Hard plastic
Items such as milk bottles, soft drink bottles, ice cream and yogurt tubs, takeaway containers, laundry and bathroom bottles, buckets, plant pots, and other items made from hard plastic. To check if plastic is hard, try the scrunch test. If you can scrunch plastic in your hand and it bounces back, it's hard. If you scrunch it and it loses shape, like a plastic bag, it's soft plastic and can't be recycled. Remember, containers should be empty but don't need to be squeaky clean.
Handy Tip: Don't be tricked by the triangle and number stamp on plastic products. These codes (1 -7) are part of the Resin Identification Code, and identify the type of resin the plastic product is made from, not whether it can be recycled. People often confuse the 'resin identification code' for the general recycling symbol (mobius loop), which looks like three chasing arrows.
Paper and cardboard
Such as office paper, envelopes, pizza boxes, egg cartons, newspaper and magazines.
Cardboard milk and juice cartons.
This material is also called liquid paper board.
Glass bottles and jars
Such as sauce and jam jars and soft drink bottles. However, drinking glasses or other household glass (such as a vase), Pyrex, mirrors, ceramics and crockery must go in the general waste bin.
Aluminium and steel
Items such as cans, tins, aerosol cans, foil trays and aluminium foil (rolled as large as a golf ball). These should be empty, but don't need to be squeaky clean.
Download the A to Z Waste and Recycling Guide and Recycle Right Quick Guide for a full list of items that are accepted in your household recycling bin.