Recycle aerosol cans
Empty hairspray, deodorant, shaving foam or polish cans can be recycled. Check that the container is empty and place in your green recycling container alongside household plastics and cans. If your aerosols are not empty, take them to your local Recycling Centre. Never squash or pierce aerosol cans. Find out more at Recycle Aluminium.
Find out what goes in your green recycling box and what doesn't, when it's collected and what you can do to help us collect your recycling.
We collect your recycling every week (except for your chargeable garden waste which we collect every other week). Find out when your next collection day is using our collection day finder.
What goes in your green recycling box
If you have two green recycling boxes (55 litres), please separate your recycling as detailed below. If you live in a flat, you may have communal recycling bins instead of a green recycling box.
We collect three recycling types in green boxes:
- Type 1: Metal cans, empty aerosols, clean foil, plastic bottles, tubs and trays. (No polystyrene, black plastic, crisp packets, plastic bags or wrapping.)
- Type 2: Glass bottles and jars. Labels and lids can be left on. (No broken glass, drinking glasses, or glass cookware.)
- Type 3: Paper. (No tissues, kitchen towel, or wrapping paper.)
Why we no longer collect wrapping paper
Unfortunately we cannot accept any wrapping paper for recycling, the reason for this is that whilst our paper has always been recycled in the UK, large amounts of paper from the UK has historically been exported abroad and over recent years as the demand for recycling in the UK has increased, so has the required level of quality of the material that we send to the paper mills. Wrapping paper, particularly at Christmas is normally contaminated with glitter, tape, bows or tags where people do not or can’t remove them all prior to recycling, in addition a lot of wrapping paper is also made from low grade paper whereas the paper mills prefer higher quality paper.
If we send loads for recycling that contain too much wrapping paper, they could reject the whole load so none of it is recycled, which is why we have said not to recycle any wrapping paper to reduce the risk of this happening.
If you have two green recycling boxes at your property, we recommend using both: Type 1 items mixed in one box, Type 2 and 3 items kept separate in another box.
If you only have storage space for one, box please keep the different types separated within the box. You can use carrier bags to help keep them separate. If the different types are mixed within the box it may not be collected by our crews.
We also collect batteries, clothing and textiles, small electrical items, used engine oil and filters with your green box recycling. Please place these items in a tied carrier bag on top of your green box.
Engine oil must be in sealed engine oil containers. Drain and wrap oil filters in plastic bags to avoid leaks. We can only accept clothing and textiles that are clean, dry, and in reusable condition. We can't take uniform, quilts, duvets, pillows, cushions, rugs or curtains.
For more information on what we can and cannot accept, check our Recycling A-Z.
We will only collect small electrical items which fit into a tied carrier bag (hairdryers, mobile phones (including batteries and chargers), kettles, toasters etc.)
Putting your recycling out
To help us collect your recycling box, please take note of the following:
- put your recycling boxes at the front edge of your property where we can see them
- put your recycling boxes out by 6am on your collection day (or no earlier than 8pm the night before)
- bring your emptied boxes back in on your collection day as soon as you can
- if you live in the city centre of Bath, don't leave your boxes on railings or steps
- don't put out large or hazardous items
Moving home
If you move, you must leave your green recycling box at your old home.