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Last Updated : 01.08.2008

Recycling Directory

Aluminium Foil

This can be placed in any of Wealden’s can banks which can be found at one of the Neighbourhood Recycling Points. Foil is also collected from the kerbside from residents on the CROWN recycling scheme.

Suitable materials include pie trays, milk bottle tops, yoghurt pot lids and chocolate wrappers. Please do not include laminated foil packaging such as crisp packets (this material springs back when scrunched up).

Please put any clean foil in plastic bags.

Asbestos

Bonded (hard sheet) asbestos only can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites in Wealden where there are special storage units. Keep it damp and bag or wrap it in polythene before transporting it. Do not break or cut asbestos .

For general information on handling asbestos or finding your nearest licensed asbestos contractor, you can contact the

Health & Safety Executive
Phoenix House,
23-25 Cantelupe Road,
East Grinstead
West Sussex
RH19 3BE
Tel: 01342 334200
Fax: 01342 334222

Batteries

Household batteries can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites in Wealden for recycling.

Contact the manufacturers directly as some provide a take-back recycling scheme for their own brand batteries:-

Contact the retailer where the item was purchased to see if they participate in a take-back scheme for old batteries, e.g. For mobile phones, power tools etc. Return watch and calculator batteries to jewellers and return camera batteries to photographic shops.

Car batteries can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites apart from the Sunday site in Uckfield.

Books

Many charities accept books for resale. There are Salvation Army book collection banks at the recycling points in Croft Road Car Park, Crowborough and the Co-op Car Park in Heathfield.

Alternatively, selected Household Waste Recycling Sites and Neighbourhood Recycling points accept books for recycling in the paper banks.

Cans

All types of aluminium and steel cans, including pet food tins and very large containers can be placed into any of Wealden’s can banks which can be found at one of the Neighbourhood Recycling Points or taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites. Cans are also taken from households on the CROWN kerbside recycling scheme.

There is no need to squash or remove the labels from cans but please wash them out.

Cardboard

Cardboard can be taken to one of Wealden’s Household Waste Recycling Sites (apart from Hailsham or the Sunday site in Uckfield) or, for those households on the CROWN kerbside recycling scheme, it can be put into the Bin for Green Waste.

Scrunched up cardboard can also be added to your compost bin.

Cards

Plain cards (without glitter or glue) can be recycled as cardboard above.

W H Smith, T K Max, Marks & Spencer's and Tesco stores act as card collection points each January for the Woodland Trust.

Carrier bags

Some supermarkets collect carrier bags for recycling. There are collection points at the following locations :-

Some recycling points in Lewes have collection bins for carrier bags.

CDS and DVDS

You can send your unwanted CDs and DVD's to one of the following organisations to be recycled:-

CDs can also be placed in the Salvation army book banks located in Croft Road, Crowborough and the CO-OP, Heathfield or the British Heart Foundation book bank in Tesco's car park, Uckfield.

Chemicals and other hazardous waste

Household chemicals such as paint, solvents and chemicals used in the garden should be placed in the special containers provided at the Household Waste Recycling Sites.

For other types of hazardous waste please contact East Sussex County Council for further advice, Tel: 01273 482153.

Christmas trees

Cut trees can be composted through the CROWN service (leave trees next you your Green Waste Bin) or by placing into one of the green waste skips at any Household Waste Recycling Sites.

Clinical waste

For a free collection of clinical waste (including sharps) from domestic households, please call: 01323 443437 or email us

Coins and medals

Some charities will accept foreign coins, old money and medals.

Computers & IT equipment

If equipment is in working order try to sell it through the Friday-Ad or local papers. You may be able to donate it to schools, churches, community groups or local charities.
Alternatively, try one of the following organisations (some will only accept working equipment);

Computer can also be accepted at the Household Waste Recycling Sites except the mobile site in Uckfield on a Sunday.

Cooking oil

Cooking oil can be taken to all of the Household Waste Recycling Sites except the mobile site in Uckfield on a Sunday.

Electrical goods - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

Anything that is powered by batteries or has a plug is classed as WEEE. From 1st July 2007 these items should no longer be disposed of in your landfill bin.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment can be taken free of charge to your Local Household Waste Recycling Sites. Alternatively call Waste Management to arrange payment for a Special Collection.

In some cases retailers have a duty under the new law to take back WEEE free of charge. A take back service is on a one for one basis only and the WEEE must be of a similar type or perform the same function as the new item being purchased. For example, the retailer is not obliged to accept a fridge if the customer has purchased a new kettle.

