycling Centres.