Recycling
& Sustainability
Although
this is mostly about recycling, that is the final stage of the process ‘REDUCE,
REUSE, RECYCLE’.
REDUCE
– do you really need the thing? Can you do without it, get it second-hand, make
it yourself or borrow it from someone else? Try Charity shops, websites etc.
REUSE
(to which I would add REHOME and REPAIR) – can you make use of an unwanted item
in another way; can you find a new home for it? Furniture and all sorts of
things from sewing thread to pallets, from jiffy bags to TVs can be rehomed on
sites/apps such as Freecycle, Freegle, FreelyWeely or Olio or sold on websites
such as Ebay. Charities such as Sue Ryder and British Heart Foundation will
also collect furniture, lamps and other home furnishings for sale in their
specialist shops. Clothes and other wearables can be sold on apps such as
Vinted or taken to Charity Shops or put in Charity bins (e.g. behind the
Tilehurst Co-ops – it says on the bin what each charity will accept).
Bric-a-Brac, books, CDs and DVDs can be taken to Charity Shops (not all take
them though so check first). Books CDs, Computer Games and DVDs can also be
sold to such sites as Ziffit (though they don’t take them all). Put unwanted
items by your gate or drive for passers-by to take - don’t forget to put a
clear sign on it that it is free to take as people can be reluctant to do so
otherwise. Can you REPAIR the item? There are lots of people who do sewing
repairs and alterations, the Tilehurst Cobbler repairs footwear, belts,
watchstraps, zips etc.
And
finally, RECYCLE:
KERBSIDE
RECYCLING
READING
BOROUGH COUNCIL
Red
Bin: WASH FIRST
Plastic
bottles (e.g. drinks, milk, toiletries, detergent), Plastic pots (e.g. yoghurt,
cream, snack, soup), Plastic trays (e.g. fruit punnets, meat, cakes) NOT BLACK,
Plastic tubs (e.g. ice cream, margarine, sweets), Paper and card, Tetrapak
cartons (e.g. juice, milk, soup), Clean foil and foil trays, Tins and cans
(e.g. drink cans, food tins, biscuit or sweet tins), Empty aerosol cans (e.g.
deodorant, air freshener, hairspray, de-icer), Shredded paper (must be
contained in a small cardboard box or envelope). Also trigger sprays and pump
tops separated from their bottles.
In
a bag on top of the red bin: Small electrical items under 30cm x 24cm. One bag per collection. E.g. kettles,
toasters, irons, hair dryers, radios and small power tools.
In
a clear plastic bag on the top of red bin: Household batteries AA, AAA, D, C
6v, 9v, button. Other types can be taken to the tip.
Food
Bin:
All uneaten food, plate or bowl scrapings, out
of date or mouldy food, Dairy products (cheese, eggs, and eggshells, yoghurts),
Bread, cakes and pastries, Raw and cooked meat and bones, Raw and cooked fish
and fish bones, Raw and cooked fruit and vegetables and peelings, Rice, pasta
and beans, Tea and coffee bags and grounds, Pet food. Cooking oil – sealed in a
plastic bottle and put inside your outdoor food waste bin.
WEST
BERKS
Each
household is provided with two green recycling boxes and a reusable bag.
You
can recycle paper and card in one box including: Newspaper, Junk Mail,
Magazines/Catalogues, Cardboard tubes, Envelopes, Egg boxes, Cardboard
boxes/packaging (cardboard must be flattened and no bigger than 85cm x
45cm), Greeting cards and wrapping paper
(no glitter or foil).
You
can recycle glass in one box including: Glass bottles, Glass jars.
You
can recycle all your plastic bottles (please remove lids*), aerosols, drink cans
and food tins in your recycling bag including Milk bottles, Drink bottles,
Shampoo/conditioner/shower gel bottles, Cleaning bottles, Food tins, Drink
cans, Aerosols
*Plastic
bottle lids can be placed loose in the recycling bag.
Textiles/clothing
can be left out in a clear or white sack labelled as textiles next to your
green boxes for collection. We do not provide the sacks for this.
You
can find a full list of what you can and cannot recycle in their Recycling
Leaflet.
LARGER
SUPERMARKETS
Plastic
carrier bags, bubble wrap, cereal packet liners, magazine wrappers (NOT
compostable ones)
Soft
plastic e.g. crisp packets, bread bags, salad bags, film from fruit & veg
punnets, sweet wrappers etc. The Co-op also do this, but I think it’s for their
own stuff/bought at their own stores because they are smaller than the big
supermarkets so don’t have room to take lots. The Co-op claim that all their
own brand food packaging is recyclable.
READING
TIP AKA RE3
at Waste Management Park, Smallmead Rd, Island Rd, Reading RG2 0RP. Only for
residents of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs. Their app
RE3cyclopedia tells you if a particular item is recyclable.
They
accept (though how much is actually recycled I’m not sure) Hard Plastic,
batteries, metal, paper, wood, electrical items, oil, light bulbs and
fluorescent tubes, furniture, garden waste, household chemicals, mattresses,
pesticides, CDs, DVDs and their cases and general rubbish.
