Christmas A-Z

  • A

    Aluminium foil (must be clean) – Grey bin

    Aluminium tray (must be clean) – Grey bin

    Aerosol cansGrey bin 

  • B

    Batteries – if still usable, donate them. If they’ve lost their charge put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day or check your local supermarket for a battery collection tub

  • C

    Candles (remains of) – check they have cooled down, then burgundy bin (recycle glass jars in your grey bin if they are clean)

    Cardboard – make sure it is clean and dry, then blue bin

    Christmas crackers – if paper, place in blue bin. Other contents all go in the burgundy bin

    Christmas tree (artificial) – Burgundy bin or HWRC (household waste recycling centre in Blackburn or Darwen)

    Christmas tree (real) – chop it up and put it in the brown garden waste bin or take to the HWRC (garden waste skips)

  • D

    Decorations e.g. baubles from the Christmas tree – donate or burgundy bin

    Disposable plastic cupsBurgundy bin

    Disposable plastic cutleryBurgundy bin

    Drink bottles (plastic or glass, make sure they are empty!) – Grey bin

    Drinking glasses (if broken, make sure to wrap securely) – Burgundy bin

    DVDs – donate or burgundy bin

  • E

    Electrical appliances (from food mixers to kettles to hairdryers and straighteners ) – if still usable, please donate. If broken, put in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day. For larger broken items (cookers, TVs, microwaves), take to the HWRC

    Envelopes (including ones with windows) – Blue bin

  • F

    Fabrics e.g. clothing, curtains but not duvets or pillows – donate or burgundy bin

    Fairy Lights – If working, donate. If broken or not working, put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day

    Felt tip pensBurgundy bin

    Foil trays – if clean, grey bin. If dirty, burgundy bin

    Food (meal leftovers, extra food bought and not used) – keep in the fridge and use up the leftovers. As a last resort, wrap and place in the burgundy bin

  • G

    Gift tags – paper gift tags can go in the blue bin, remove any decorations or glittery parts first

    Glass cookware like Pyrex – burgundy bin

    Glittery cards, wrapping paper or gift tags burgundy bin (tear off any non-glittery paper and place in the blue bin)

    Greetings cards – remove decorations/glittery sections then blue bin

  • H

    Home delivery cardboard boxesBlue bin

  • L

    Lights – If working, donate. If broken or not working, put them in a carrier bag and place next to your grey/blue bin on collection day

  • O

    Oil (Make sure to pour into a secure bottle) – Burgundy bin

    Oven trays (used, metal) – Burgundy bin

  • P

    Paper coffee cupsBurgundy bin

    Perfume bottles Grey bin

    Polystyrene packaging Burgundy bin

  • R

    Ribbon – Reuse for new presents or keep for crafts. If putting in a bin, burgundy bin

  • S

    SaucepansBurgundy bin or HWRC

    SellotapeBurgundy bin

    Shredded paperBlue bin

    Sweet wrappersBurgundy bin

  • T

    Takeaway chippy and burger foam boxesBurgundy bin

    Tinsel – reuse or Burgundy bin

    Toys (plastic) – donate if not broken, or burgundy bin if broken

  • U

    Unwanted gifts – regift or donate to a charity shop

  • W

    Wine (or any alcohol) bottlesGrey bin

    Wrapping paper – do the scrunch test! If it scrunches up, blue bin. If it doesn’t scrunch up, burgundy bin. Remove as much sellotape as you can (a little sellotape is OK)