M

What can and can't be recycled beginning with M

Medicine bottles

Any unused medicines should be returned to your local chemist or pharmacy. Do not pass them on to other people. Empty glass bottles can be rinsed and placed in your blue recycling box for collection and plastic bottles can go in your green/black recycling box. Bottle lids can remain on. Glass and plastic bottles can also be taken to a recycling centre or a bottle recycling bank.

Medicines - old

Chemicals, eg. old medicines and other household chemicals can be disposed of at your local recycling centre. They must be in a securely labelled container to be placed in the hazardous waste store. There is a limit 5 of litres. Alternatively you can return them to your local chemist or pharmacy.

Metal

Empty aerosol cans, drinks cans, and food tins should be put in your recycling box. Many metals can be re-used by the scrap metal industry. Either contact a local scrap merchant or take to your local recycling centre.

Milk bottles

If you buy your milk in plastic bottles from supermarkets, you can recycle them by placing them in your green/black recycling box (wash and squash). Plastic milk bottles can also be recycled at one of many plastic bottle banks located around the district. Otherwise, try and buy your milk in returnable glass bottles and make sure that you return them to the 'milk man'. On average the glass milk bottles used by the milkmen are reused 24 times. This saves energy and resources each time they are returned to the milkman. Please do not take reusable glass milk bottles to a 'bottle bank', ensure they are returned to the milkman or dairy. 

Mobile phones

Small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) such as kettles, toasters and mobile phones. Loose cables (mobile phone and computer cables) can also be recycled in your green/black recycling bag or box. All items should be no larger than a standard-sized carrier bag. Alternatively, mobile phones and their associated accessories can be recycled at one of many take back schemes.

Motor oil

Up to 5 litres of motor oil can be accepted from householders at recycling centres, where measures to handle and store such wastes are in place. All wastes in this category must be handed over to the site operator at the recycling centre in a suitable, secure container, with the contents clearly marked or they will not be accepted.

Motor oil containers 

Empty motor oil containers are not accepted in your recycling and should be disposed of in your black wheelie bin. If there is any oil left inside the container, it should be taken to your nearest recycling centre.