Engine oil

Waste oil contains toxic impurities such as lead and cadmium. If the oil is tipped, these toxins could end up in our drinking water. It is illegal to dump waste oil down the drain. Take it to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites except the mobile site in Uckfield on a Sunday (they have special collection tanks)

Alternatively, ring the Environment Agency's free hotline: 0800 663366 to find your nearest waste oil recycling point.


Fluorescent tubes and energy saving light bulbs

Fluorescent tubes and Energy Saving Bulbs can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites.

The spent tubes are taken to Manchester where all the components are separated and safely recycled (including the mercury)

Fridges/Freezers

Fridges and Freezers can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites except the mobile site in Uckfield.

Furniture & other household goods

These can be sold through local papers, second hand shops or Cash Converter stores .

Alternatively try one of the following furniture reuse groups. They take items and sell them cheaply.

Furniture and household goods can also be given away by using websites such as www.freecycle.org.

Garden chemicals

All garden chemical users have a duty to “safeguard the environment and in particular to avoid the pollution of water”

It is illegal to dispose of garden chemicals or their wastes in drains, sinks, lavatories, watercourses or ditches.

Significant quantities should be placed in the special containers provided at the Household Waste Recycling Sites. Larger quantities may be collected free by the County Council. Click here to email them for advice or telephone: 01273 482228.

Garden waste

Garden waste is taken for central composting from households on Wealden’s CROWN scheme, or you can use the special green waste skips at all Household Waste Recycling Sites.

Garden waste can also be put into your home composter.

Yew Clippings can be purchased and collected by specialist companies due to the cancer-fighting compound Taxol contained in the leaves. Contact:-

Gas cylinders

If possible, return to place of purchase. Otherwise please call the Waste Management Section at East Sussex County Council on 01273 428153 for more advice.

Several manufacturers offer a collection service and there is a national collection scheme in place.

Glass bottles and jars

Glass bottles and jars can be place into Wealden’s bottle banks which can be found at one of the Neighbourhood Recycling Points. Please rinse them out and remove lids and caps. There is no need to remove labels.

It is important to place glass into the correct coloured banks. Blue glass should go into the green banks.

Alternatively, you can take them to one of the all Household Waste Recycling Sites, where they have facilities for recycling mixed glass.

Other types of glass such as mirrors, light bulbs, Pyrex, Visionware, crystal, window glass or items such as china, earthenware, porcelain and clay pots have a different composition form the glass used to make bottles and jars. They must not be placed into the bottle banks, as even a relatively small amount could result in a whole load being rejected.

Please do not use bottle banks in residential areas at night.

Junk mail

Contact one of the following companies to ask for your name to be removed from the mailing lists

Kitchen waste

This can be composted at home. For details of prices reductions on composters, food digesters and wormeries or for a free information sheet on home composting, please see the composting web page.


Magazines/comics

These are collected from the kerbside in the blue box from all households on the CROWN recycling scheme. Alternatively they can be placed in one of Wealden’s Paper banks which can be found at one of the Neighbourhood Recycling Points or at any of the Household Waste Recycling Sites.


Medicines and medicine bottles

All Boots the Chemist stores will accept any medicines and medicine bottles. The medicines are disposed of safely and the bottles are recycled into new bottles.
In addition your local pharmacy may take medicines and/or bottles for safe disposal and reuse.


Metal

Scrap metal and items containing metal can be taken to any of the Household Waste Recycling Sites where there are designated skips or collection points. Alternatively, a scrap metal merchant may collect/purchase significant quantities. See Yellow Pages under Scrap Metal Merchants.


Mobile phones

All makes of old and unwanted mobile phone (as well as batteries, handsets, holsters and chargers) can now be recycled by depositing them into one of the in-store collection points at shops operated by Vodafone, O2, T mobile and Orange. Find your nearest collection point by contacting your network operator. They can also be returned through the post.

Your unwanted mobile could help raise money for a new children's care unit at The Royal Surrey County Hospital. Send unwanted phones as above to: CDM, FREEPOST SEA 8861, Leatherhead, KT22 7BR

Nappies

Over nine million disposable nappies are thrown away daily in Britain, a major environmental problem. Modern, washable nappies are now widely available.

Wealden District Council, along with The Brighton & Hove and East Sussex Real Nappy Network are currently running two different offers to help parents convert to using washable nappies.

Available to all Wealden residents, allowing them to try before they buy.

Designed to help families on a low income. It provides all the nappies required from birth to potty.

