O

What can and can't be recycled beginning with O

Office paper

You can recycle any white or coloured paper, newspapers, white paper directories, magazines, junk mail, and holiday brochures in your green bag as part of your household kerbside collection. Paper must be kept dry, so please keep the bag folded over if it is raining. Alternatively, paper can be taken to a recycling bank or your local recycling centre. Please note the kerbside recycling scheme is for household waste only. Trade waste should be disposed of by other means, please see our Commercial Waste page for details.

Oil

Pouring oil down the drain is not only illegal but also harmful to humans and the environment. A lot of surface water drains lead to the nearest stream and oil may cause pollution, affect aquatic life and contaminate water supplies. It is also harmful to put oil in the soil or in sewers. Your local recycling centre can take oil and harmful chemicals as long as they are bottled and clearly marked. It is best to ring them first to check the item can is accepted at your nearest recycling centre, as some do vary.

Oil tanks

Waste oil and oil tanks are considered to be hazardous waste, whether oil from home, cooking or engine. The tanks are from oil central heating systems in older houses. They will only usually need disposing of when the system is replaced with an alternative energy source such as gas. We would advise that often the best way to get rid of an unwanted oil tank is to advertise it in the small ads of a local paper. Recycling centres will not accept central heating oil tanks. They are not counted as normal household waste.