They also have a REUSE SCHEME
– The Reuse Area is available at both Recycling Centres, allowing re3
residents to drop off
reusable items. Deposited items are provided to a partner charity or reuse
organisation and reused either in the UK or abroad. RE3PAINT COMMUNITY PAINT
REUSE - The paint reuse initiative allows residents to collect free tins of
partly used water-based paint that were deposited at the Recycling Centres.
Reclaimed paint can be used for personal projects or at local charity and
community groups. All displayed paints are partly used and are in the original
container. RE3GROW COMPOST – a peat-free compost, made from recycled garden
waste, deposited by re3 residents. The compost is available for purchase at the
Recycling Centres during spring and summer at competitive prices.
BOTTLE
BANKS
Glass
bottles & jars. Glass roll-on deodorant containers (minus lids). NOT
crockery, earthenware, drinking glasses, glass cookware, e.g. Pyrex, microwave
plates, light bulbs and tubes, vases.
‘SPECIALIST’
RECYCLING
Unused
or out of date medicines – take to any chemist.
Unused
or out of date pet medicines - take to any vet practice.
You
can put the box and leaflet for the medicine in the kerbside recycling as long
as the packaging makes it clear to the chemist/vet what the medicine is (which
it usually does).
Empty
pill blister packs – Superdrug on Broad Street have a collection bin near the
chemist counter – I’m not sure if they will take blister packs from vet
medicines.
Brita
brand water filters – Waitrose, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s Friar Street.
Pens
incl highlighters, correction fluid pots, marker pens & eraser pens NOT
wooden pencils, chalk, glue sticks, erasers or rulers – Rymans in Duke Street.
Glasses
(Spectacles) – Specsavers in town, Scrivens on School Road (and probably most
other opticians).
Soft
disposable contact lenses and their blister packaging – Eyesight, Leightons,
Boots, D&R Kirk in Whitley.
Flowerpots
(NOT BLACK) – many garden centres take these or put them by your gate for
others to take.
Coffee
pods – check with the manufacturer – some do recycling schemes.
Ink
Cartridges – many manufactures do recycling schemes but only for their own
products.
Terracycle
Drop-off Schemes:
AIR
HOME & LAUNDRY: Lenor tumble dryer sheets, all brands of plastic air
freshener containers. Cartridge caps, car air fresheners (except electric
plug-ins), all brands of flexible dishwasher tablets pouches, all brands of
flexible washing capsules and pods packaging, all brands of flexible wipe
packaging and tinted rigid plastic tubs used for home cleaning, all brands of
tinter fabric conditioner bottles and caps NOT Aerosols, Glass air freshener
cartridges, Transparent plastic bottles and caps, Tumble dryer sheets that are
not from Lenor, Caps from home cleaning and dishwashing products, Flexible
plastic packaging not used for dishwasher tablets as well as washing capsules
and pods, Flexible wipe packaging not used for home cleaning (such as baby and
beauty wipes packaging).
RBHYGIENE
HOME: Fragrance twin pack plastic sleeves, Flexible stain remover powder
packaging, Flexible dishwashing tablet packaging, Outer plastic sleeves on
dishwashing tablet tubs, Dishwasher cleaner outer packaging, Foil inside
dishwasher protectors, Flexible plastic dishwashing salt bags, Flexible home cleaning
wipe packaging, Flexible cleaning product refill packaging NOT Laundry
detergent packaging, Toilet freshener packaging, Aerosols, Plastic bottles and
tubs, Dishwasher liquid bottles, rinse aid packaging
Fragrance
candles, reeds, plug ins and autosprays, Soda crystals packaging, Washing
machine and oven cleaner packaging.
CLARINS:
All brands of beauty, skincare and body care packaging, Flexible and rigid
plastic tubes, pots and
jars
used for skincare products (creams, ointments, cleansers), Body wash and lotion
tubes, dispensers,
caps
and pumps, Foundation and eyeshadow cases, mascara and lipstick tubes. NOT Bamboo,
cardboard and wood packaging, Aerosols and perfume bottles, Nail polish bottles.
BURT’S
BEES PERSONAL CARE: Lipsticks, lip gloss, lip balm, mascara tubes and wands,
lip & cheek highlighter and bronzers, flexible plastic packaging used for
facial cleansing wipes, flexible plastic and metallic plastic tubes used for
body creams ointments or moisturisers, eye shadow compacts. NOT Glass, Rigid
plastic bottles, pots and tubs used for personal care unless not accepted by
local council facilities, Flexible plastic tubes not used for personal care (such
as hair care, shower gels, food and glue tubes), Flexible plastic wipes
packaging not used for personal care (e.g. baby wipes and cleaning wipes), Deodorant,
body spray or perfume, Cardboard packaging.
