Recycling more materials

  You can now recycle the following items as part of your household recycling collection:  

• Clean aluminium foil e.g. kitchen foil and foil trays  

• Rinsed cartons e.g. food and beverage cartons such as those used for juice, plant-based drinks, milk, soup and sauce  

• Empty aerosols e.g. deodorants, hairsprays, shaving foam, air fresheners  

• More plastics e.g. pots, tubs and trays such as yogurt or butter containers  

These changes are part of DEFRA’s Simpler Recycling Principals. This aims to make recycling collections across England more consistent, so everyone can recycle the same core materials, reduce confusion and improve recycling rates. 

Recycling is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of packaging. Putting something in your rubbish bin means it WILL end up in landfill or incineration, but recycling gives that material the best chance of being reused. If every household in the UK recycled just one more item each week, we could save enough energy to power over 500,000 UK homes for a year.

• Make sure your foil is clean and free of food  
• Wipe or rinse foil trays  
• Remove any plastic film lids or packaging  
• Scrunch clean foil into a ball  
• Place in your brown bin or recycling sacks 

Aluminium foil is infinitely recyclable.  

Recycling it: 

• Uses 95% less energy than making new foil  

• Helps create new products like bike frames, car parts or new foil  

• Is cheaper and better for the environment than disposal  

• Keeps valuable materials out of landfill or energy from waste plants  

If you're unsure, do the scrunch test: scrunch it in your hand. If it stays scrunched, it's foil and can be recycled. If it springs back, it’s likely plastic.  

Rinse your cartons to remove leftover liquid  

• Leave the cap on – it can be recycled  

• Place in your brown bin or recycling sack  

Cartons are made from cardboard with thin layers of plastic or foil and recycling them:  

• Saves trees, water and energy  

• Reduces disposal costs and is better for the environment  

• Help make cardboard boxes, construction boards and even furniture  

Make sure aerosols are completely empty  

• Leave the cap on - it can be recycled  

• Place in your brown bin or recycling sack  

Aerosol cans are typically made from aluminium or steel, both of which are highly recyclable.  

Recycling aerosols:  

• Saves raw materials and significant amounts of energy  

• Helps produce new aerosol containers, car parts, and metal components 

• Prevents potentially hazardous materials from entering landfill or the environment  

Leftover food or liquids can contaminate other recycling materials, making it harder to sort and lowering the quality. A quick rinse helps ensure more materials can be recycled successfully.  

These materials are sent to recycling reprocessing facilities. They are sorted, cleaned and transformed into new products such as car parts, construction materials, new packaging materials, cardboard, new foil and aerosols or even new cartons. Recycling these items saves energy, conserves natural resources and helps keep valuable materials out of landfill.  

Yes! Recycling is worthwhile and helps reduce pollution, save energy and conserve natural resources. It also supports jobs in the UK’s recycling, reprocessing and manufacturing industries. Most people already recycle, and every bit helps.  

You can improve your recycling by checking what can be accepted in your household collections and by only putting those items in your brown bin or recycling sack that the council specifically asks for here. For items not collected at kerbside check the Recycle Now Recycling locator here  

Most people in Sefton already recycle. By doing your part, sorting and recycling your waste, you’re making a big difference. It helps reduce waste, increase recycling rates, turn old materials into new products and protect our environment.