A to Z of recycling - M
Find out how to recycle, reduce, re-use and dispose of many items in Suffolk.
Please use the search bar at the top of the page or browse the A to Z to find the item you want to dispose of.
Remember that your item might have more than one name or may be listed under the name of the material it is made of.
Re-use
If your mattress is in good condition, charity shops may be to take them or alternatively advertise them on an online re-use network.
Disposal
.jpg){kind=icon}
If the mattress is not suitable for re-use, you can take it to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and place it in the non-recyclable container.
Alternatively your local borough or district council offers a charged bulky waste collection service.
Disposal
Take unwanted medicines to a pharmacy, where they can be disposed of safely.
Never throw unused or expired medicines in the rubbish bin or flush them down the toilet.
Children could take the medicine from the bin, and medicines that have been flushed down a toilet could end up in the drinking water system or harm the environment.
Also see "Needles"
Recycle
You can recycle your metal pots, pans and trays:
in the metal container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre
Disposal
You cannot place glass pan lids in your kerbside bin. Glass pan lids rimmed with metal can go into the scrap metal container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.
Metal pots, pans and trays can no longer go in the kerbside recycling bin because they cause blockages at the Materials Recycling Facility and accepting these materials leads to other metal items ending up in the recycling bin such as brake discs, coat hangers and even engine blocks, which can cause further problems. Find out more about this change in our FAQs document.
Re-use
Metal items in good condition could be offered to charity shops or through an online re-use network. Find your nearest charity shop.
You might also be able to sell some metal items through a car boot sale, jumble sale, or online market.
Offer unwanted items to friends, neighbours or relatives.
You may be able to sell some types of metal (such as cars) to your local scrap metal dealer.
Recycle
You can recycle any metals item in the metal container at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.
Re-use
Offer mirrors in good condition to charity shops or through an online re-use network, sell at a car boot sale, jumble sale or online market place.
You can also be offer mirrors to friends, neighbours or relatives. If it is in good condition, you can also be take it to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and placed in the re-use container (ask site staff for details).
Recycle
Take mirrors to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and place in the flat glass container.
Wherever possible, and if safe to do so, please remove glass from the frame first. If you can't remove the frame, ask a member of staff on site for advice of where to dispose of it.
Re-use
If your phone is still working (and sometimes newer broken models) can be sold to companies that will refurbish it to sell on.
Alternatively, charity shops often have envelopes for you to send the phone off as a donation.
Recycle
You can recycle older and broken phone models at any Suffolk Recycling Centre.
Find other organisations and charities which could recycle your mobile phone.
Re-use
Musical instruments in working condition can be passed on or sold through websites and/or music shops. Alternatively, they can be donated to charity shops.
Disposal and recycle
If you have an instrument broken beyond economic repair, please take it to any Suffolk Recycling Centre and place it in the material container appropriate to what the instrument is made from.