Recycling bin
Your brown recycling bin is for glass, plastics and cans.
✔ What can go in the bin?
Glass bottles and jars(any colour)
Clear or coloured plastic bottles
Food tins
Plastic pots & tubs
Plastic food trays & punnets, not black
Sweet / biscuit tins
Aluminium foil / foil food trays
Cans
Aerosols (empty)Please rinse items and place loose in the bin, metal and plastic lids can go in the bin loose - no plastic bags.
✖ What cannot go in the bin?
- plastic bags
- black plastic
- flower pots
- cling film or film lids from food packaging
- plastic egg boxes
- crisp and biscuit packets
- bread bags
- coat hangers
- paper or cardboard
- Tetra Pak cartons (juice, tomatoes and custard)
- any other kind of glass (pyrex, drinking glasses, window glass)
- cat and dog food pouches
- gas canisters or cylinders
What happens to the recycling?
The contents of your recycling bin are taken to a facility where the materials are separated and then sent on to reprocessors to make into new products.
Your questions about brown bins answered
If your bin is too large or small you can ask for it to be changed.
Requests for a larger or smaller bin will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a decision made based on individual circumstances.
All requests must be emailed to depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk and include the following:
- your name, address (including postcode) and telephone number
- the type of bin you would like changed (for example, green refuse bin)
- how many people live at the property
- why you need a larger or smaller bin
Your request will be reviewed and a decision made. We will contact you if we need further information.
Yes, if you can make use of two brown bins for glass, plastic and cans recycling you can keep them.
If you don't need two brown bins please let us know and we will collect one from you.
The paper recycling companies your recycling goes to won’t accept paper collected with glass because there is a possibility of glass fragments sticking to the paper. Also, if paper has food residue on it, it cannot be recycled.
By separating the paper and cardboard from other materials you are helping to make sure it is recycled.
If you don’t have room to store bins let us know and we can either provide smaller bins or hessian sacks for your recycling and garden waste.
Container sizes and capacity
| Container size | Height | Width | Depth | Average capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 140L Wheeled bin | 1,050mm | 475mm | 545mm | 2-3 bags |
| 240L Wheeled bin | 1,063mm | 477mm | 713mm | 3-4 bags |
| 360L Wheeled bin | 1,098mm | 596mm | 878mm | 5-6 bags |
| 55L box | 352mm | 633mm | 384mm |
Different sizes
Smaller (140L) bins are available in both green and brown for single occupiers, couples or small families.
Larger (360L) green bins are available if you:
- have six or more people living permanently at your address
- have two or more babies of the same age (for example, twins or triplets) using disposable nappies
- have a medical condition which produces additional rubbish
Requesting a larger or smaller bin
If your bin is too large or small you can ask for it to be changed.
Requests for a larger or smaller bin will be considered on a case-by-case basis and a decision made based on individual circumstances.
All requests must be emailed to depot@tunbridgewells.gov.uk and include the following:
- your name, address (including postcode) and telephone number
- the type of bin you would like changed (for example, green refuse bin)
- how many people live at the property
- why you need a larger or smaller bin
Your request will be reviewed and a decision made. We will contact you if we need further information.
If you ask for a larger (360L) bin, we may do a waste audit to make sure you need it.