What Can Be RecycledCheck the list below to find out exactly what materials you can recycle in Southwark.
Most of these materials can be recycled through door to door collections. Paper, card, cardboard, glass, cans, plastic bottles and plastic food packaging can also be taken to your nearest local recycling centre. Garden waste can be recycled through our kerbside collection and can also be taken to the household waste reuse and recycling centre (HWRRC). Most other household waste can be recycled at the HWRRC too.
Paper and cardboard
Yes please
- Paper
- Newspapers and magazines
- Catalogues and brochures
- Junk mail, flyers and leaflets
- Envelopes (please remove the plastic windows)
- Phone directories, like the Yellow Pages
- Shredded paper (must be put in a paper envelope or paper bag)
- Greeting cards
- Food packets (including cereal boxes)
- Cardboard (please break down boxes, remove any plastics like polystyrene and cellophane, and flatten)
- Egg boxes
- Detergent and washing powder boxes
- Toilet roll and kitchen roll inserts
- Shredded paper (Only if you use the blue bag recycling service, or local recycling centres. This paper must be contained within a paper envelope or paper bag. If you recycle using clear bags, please do not put shredded paper in your bags, as it can't be recycled on this service.)
No thank you
- Plastic bags or liners
- Food and drink cartons, eg Tetra Pak
- Paper cups and plates
- Plastic coated paper
- Metallic wrapping paper
- Sweet wrappers or crisps packets
- Wallpaper
- Loose shredded paper
Glass 
Yes please
- Bottles of any colour
- Jars of any colour
You can leave the labels on but please remove lids and corks and rinse out bottles and jars.
No thank you
- Caps and corks
- Any other types of glass, eg drinking glasses or window glass
- Mirrors
- Lightbulbs
Cans and plastics
Yes please
- All plastic bottles, eg water, shampoo and detergent bottles
- Drink cans and food tins - please empty, rinse and squash
- Aluminium foil (clean only)
- Aerosol spray cans - do not puncture or squash
- Plastic food trays, tubs, pots, lids, and tops. (Using only the blue box recycling service or local recycling centres. If you recycle using clear bags, please do not put these
 in your bags, as they can't be recycled on this service.)
No thank you
- Paint tins
- Anything with food that has not been cleaned
- Food or drink cartons
- Plastic bags
- Cling film or plastic wrappers
Garden waste
This is collected separately in a brown wheelie bin, green reusable bag or single use brown bags.
Yes please
- Grass cuttings
- Garden weeds, plants, flowers
- Leaves, trimmings and prunings
- Twigs and small branches, less than 10 cm / 4 inches thick
No thank you
- Food waste
- Recyclable materials, like bottles, cans and cardboard
- Large tree branches, more than 10 cm / 4 inches thick
- Flower pots, trays or bags
- Plastic bags
- Soil or turf
- Stones or gravel
- Bricks or rubble (these can be brought to the Household Waste Reuse and Recycling Centre)
- Japanese Knotweed
- Garden furniture
- Fencing, MDF, or treated wood
What else can I recycle?
Your opportunities to recycle don't stop there:
Reporting problems or requesting services
If you have any questions about what you can recycle and where, please contact us.
Contact us
Recycling unit
Tel: 020 7525 2000
environment@southwark.gov.uk
30-34 Penrose Street
London
SE17 3DW |