A to Z of recycling in Milton Keynes

This list details what items MK Council can recycle, but always check to see what local charity, supermarket and business recycling provisions are available. 

Always seek to reduce waste and reuse where possible. 

All visits to the Household Waste Recycling Centre  (the 'tip') must be booked either online or by telephone.

We have tried to make this list as comprehensive as possible, but of you are unable to find the item listed that you are looking for please email wasteeducation@milton-keynes.gov.uk for clarification.

Check our A to Z listing

A

  • Aerosol spray cans, full or part-full - in the black bin bag
  • Aerosol spray cans, empty - in the clear sack
  • Aluminium drinks can - in the clear sack
  • Animal bedding, e.g. straw, hay - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Animal waste, including dog poo, cat litter, hamster/gerbil bedding, etc. - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Asbestos - see advice
  • Ash, cooled - in the black bin bag

B

  • Batteries, household batteries, including AA, AAA, C, D, etc. - in the yellow battery bag
  • Batteries, household leaking - in the black bin bag  
  • Battery, car - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Biodegradable nappies - in the black bin bag or if suitable home compost
  • Biscuit tins - in the clear sack
  • Biscuit wrappers - in the black bin bag
  • Black plastic food trays - in the clear sack
  • Black plastic food tubs - in the clear sack
  • Bleach bottle - in the clear sack (wash, squash and lid back on)
  • Bones, meat and fish - in the green wheeled bin
  • Books - remove covers and place in the clear recycling sack
  • Branches over 15cm in diameter - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Branches, up to 15cm in diameter - in the green wheeled bin
  • Bread, baked goods - in the green wheeled bin
  • Bubble wrap - reuse or in the black bin bag

C

  • Cables - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Caddy liners, not stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the black bin bag
  • Caddy liners, stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the green wheeled bin
  • Car battery - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Cars - see Unwanted cars or Abandoned cars advice
  • Cardboard, broken down so fits in the bag - in the clear sack
  • Cardboard, large - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Cards - in the clear sack
  • Carpet - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Carrier bags, plastic - in the black bin bag or local supermarket recycling point
  • Cartons, e.g. juice, milk - in the clear sack
  • Cat litter - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Catalogues - in the clear sack
  • CDs - in the black bin bag 
  • Chargers - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Cheese - in the green wheeled bin
  • Chemicals, household and garden chemicals - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • China, broken - in the black bin bag, wrapped securely to prevent injury
  • Chocolate wrappers - in the black bin bag
  • Cleaning product bottles - in the clear sack
  • Cleaning wipes - in the black bin bag
  • Cling film - in the black bin bag
  • Clothes, good quality - to your local charity shop
  • Clothes, poor quality - in the black bin bag
  • Coathangers - please return to the shop/supermarket to be recycled, not the clear recycling sack.
  • Coffee capsules/pods - in the black bin bag 
  • Coffee cups, disposable - in the black bin bag
  • Coffee grounds - in the green wheeled bin
  • Coke can - in the clear sack
  • Compostable caddy liners, not stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the black bin bag
  • Compostable caddy liners, stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the green wheeled bin
  • Compostable cups, not stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the black bin bag
  • Compostable cups, stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the green wheeled bin
  • Cooked meat - in the green wheeled bin
  • Cookers - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Cooking oil - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Cotton wool - in the black bin bag
  • Crisp packets - in the black bin bag
  • Cups, compostable, not stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the black bin bag
  • Cups, compostable, stamped with the standard EN13432 or display the 'Seedling logo' - in the green wheeled bin

D

  • Dairy products - in the green wheeled bin
  • Dead flowers - in the green wheeled bin
  • Disposable coffee cups - in the black bin bag
  • Disposable face masks PPE - in the black bin bag
  • Disposable nappies - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Disposable plastic cutlery - in the clear sack
  • Disposable PPE facemasks - in the black bin bag
  • Dog poo - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Drinking glasses, broken - in the black bin bag
  • Drinks can - in the clear sack
  • Duvets and pillows - in the black bin bag
  • DVDs - in the black bin bag

E

  • Electrical equipment - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Electronic equipment - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Engine oil - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Envelopes, including window envelopes - in the clear sack

F

F

  • Fabric or rags - in the black bin bag 
  • Face masks, disposable PPE - in the black bin bag
  • Film, plastic e.g. clingfilm - in the black bin bag
  • Fire extinguishers, contents must be identifiable - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Fish - in the green wheeled bin
  • Fizzy drinks can - in the clear sack
  • Flowers, dead - in the green wheeled bin
  • Flower pots - reuse where possible or in the black bin bag
  • Fluorescent tubes - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Foil food trays, clean - in the clear sack
  • Foil food trays, dirty - in the black bin bag
  • Foil, clean - in the clear sack
  • Foil, dirty - in the black bin bag
  • Food metal cans - in the clear sack
  • Food waste, all - in the green wheeled bin 
  • Freezers - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Fridge freezers - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Fridges - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Fruit nets - in the black bin bag
  • Fruit, including peelings - in the green wheeled bin
  • Fruit, windfall fruit - in the green wheeled bin
  • Furniture e.g. tables, mattresses, beds, wardrobes - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre

G

  • Garden and household chemicals - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Garden waste - in the green bin
  • Garden waste, large amounts - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Gas bottles (contents must be identifiable) - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Gerbil bedding, e.g. straw, hay - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Gift wrapping paper (no glitter or foil content) - in the clear sack
  • Glass bottles - in the blue box (lids removed into in the clear sack)
  • Glass bottles, broken - in the black bin bag, wrapped securely to prevent injury 
  • Glass jars - in the blue box (lids removed into in the clear sack)
  • Glass jars, broken - in the black bin bag, wrapped securely to prevent injury

