What goes in my bins?
To download a copy of our Refuse and Recycling Collections leaflet which you can print off and keep handy, please click here.
For a list of where to recycle other household items, visit our A-Z of Recycling page here.
Recycling
Plastics, glass & metals (Blue bin)
- Plastic bottles (shampoo, milk, bleach, drinks etc)
- Plastic pots, tubs and trays
- Glass bottles
- Glass jars
- Tin cans
- Clean foil
- Aerosols
Please place recycling into the bins loose. Plastic bags contaminate the recycling bin and are not allowed. If you collect your recycling in a plastic bag, please empty it into the bin and dispose of the plastic bag in your grey bin.
It is now easier for West Lancashire residents to recycle more plastic waste. Along with plastic bottles, which were already collected, residents can put clean plastic pots, tubs and trays in their blue recycling bin at home. It is easy to see whether something is recyclable by checking the number stamped onto it. Anything with a number 1, 2 or 5 within the recycling triangle should go into your recycling bin.
If the plastic still has food waste on it, or is covered in plastic film, it can cause a problem as it goes through our recycling system and could end up not being recycled at all.
Cardboard (Green bin)
- Paper
- Envelopes
- Newspapers and magazines
- Shredded paper
- Cardboard boxes and packaging
- Non-foil wrapping paper
Recycling Centres
If you have waste that can't be recycled in your blue or green bin, you might be able to take it to one of Lancashire County Council's Household Waste Recycling Centres. Find out more including the types of waste that can be recycled at the centres here.
Refuse (Grey bin or refuse sack)
Only use the grey bin or refuse sacks for household waste that cannot be recycled. This includes items such as:
- Food waste
- Plastic bags and packaging
- Nappies
- Polystyrene packaging
- Bagged pet waste
Please do not place the following items in your grey bin:
- Garden waste
- Soil
- Electrical items or batteries (find the nearest recycling point here (external link))
- Building waste such as rubble, bricks, and plasterboard
- Hazardous waste (external link) such as asbestos, car batteries paint and oil
- Clinical waste
Help protect the environment by recycling as much as you can. Only use the grey bin for anything that you cannot put in your recycling bins.
For a small fee, we can provide a bulky waste collection for large household items. Please click here to find out more and book a collection.
Garden Waste (Brown bin)
The 2024/25 Garden Waste Collection Service started on 1 June 2024 and residents can sign up and pay for the service whenever they want. There is a £45 per year charge for the collection of garden waste and residents who wish to use the service need to sign up and pay. The £45 charge covers the 12 months from 1 June 2024 until 31 May 2025. If you sign up part way through the year, the cost is the same covers collections up until 31 May 2025. If you don't already have a brown bin, you can purchase one from the council at a cost of £25 each.
- Leaves
- Weeds
- Grass cuttings
- Twigs and small branches
- Cut flowers
What Happens to Your Recycling?
West Lancashire Borough Council are the collection authority for your waste and recycling, and Lancashire County Council are the disposal authority. To find out what happens to your recycling, visit the Lancashire County Council website here (external link).
Data protection is important to us. Information on how we handle and protect your data including our Corporate Privacy Policy can be found here.
