The UK Government has confirmed that councils in England are not required to collect a range of everyday household items for recycling when they are placed outside homes on bin day. These items fall into six main categories and include various types of glass, metals, plastic, paper and card that residents might assume would be recycled.
The new Simpler Recycling regulations came into force in March 2026. They state that local authorities must now collect the following types of waste separately: food and garden waste; paper and card; all other dry recyclable materials (glass, metal and plastic, including cartons); and residual waste (non-recyclable waste sent for energy recovery or to landfill).
Why the Rules Were Introduced
The purpose of the new rules was to standardise waste collection nationwide and increase recycling rates. The Government said it aimed to end the "muddled and confusing patchwork of approaches to bin collections" that resulted from different local councils operating under different rules, which created widespread confusion about what could be recycled in different areas. The regulations were also intended to guarantee that more products are recycled and that high-quality recycled material can be obtained domestically.
Despite the new rules, there may still be variations in what different councils are able and unable to recycle, so residents should check their local council rules if in doubt.
Items Councils Do Not Have to Collect
Councils are not obliged to collect any glass not used as packaging. This includes candles, drinking glasses, flat glass, glass cookware (such as Pyrex), light bulbs and tubes, microwave plates, mirrors, vases, window glass, and ceramics such as crockery or earthenware.
They are also not required to collect certain metal products, including laminated foil (such as pet food pouches and coffee pouches), electrical items and batteries, general kitchenware like cutlery, pots and pans, kettles, irons, pipes, and metal packaging that has contained white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze.
Plastic, Paper and Other Exclusions
Plastic products that councils do not have to collect include any plastic packaging or non-packaging items labelled as 'compostable' or 'biodegradable' (including coffee pods), plastic bottles that have contained white spirits, paints, engine oils or antifreeze, bulky rigid plastics such as garden furniture, bins and plastic toys, polystyrene (expanded and high impact) packaging such as packing beads, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) packaging.
Paper and card products excluded from collection include food and drinks cartons made of a fibre-based composite (these should be collected with plastics), absorbent hygiene products including nappies, period products and incontinence products, wet wipes, cotton wool or makeup pads, and tissue or toilet paper.
Food and Garden Waste
Food products that councils are not obliged to collect include any plastic packaging or non-packaging items labelled as 'compostable' or 'biodegradable', including coffee pods. Garden waste exclusions cover animal bedding, bulky waste (including garden furniture and fencing), garden tools or other gardening equipment, plant pots, plastics, sand, sawdust, stone, gravel or bricks, and tea bags or coffee grounds. Branches and trees over a certain size may need to be cut into smaller pieces to follow local guidance.
The Government has also delayed by three years a regulation that was set to be introduced early next year. From March 2027, all English local authorities had been expecting to collect plastic bags and film from every household, but the Government has chosen to postpone the introduction of compulsory plastic film collections for workplaces and households until April 2030.
