Contaminated bins
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Contamination happens when the incorrect items are put in your bins. This can lead to entire vehicle loads of recycling or waste becoming contaminated.
Contaminated bins will not be collected as they can increase disposal costs.
If your bin is contaminated, you should remove any contaminating items from your bins before your next scheduled collection.
If your bin is contaminated
Your bin may not be emptied and an information hanger will be placed on contaminated bins.
What to do with your contaminated bin
Follow the advice below depending on which of your bins is contaminated. Make sure you have removed the contaminating items before your next scheduled collection day.
You can book a chargeable refuse collection to empty a contaminated household recycling bin or garden waste bin by calling 0208 359 5131
You can book an additional chargeable business waste bin collection by contacting us by email
Your scheduled collections cannot take place again until all contaminants have been removed from your bin.
My recycling bin was contaminated
Items you should not put in the recycling bin and where they should go are listed below.
Garden waste
Put in your green garden waste bin for collection or compost it.
Nappies
Dispose in your refuse bin.
Clothing and textiles
Donate or recycle at the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane
Black bags and carrier bags
Dispose in your refuse bin
Food waste
Dispose in your refuse bin until further notice
Electrical items
Recycle at the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane
Hard plastics
Donate, reuse or dispose in your refuse bin
Wood
Recycle at the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane
Polystyrene
Dispose in your refuse bin
Why can I only put recycling in my blue bin?
Recycling is taken to a Material Recovery Facility, where it is separated by material type and then sent to be made into new items. Find out more on what happens to your recycling
Contamination can cause entire vehicle loads of recycling to be rejected, so instead of being sent to be made into new materials, it will be treated as refuse.
Most of your household waste can be recycled so it is important to recycle as much as possible but also to do it correctly.
Remember: if in doubt, leave it out.
My refuse bin was contaminated (black or grey bin)
Items you should not put in the refuse bin and where they should go are listed below.
Garden waste
Put in your green garden waste bin for collection or compost it.
Building materials
Builders working at your property should take away their waste.
Alternatively, you can fill up to six standard rubble bags of your own building rubble and take to the Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre no more than once per month.
Asbestos
Book a collection by the City of London household hazardous waste collection and disposal service.
You can make an appointment to take cement-bonded asbestos to:
Hornsey Street Re-use and Recycling Centre
Hornsey Street
London
N7 8HU
Call 0208 884 5645 or email hornseyr&r@londonwaste.co.uk
Car batteries
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane.
Oil
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane in a sealed container.
Paint and paint tins
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane.
Light bulbs
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane.
Recyclable materials
Put in your recycling bin for collection.
Why can’t I put anything I want in my refuse bin?
Your refuse bin is only for waste that cannot be recycled.
Recyclable materials should go in your blue bin and garden waste should go in your green bin. Other contaminants as listed in the table above cannot be disposed of using your household waste collection.
My garden waste bin was contaminated (green bin)
Items you should not put in the garden waste bin and where they should go are listed below.
Soil
You can fill up to six standard rubble bags or equivalent and take to the Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre no more than once per month.
Large branches
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane.
Food waste
Dispose of in your refuse bin until further notice.
Nappies
Dispose of in your refuse bin.
Black bags and carrier bags
Dispose of in your refuse bin, garden waste should be placed in your green bin loose.
Pet waste, used and unused pet bedding, pet litter
Dispose of in your refuse bin.
Cooking oil
Take to the Reuse and Recycling Centre, Summers Lane.
Large meat carcasses
Dispose of in your refuse bin.
Paper and cardboard
Put in your recycling bin for collection.