Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

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A - Z guide to Reducing, Re-using, Recycling and managing your waste

(A to G)

Aluminium Cans and Aerosols

• Rinse and crush your cans and then put them into your Black Box, which is collected from your door.
• Use the can banks at your local Mini Recycling Centre.
• Take all your aluminium cans to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
• Place your old aerosols in your Black Box.

Abandoned Cars

• Environmental Services will remove abandoned cars, Call Contact Oldham on 0161 770 6644 to report.

Asbestos

• You can take asbestos to your local Household Waste and Recycling Centre for disposal.

Batteries

• You could try using rechargeable batteries, which save money and are better for the environment.
• Car and household batteries can now be taken to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

Books

• Join a library and so you don’t have to buy new books in the first place.
• Try passing your old books onto friends and family so they can enjoy them as well. Or use the Swap it website.
• Most charities will take books, which are in good condition.
• Some Mini Recycling Centres and all Household Waste and Recycling Centres also have book banks.

Bric a Brac

• Offer your old bric a brac to friends and family, or consider taking items to a car boot sale.
• Charities will take many items if they are in good condition. Also your local school, playgroup, or doctors’ surgery might be able to make use of old toys and games.

Brochures (see ‘Paper’)

Building Materials (see ‘Rubble, Bricks, and Hardcore’)

Business Waste (See ‘Trade Waste’)

Cans (see ‘Aluminium’ or ‘Steel’).

Cardboard

• Try using old cardboard boxes for storage, or junk modelling with your children.
• Place your cardboard in your Green Bag for recycling. Please flatten any large boxes and place next to your Green Bag.for collection.
• Cardboard can be placed any paper bank at your nearest Mini Recycling Centres or taken to any Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
• If you have a composter any type of card can be shredded and composted.

Cards

• Please put cards into your Green Sack or nearest cardboard/ paper banks.
• Consider cutting up cards to use as gift tags or for art activities with your children.
• Your local playgroup, nursery, or school may also collect cards for cutting activities throughout the year.
• At Christmas The Woodland Trust organises a card collection scheme at supermarkets and stationary retailers – keep your eyes open for advertisements or look at the Woodland Trust Website: http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk/recycling/index.htm

Carpets (see ‘Furniture’)

Carrier Bags

• Why not invest in a cotton re-useable shopping bag to save having plastic bags in the first place.
• Try re-using bags by taking them to the supermarket again, or using them as bin liners.
• Many supermarkets have carrier bag recycling bins at their stores or sell ‘bags for life’.

Catalogues (See ‘Paper’)

CDs, Tapes, Records

• Try passing your old music onto friends and family so they can enjoy them as well.
• Most charities will take these if they are in good condition.
• Some Mini Recycling Centres have special banks for these.

Christmas Trees

• Consider buying a fake Christmas tree, which you can re-use year after year.
• Take your real Christmas Trees to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre where they will be shredded and turned into compost.
• Some charities run special Christmas Tree Recycling Schemes – keep your eyes peeled for advertisements.

Clothes and Textiles

• Ask your relatives or friends if they can make use of any unwanted items, or consider taking items to a car boot sale
• Charities will take many items if they are in good condition. Some even give out sacks that are collected from your door. Also you could consider buying from charity shops instead of buying new.
• Take all your old clothes and textiles to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre and put them in the textile and shoe recycling banks.
• Some charities will take un repairable clothing for shredding and re-use as stuffing etc. Contact: Oxfam Wastesaver  tel: 01484 542021, or the Salvation Army Trading Co Ltd tel: 01933 441086

Crockery and Cutlery

• Try re-using mugs for storing items in, or put old plates beneath plant pots. You could also put broken crockery in the bottom of plant pots for drainage.
• If these items are in good condition most charity shops will take them.

Computers

There are some organisations/ companies that recycle home computers and some will come out to collect:

• ITUK: 0161 230 6644
• Computer Recycling Centre Salford: 0161 287 8913
• Computer Aid International www.computer-aid.org/ Tel: 08701212101 (£8.98 postage)

Cookers (See ‘White Goods’)

Drinks Cans (See ‘Aluminium Cans’)

Electrical Appliances

• If these goods are in reasonable condition some charities will take them to refurbish, i.e. Emmaus Mossley, tel: 01457 838608/ The Tree of Life, Oldham, tel: 0161 626 3339
• Take all your un-repairable electrical appliances to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre to be used as scrap metal.

Envelopes (See ‘Paper)

Foil

• Put tin foil into your Black Box which is collected from your door
• Use the can banks at your local Mini Recycling Centre for tin foil.
• Take all your tin foil to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.

Food Waste

• Most kitchen and garden waste can be composted at home, but avoid meat, dairy and cooked food products. For more advice, see our page on composting.

Fridges/ Freezers (see ‘White Goods’)

Furniture

• Ask your relatives or friends if they can make use of any unwanted items, or consider taking items to a car boot sale.
• Mend, re-upholster, or restore old furniture, before buying new.
• Some Charities will take items if they are in good condition. Items such as mattresses need to have a fire label in. Try Emmaus in Mossley tel: 01457 838608, and The Tree of Life, Oldham tel: 0161 626 3339. You might also think about buying reconditioned items instead of buying new.  
• Bulky Bobs offers a free collection service for bulky items such as chairs, tables and carpets. Please call Contact Oldham on 0161 770 6644 to arrange collection.

Garden Waste

• Put your garden waste into your Green Bin, which is collected from your door for composting.
• If you have a home compost bin you can put your garden waste in this.
• Take all green waste to your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
• Oldham Council offers a chargeable skip hire service for large amounts of soil and garden waste. Please call Contact Oldham on 0161 770 6644 to arrange hire.

Gas Bottles

• You can have your gas cylinders re-filled and use them again.
• If you don’t want them ask friends or relatives if they can use them.
• Take them to the Household Waste and Recycling Centres to be recycled safely.

Glass Jars and Bottles

• Use old jars and bottles to store items in.
• Put your rinsed glass jars and bottles into your Black Box, which is collected from your door.
• Use the glass banks at your local Mini Recycling Centre.
• Take all your glass your nearest Household Waste and Recycling Centre.
• However, light bulbs, Pyrex, crystal, window glass, and mirrors cannot be recycled. These need to be wrapped up carefully and put in your refuse bin, or taken to the Household Waste and Recycling Centre for disposal.

Rubbish & Recycling:

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