What goes in your recycling boxes and bags
To help you sort and separate your recycling we provide each household with 2 boxes, one large reusable bag and collection bags for soft plastics.
The new reusable recycling bag and a roll of bags for soft plastics will be delivered in phases to all households by May 2026. You can start using them straight away.
All items must be rinsed and not contaminated with food. Fabric items must be clean and dry, otherwise it is not possible to recycle them.
Boxes (green)
Stack your boxes to avoid litter. You can put your food waste bin on top to weigh your boxes down.
Box 1
What you can put in
- card
- paper*, newspapers and magazines
- envelopes, including windowed envelopes
*Shredded paper must be in a separate plastic bag.
Box 2
What you can put in
- glass bottles and jars
The following items can also be put in your boxes:
- batteries*
- vapes*
- clothes, textiles and paired shoes*
- towels, sheets and blankets*
- small electrical items
*Use plastic bags to separate these items.
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Large reusable bag (white)
What you can put in
- plastic bottles, tubs and trays*
- tins and cans
- cartons (also known as Tetra Paks)
- empty aerosols
- aluminium foil
*No black plastic or bioplastic
Squash plastics, cans and cartons to save space, and seal the bag to stop items falling out.
Bags for soft plastics (blue)
What you can put in
- all kinds of plastic bags and wrappers (for example crisp packets)
- pouches*
- sachets
- clingfilm
- removable film lids
*No pet food or baby food pouches
Tie the bags securely to stop items falling out.
Place your filled bags in one of your boxes for collection.
Items not listed above will not be collected. Read about what we can’t collect and why.
Check a specific item
To check how to dispose of a specific item not listed above use the look-up tool on the Recycle Now website. You can also do this using the new South Gloucestershire Council app for your phone or tablet.
Why we ask you to separate different items
Our collection vehicles have separate compartments for different items. The collection crews can put things in the right compartment quicker when your recycling is sorted first.
This means fewer items need to be sent for mechanical sorting which saves money and carbon emissions.
If you are struggling to fit everything in, you can order more boxes and bags free of charge and separate out different types of items further..