H

  • Hamster bedding, e.g. straw, hay - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Hardcore and rubble - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Hazardous waste - see advice
  • Household and garden chemicals - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Household batteries, including AA, AAA, C, D, etc. - in the yellow battery bag

J

Juice cartons - in the clear sack

K

  • Kitchen towel - in the black bin bag

L

  • Laminated paper - in the black bin bag
  • Laptop batteries - in the yellow battery bag
  • Large appliances e.g. cookers, washing machines - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Leaflets - in the clear sack
  • Leaves - in the green wheeled bin
  • Light bulbs - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre 

M

  • Magazines - in the clear sack
  • Masks, disposable face masks PPE - in the black bin bag
  • Meat, raw or cooked - in the green wheeled bin
  • Medicines - return to your local chemist/pharmacy
  • Metal food cans - in the clear sack
  • Metal lids from bottles and jars, loose - in the clear sack
  • Metal saucepans - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Milk cartons - in the clear sack  
  • Mirror - in the black bin bag
  • Mixed materials, e.g. pill packets, padded envelopes, Pringles tubes - in the black bin bag
  • Mobile batteries - in the yellow battery bag
  • Mobile phones - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Mouldy food - in the green wheeled bin

N

  • Nappies, biodegradable - in the black bin bag or if suitable home compost
  • Nappies, disposable - in the black bin bag
  • Netting, e.g. fruit nets - in the black bin bag
  • Newspapers - in the clear sack

O

  • Oil, cooking and engine - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Out of date food - in the green wheeled bin

P

  • Padded envelopes - in the black bin bag 
  • Paint - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Paper - in the clear sack
  • Paper, laminated - in the black bin bag
  • Paper, waxed e.g. bread bag - in the black bin bag
  • Paper with glitter, foil or paint - in the black bin bag
  • Perfume glass bottle - in the black bin bag
  • Pet food leftovers - in the green wheeled bin
  • Pet food pouches - in the black bin bag
  • Pet food tins - in the clear sack
  • Pet poo - in the black bin bag (double bagged)
  • Photographs - in the black bin bag
  • Pill packets - in the black bin bag
  • Pillows and duvets - in the black bin bag
  • Pizza box, clean - in the clear sack   
  • Pizza box, greasy - in the black bin bag
  • Plant pots - reuse where possible or in the black bin bag
  • Plants - in the green wheeled bin
  • Plastic bags - in the black bin bag or local supermarket recycling point
  • Plastic bottle - in the clear sack (wash, squash and lid back on)
  • Plastic bottles with pumps and trigger - in the clear sack 
  • Plastic cutlery, disposable - in the clear sack
  • Plastic drinks bottles - in the clear sack (wash, squash and lid back on)
  • Plastic film, e.g. clingfilm - in the black bin bag
  • Plastic food pots - in the clear sack
  • Plastic food punnets - in the clear sack
  • Plastic food trays, including black - in the clear sack
  • Plastic food tubs, including black - in the clear sack
  • Plastic lids from bottles and jars, loose - in the clear sack
  • Plastic milk bottles - in the clear sack (wash, squash and lid back on)
  • Plastic toys - to local charity shop or in the black bin bag
  • Plastic water bottles - in the clear sack (wash, squash and lid back on)
  • Plate scrapings - in the green wheeled bin
  • Polystyrene - in the black bin bag
  • PPE facemasks, disposable - in the black bin bag

R

  • Raw meat - in the green wheeled bin
  • Razor blades - in the black bin bag
  • Ready meal containers - in the clear sack
  • Rubble - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre

S

  • Sanitary products - in the black bin bag
  • Sanitising wipes - in the black bin bag
  • Seashells, e.g. oyster, mussels, scallops, etc - in the green bin
  • Shredded paper - in the clear sack
  • Small appliances - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Soil - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Spray cans, full or part-full - in the black bin bag
  • Spray cans, empty - in the clear sack
  • Squeezy tubes, e.g.toothpaste tube - in the black bin bag
  • Steel food cans - in the clear sack
  • Sweet tins - in the clear sack
  • Sweet wrappers - in the black bin bag

T

  • Tea bags - in the green wheeled bin
  • Thermal paper - in the black bin bag
  • Timber - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Tin foil, clean - in the clear sack
  • Tin foil, dirty - in the black bin bag
  • Tissues - in the black bin bag
  • Toothpaste tubes, squeezy - in the black bin bag
  • Toothpaste pump - in the clear sack
  • Tree branches, up to 15 cm in diameter - in the green wheeled bin
  • TVs and monitors - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Twigs - in the green wheeled bin
  • Tyres - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (not Bleak Hall)

V

  • Vegetables, including peelings - in the green wheeled bin
  • VHS tapes - in the black bin bag
  • Vinyl records - in the black bin bag 

W

  • Washing machines - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Waxed paper - in the black bin bag
  • Weeds - in the green wheeled bin
  • Wet wipes - in the black bin bag
  • Windfall fruit - in the green wheeled bin
  • Window Envelopes - in the clear sack
  • Wine glasses, broken - in the black bin bag, wrapped securely to prevent injury
  • Wood - take to the Household Waste Recycling Centre
  • Wrapping paper with no glitter or foil content - in the clear sack
  • Wrapping paper with glitter or foil content - in the black bin bag

Waste and Recycling team contact information

Milton Keynes Waste Recovery Park (appointment only), 9 Dickens Road, Old Wolverton, Milton Keynes MK12 5QF