MAYBELLINE
MAKE-UP: Empty Lip Make-up Packaging (e.g. lipsticks, lip glosses, lip balms),
empty eye and brow make-up packaging (e.g mascara wands and tubes, eyeliner
pens, eyeshadow compacts), empty face make-up packaging (e.g. compacts, tubes
& pots). NOT Glass bottles (e.g. foundation bottles and cream eyeshadow
jars), Wooden eye pencils, Makeup brushes, Nail varnish, Aerosol containers.
COLGATE
AND HELLO ORAL CARE: Any brand of toothpaste tubes and caps, Any brand of
plastic toothbrush outer packaging, Any brand of toothpaste cartons, Any brand
of electric and battery toothbrush heads, Any brand of plastic toothbrush heads,
Any brand of plastic toothbrushes, Any brand of floss containers and outer
packaging NOT Any toothbrushes not made
from plastic, Reusable toothbrush handles, Interdental brushes, Battery
operated toothbrushes, Dental floss (string), Mouthwash plastic bottles, Breath
sprays, Denture adhesives packaging, Denture
tablets packaging, Denture cream tubes, Outer packaging that did not contain
toothbrushes or dental floss, Cartons that did not contain toothpaste, Tubes
that did not contain toothpaste, Toothpaste pumps, Toothache kits.
PHILIPS
DENTAL CARE: Electric toothbrush heads and covers, Electric flosser nozzles, Flossing
sticks and interdental brushes, Dental floss containers, Manual toothbrushes
NOT Battery-operated toothbrushes, Electric toothbrush handles, Toothpaste
tubes and caps, Outer cardboard and plastic packaging for toothbrushes,
toothpaste tubes and floss containers, Dental floss.
BABYBEL:
wax, wrappers, metal clasp, nets, labels NO OTHER BRANDS
WARHAMMER:
You can recycle your empty Warhammer paint pots, sprues and miniatures. NOT Brushes,
Filled paint pots. Paint pots and sprues from other brands.
Drop-off
Locations - best to check first that they are still in operation. Some also do
schemes other than those I have detailed above, check Terracycle for what is
accepted on those schemes.
Flat
2, 38 Queens Road, RG1 4AU
The
Air, Home and Laundry Care Free Recycling Programme
The
Aqua Optima® Water Filter Free Recycling Programme
The
Babybel® Free Recycling Programme
The
Baylis & Harding Free Recycling Programme
The
Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme
The
Confectionery Free Recycling Programme
32
White Lodge Close Tilehurst, RG31 6YT
The
Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme
The
Confectionery Free Recycling Programme
The
KP Snacks® Nuts, Popcorn, Crisps and Pretzels Packet Free Recycling Programme
The
pladis Biscuits and Snacks Free Recycling Programme
The
Pringles® Tube Free Recycling Programme
The
RB® Hygiene Home Free Recycling Programme
Monday -Sunday 9am to 5pm
38
School Road, Tilehurst, RG31 5AN
The
Burt’s Bees® Personal Care Free Recycling Programme
The
Confectionery Free Recycling Programme
The
pladis Biscuits and Snacks Free Recycling Programme
The
Warburtons Bakery Free Recycling Programme
The
Warburtons Wax Wrap Free Recycling Programme
Monday-Sunday 9am – 5pm
Woodley
Preschool Woodford Park, Haddon Drive Haddon Drive, RG5 4LY
The
Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme
The
Colgate® and hello® Oral Care Free Recycling Programme
The
Confectionery Free Recycling Programme
The
KP Snacks® Nuts, Popcorn, Crisps and Pretzels Packet Free Recycling Programme
The
pladis Biscuits and Snacks Free Recycling Programme
Mon-Fri 9am-3pm
Wheatfield
Primary School, Woodward Close, Winnersh RG41 5NW
The
Air, Home and Laundry Care Free Recycling Programme
The
Confectionery Free Recycling Programme
The
pladis Biscuits and Snacks Free Recycling Programme
Monday
-Thursday 8:30am – 5pm
Warhammer
Reading 29 Oxford Road, RG1 7QA
Monday 11am - 5:30 pm, Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm , Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm, Thursday 12 - 8:00pm,
Friday 10am - 5:30pm, Saturday 10am - 6:00pm, Sunday 11am – 5pm
Reading
Quaker Meeting House, 2 Church Street, RG1 2SB
The
Cheese Packaging Free Recycling Programme
Tuesday
– Friday 9am – 5pm
CURRENTLY
CAN’T BE RECYCLED (as far as I know):
Biodegradable
packaging & mail wraps – these should be put on a compost heap or can be
used in food waste bins but should NOT be put in with plastic bags, Black food
trays & pots, Black flowerpots, Video & cassette tapes, PVC (3),
Polystyrene, rubber bands, silica gel packs (though these can be reused in
various ways), Cling film, Net fruit bags, Plastic straws, Plastic Gift Cards
USEFUL
WEBSITES
www.coop.co.uk/environment/soft-plastics
www.westberks.gov.uk/rubbishandrecycling
www.ilovefreegle.org/explore/ReadingFreegleUK