Everything that you put in your Green Box is recycled. Here's what happens to each of the materials that we collect:
Aluminium Cans and Aerosols
After collection, they are sorted and compressed into bales and sent for reprocessing. They are then melted into blocks (ingots), which are then rolled into sheets and sent to can makers all over Europe. New aluminium cans can be in the shops in only six weeks.
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Aluminium Foil
The foil is recycled separately from the cans because it has a slightly different metal content. The process is similar to the aluminium can recycling and the finished product is used to make a range of products such as car parts.
People often mistake silver coated plastic (such as crisp packets) for aluminium foil. You'll know if it is foil because when you squash it in your hand it stays squashed.
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Car Batteries
Car Batteries are broken up in a huge crushing machine and then sorted into their different parts.
- The plastic is recycled made into many different products including Green Recycling boxes, furniture, paint trays, car parts, drainpipes and more cases for car batteries.
- The lead is melted down to make products such as more car batteries, guttering, and shields for X-ray machines in hospitals.
- The acid is treated and neutralised.
- The distilled water is purified and used again.
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Cardboard
Cardboard and brown paper are recycled separately from the paper so must not be mixed together. The cardboard and brown paper is made back into cardboard packaging.
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Engine Oil
The oil is decanted into a large holding tank where it is boiled up and left to settle. Any water is removed and the oil is then filtered. This process is repeated to produce a watery brown liquid that is used in furnaces at power stations and quarries as an alternative, recycled fuel.
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Food Tins and Aerosols
The steel cans and aerosols are separated from the aluminium cans by magnet and then baled and sent for reprocessing. They are melted down in furnaces where the impure metal (slag) is separated and may be recycled back into road building products. The pure metal is made into blocks (ingots), which are rolled into different shapes and sizes. Finished products include tins, car parts, fridges and other domestic appliances. In some instances they even help to make bridges.
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Glass bottles and jars
Only bottles and jars are recycled as other types of glass are made of different ingredients and will leave faults in the finished product. The glass is crushed and each colour is melted in a separate furnace before being moulded into new glass bottles and jars for many well known brands.
Glass can be recycled over and over again. Recycling glass means less energy and resources are used in heating the furnaces. In Bath and North East Somerset we currently recycle over 10 million bottles and jars every year.
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Household Batteries
The different metals are separated from the batteries and sent for recycling.
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Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are sent to a charity for reuse in developing countries. Those not suitable for reuse are shredded and their raw materials are recycled.
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Paper
Most types of paper (except brown paper and card) are collected and made back into newsprint.
Paper is sent to Aylesford Newsprint in Kent (the largest paper recycling plant in Europe) where all inks, staples etc are washed out of the paper with soapy water. This is helped by special ingredients (clays) in the magazines that help to lift the ink from the paper.
The paper is pulped and then injected between two wire meshes to make it paper thin, before being dried.
It is then rolled into jumbo reels, each weighing more than 30 tonnes. These are used to supply all the national newspapers in this country and several local ones. They can be back in the newsagents in as little as seven days.
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Plastic packaging
We now collect most types of household plastic packaging used to package food and drinks such as tubs, trays, pots and bottles. For more information, please go to Cardboard and plastics.
There are many different types of plastic that must all be separated in order to be recycled. The plastic types that we can collect are solid plastics used for packaging food and drinks because they are easier to collect and separate. The plastic is separated from the cans by magnet then baled and sent for recycling.
The plastic is broken down into flakes and then cleaned. These are melted down and moulded back into plastic shapes. Plastic bottles are made into items such as bollards, recycling boxes, compost bins, drainage pipes, waste bins, park benches, food and drinks packaging and even fleece jackets
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Spectacles
These are sorted and cleaned at Horfield prison in Bristol. They are then passed on to the charity Vision Aid Overseas (VAO). VAO take them to developing countries to help people who would otherwise not have access to any professional eye-care.
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Textilesand Shoes
Reusable clothes and shoes are sorted then sent abroad for sale where there is a strong market for second hand clothes. We are not currently able to recycle any other types of textiles.
It is important that all textiles are kept clean and dry so please put them out in a plastic bag. Tie your old shoes in pairs so that they don’t get separated.
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