General questions

What happens if I put the wrong things in my recycling bin?

If you put the wrong items in your recycling bin it may not get collected. Sometimes things like nappies and food waste could actually spoil the rest of the recyclables collected in the same collection vehicle and mean a whole load may need to be disposed of, so the efforts of other households who have recycled properly are wasted. If you continue to place the wrong items in your recycling bin, then your bin may be withdrawn. 

Where can I get a recycling guide for Nottinghamshire from? 

For an updated recycling guide for residents in Nottinghamshire please visit the Recycling in Nottinghamshire page on Veolia's website. Alternatively you can call 020 3567 3425 to request a copy in the post. 

What happens to the items that go in my general waste bin? 

In Nottinghamshire, the contents of your general waste bin are sent to an Energy Recovery Facility. Once there the waste is burned and the energy is recovered to generate electricity for the National Grid and heat for local district heating schemes. A very small amount of material is sent to landfill. 

Why do I need to clean my recycling? 

Recycling needs to be clean so that items such as plastics, tins and cans don’t dirty other recyclables like paper. Please empty liquids and give items a rinse to remove food residue. 

Should I line my recycling bin with a bin liner or put my recycling in a carrier bag/bin bag? 

No, never put a carrier bag or bin liner in your recycling bin. 

All of your recycling should be placed into your bin clean, dry and loose so it can be easily sorted at our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Any items that are inside a plastic carrier bag or a black sack may be disposed of as general waste as they will not be recognised by the sorting machinery. 

Do labels need to be removed from items like tins or bottles before they are recycled? 

Labels can be removed but it’s not essential. 

I’d like to know more about recycling, can I / my community group / school attend an information session or have a talk? 

Yes, we work together with Veolia and offer a range of educational opportunities for Nottinghamshire residents including a tour of the MRF, educational lessons and activities. Find out more information about Veolia's educational activities and projects.

I think I put something valuable in my recycling bin by accident, can I get it back? 

No, unfortunately we are not able to retrieve items from the recycling collections. 

Why am I not allowed to take, swap or buy waste items from your recycling centres?

When you bring items to a recycling centre, they become classified as ‘waste’. Waste is subject to legal controls and needs to be handled and transported safely. Members of the public are therefore not allowed to exchange items or take things that have been recycled or disposed of by other people.