Local Recycling collections expanded to include plastic pots, tubs and trays

These include containers such as yoghurt pots, meat trays, fruit punnets, margarine tubs and soup pots.

The move is part of Brighton & Hove’s commitment to expand the range of materials the council collects for recycling.

From today, residents can put the following items in their mixed recycling bin:

• Plastic pots used for yoghurt, prepared fruit, mini desserts, soup and cosmetics (such as skin cream and hair gel)

• Plastic tubs that contained margarine, chocolate, pasta sauces, ice cream, baked goods, such as bite-sized flapjacks, and laundry powder

• Plastic trays or bowls – these include meat and fish trays, ready-meal bowls or trays, snack and salad containers, fruit punnets, containers for fresh or prepared vegetables as well as cakes and pastries, also trays used inside boxes of chocolates

Residents should take off any plastic film first, as this can’t be recycled, then rinse items before putting them in the bin – clean, dry and loose. If you put your recycling in a sack or bin bag, it can’t be separated and will end up as waste.

These plastics can now go in kerbside or communal recycling, along with regular plastic bottles, tins and cans, paper and cardboard. Communal recycling bins have either light blue or black lids (check the sign on the outside of the bin).

Deputy leader Tim Rowkins, Cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: “Expanding the range of materials we can recycle is a top priority for us and I’m very pleased that we can now accept plastic pots, tubs and trays in our collections.

“They don’t need to be separated – you can just put them in with your paper and card, tin cans, empty aerosols and plastic bottles.

“With food waste collections also coming in the autumn, we are making major progress on providing more opportunities to recycle. Last year at our communal recycling points we installed 54 more bins (with orange lids) for cartons and Tetra Paks, and 21 new small electrical bins (with pink lids).”

“Recycling these plastic items is of course better than putting them in the general waste, but better still is reducing the amount of plastic we use in the first place. Brighton & Hove Food Partnership has some great tips on where to buy plastic free and the Plastic Free July campaign has practical information to help everyone reduce plastic waste.”

Plastic films and packaging such as crisp packets, bread bags, biscuit wrappers and pet food pouches can be recycled at larger supermarkets. You can reuse carrier bags or recycle them at supermarkets too.

- Advertisement -

Hard plastics such as plant pots, garden furniture or children’s toys can be taken to one of the two household waste recycling sites in Brighton & Hove. Anything that is still in a usable condition can be donated to charity shops or passed on to others via various online platforms.

For a full list of what can be recycled where, visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/recycleright