Wealden now has a nappy trial pack available for parents to borrow free of charge for approximately a month, allowing them to try a range of washable nappies before they buy.

Disposable nappies should be rinsed out in the toilet and tied up securely in plastic bags before being placed into the wheelie bin to minimise potential health problems.

Paint

Reasonable quantities of unwanted paint can be donated to one of the Scrap Stores at Battle or Lewes

Paint tins

These should be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites to ensure appropriate disposal. If they contain wet paint please ask the site supervisor for advice. If they are clean or contain dry paint only then they can be placed into the skip for metal recycling.

Paper

The following types of paper can be placed into Wealden paper bins at the Neighbourhood Recycling Points or put into blue boxes on the CROWN/kerbside scheme:-

Phone books (white books only)

Call BT free on 150 if you do not wish to have your phone book updated. Numbers are available on the BT website; via Phone Disk CD or Phone Base PC dial-up system, call 0800 91 91 99 for details.

Phone Books can be placed into any paper banks located at any of the Neighbourhood Recycling Points or Household Waste Recycling Sites. They are also taken on the C.R.O.W.N recycling service and should be placed out for collection in your blue box.

Yellow Pages can not be recycled along with the paper due to the colouring used in the pages. Please see further information on recycling Yellow Pages

Plastic bottles

At the moment plastic bottles are collected from the Kerbside from residents on the CROWN recycling scheme in the following locations:-

There are collection points for all types of plastic bottles at the following locations (please do not leave yoghurt pots or other types of plastic):-

Neighbour Recycling Points:-

You can also take them to some of the Household Waste Recycling Sites

Please rinse and SQUASH your plastic bottles before placing them into the container. There is no need to remove the lids.

Postage stamps

Welcomed by many charities including:-

Or sell to dealers, see Yellow Pages under Stamp Dealers

Postcards

Take them to Help The Aged or Sue Ryder Shops or send used ones to:-

Printer cartridges from home PCs

The following companies offer a postal return or free collection service:

These companies will reink/remanufacture the cartridges and you will be able to buy these back at a lower price than for new cartridges. They will generally accept all electronic consumables such as toner and fax cartridges and typewriter ribbons.

Inkjet cartridges can be sent to:

All such items are welcomed by some charity shops including those operated by Scope and Hospice in The Weald. In addition some schools have collection schemes for fundraising purposes. .

Rubble/hardcore

Can be taken to one of the Household Waste Recycling Sites, where it will be reused by local farmers or for landfill engineering. Special arrangements must be made for large quantities. Call 01273 482153

Sanitary protection

Billions of disposable sanitary products are flushed or binned in the UK each year. Modern alternatives are available by mail order:


Scrap stores

Scrap stores collect unwanted waste from businesses and allow their membership to help themselves for art and craft activities. If you have suitable items you would like to donate or are interested in becoming a member contact the two local scrap stores:


Shoes

Old shoes are accepted in charity shops, alternatively, a scheme to transport shoes for sale in poorer countries, with profits going to the Red Cross, has been established by Mister Minit and Gullivers. Just drop your old shoes into one of the stores at the following locations:

The European Recycling Co. Ltd. has collection points at:

Spectacles

Used spectacles in good condition are sent to Africa, India and Bangladesh by Visual Aid Overseas, (www.vao.org.uk) and can be taken to the following (no bifocals, varifocals or cases):

Videos

Videos can be sent to the:-

Alternatively, they can be put in the Salvation Army Book banks located in Croft Road car park, Crowborough and the CO-OP, Heathfield.

Water filter cartridges

In line with growing consumer demand for greener living, BRITA has launched an in store recycling scheme. Recycling bins are now situated in a range of high street stores such as Robert Dyas, Argos and Cargo. Other major retailer collection points will be following soon.

The BRITA branded bins will be located next to the existing water filter category in store. Customers can recycle any BRITA consumer product filter cartridge, including those for the new BRITA water filter taps.

For further information regarding this scheme please contact the BRITACare department on 0844 742 4800 or website

Yellow Pages

If you do not need a new Yellow Pages call 0800 671 444 to have your household removed from the distribution list. You may wish to access the information through the Internet instead of receiving a hard copy: www.yell.com.


Yellow pages can be taken to all the Household Waste Recycling Sites apart from the mobile site at Uckfield.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will also take yellow pages for recycling within the cardboard banks - nearest site is at Sainsbury's car park.

The special collection scheme previously run by Wealden District Council has ended as the company we were working with can no longer accept them. We are trying to find an alternative outlet and any new schemes will be publicised on this website.