Major change to what people can recycle in Greater Manchester announced

A big shake-up of recycling is coming to nine Greater Manchester boroughs from today (14 October), it’s been announced.

The move means residents in Bury, Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford will now be able to recycle a wider range of plastic items in their household mixed recycling bin. Previously, only plastic bottles could be recycled at home.

Specifically plastic pots, like yoghurts, soup, and cosmetics; plastic tubs, like margarine, laundry powder, and chocolates; and plastic trays, including black plastic trays, for raw and cooked meat and fruit and veg punnets can now be recycled.

Already, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, food tins, drinks cans, aerosols, and foil could be recycled. But items with plastic films like crisp packets, bread bags, pet food pouches and carrier bags, still cannot go in the recycling bin.

 

 

“We’re already in the top five authorities in the UK for recycling rates and this will help us to continue leading the way,” said Councillor Tom Ross, who leads Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s (GMCA’s) recycling programme.

“With the Government’s Simpler Recycling policy on the horizon, we have taken swift action to prepare for the coming changes, to ensure we’ll be compliant when the new rules come in.

"These upgrades will keep up our momentum on recycling, giving us time to build our new, cutting-edge materials recovery centre in Manchester while supporting residents to recycle more easily.”

The new government Simpler Recycling will require every local authority in England to recycle a consistent set of materials by April 2026, so wherever you live in England you will be able to recycle the same at work and at home.

The GMCA sub-contracts processing waste to Suez. Its Greater Manchester contact director, Daniel Carolan, added: “We are pleased that through our recent contract extension, investment in the recycling facilities has enabled the introduction of plastic pots, tubs and trays.

"We know this announcement will be warmly welcomed by residents across Greater Manchester.”

Here is a full list of what can go in the different household bins:

Mixed recycling bin (green bin with blue lid)

• Plastic pots (e.g. yoghurt, soup, cosmetics etc)
• Plastic tubs (e.g. margarine, laundry powder, chocolates etc)
• Plastic trays including black plastic trays (e.g. raw and cooked meat, fruit and veg punnets etc)
• Plastic bottles (e.g. milk, pop, bleach, cleaning products, trigger sprays, shampoo)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Food tins and drinks cans
• Aerosols
• Foil

Paper and cardboard bin (blue bin)

• Newspapers and magazines
• Cardboard boxes
• Cardboard packaging (e.g cereal boxes, ready meal sleeves)
• Junk mail
• Envelopes
• Tetra Pak (drink cartons)
• Pizza boxes (no food)
• Books
• Greetings cards, wrapping paper (no glitter)

Food and garden waste (brown bin)

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge trimmings 
• Small branches and twigs
• Flowers and plants
• All food waste (cooked and raw), including plate scrapings.
• Teabags and coffee grounds
• Fruit and vegetables
• Meat and fish including bones

General waste (dark green bin)

• Nappies and sanitary products
• Soft plastics like bread bags, salad bags, film
• Crisp packets
• Pet food pouches
• Carrier bags
• Compostable or biodegradable packaging
• Tissues and kitchen roll
• Cat litter
• Hard plastic such as plant pots

Ethan Davies, Local Democracy Reporter