Local recycling

There’s lots of information about recycling, reducing waste and how you can be involved in your local area on the Recycle Now website.

Reuse centres Toggle accordion

Reuse centres are an easy place to donate unwanted household items or pick up an amazing bargain.

Reuse centres

Recycle or donate your items instead Toggle accordion

Many of the things we throw away haven’t always reached the end of their useful life. Something that you don’t want any more can still be used by someone else.

Reuse

Donating your items to someone else or recycling them is always a better option than throwing them away. For details of organisations that provide opportunities to sell, donate, or give away used furniture and household items.

Donate, sell and swap

Bulky items collection Toggle accordion

We can collect your larger items that can’t be collected as part of the normal kerbside service. Please note we charge for this service. Visit our bulky waste collection page for details.

Bulky waste collection

Household waste recycling centres (local tips) Toggle accordion

For locations opening times and accepted materials please use the Recycling Centres

Recycling Centres

Recycling Locator Toggle accordion

Find local recycling facilities in your area - UPDATE Tetra Pak has been removed from Morrisons, Hatfield Road, St Albans

Recycling locator

Recycling Facilities Provided by Local Shops Toggle accordion

The local business community provide a range of recycling facilities. Here are some of the recycling facilities we have found. Please get in touch to tell us if you know of any others.

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-op, Waitrose, and Morrisons - accept plastic bags and films for recycling. Look for their carrier bag bins.
Tesco and Co-Op - also accept crisp packets, foil pouches (e.g. pet food).
Sainsbury's - will accept your old electronic items in store to be recycled for free, providing 1) the store sells a similar item to the one you’re recycling and 2) you have purchased a replacement item from them within the last 28 days. Terms and conditions are here.
Robert Dyas - also accept small electrical items for recycling. Their Terms and Conditions are here. They also have a Britta Water Filter Cartridge recycling bin.
Majestic Wine (Sandridge Road) - recycle used wine bottle corks. You can also post them to Recorked UK, 22 Newquay Close, Walsall, W. Midlands, WS5 3EP. Recorked UK will reuse or recycle them.
Numerous retailers including Wilkinsons, Post Office, Robert Dyas, provide household battery recycling bins.
Boots (St Albans) - provide recycling bins for cosmetics. Full details of what can be accepted are here.
Boots, Leightons Opticians and St Albans Eye Care London Road - recycle spectacles, contact lenses and associate blister packs and solution cases.
Marks and Spencer - if you cannot recycle any of their packaging (eg hangers, clothing, plastics), they will accept all packaging back in store and reuse, recycle or dispose of it.
Card Factory - recycle helium foil balloons and foil banners.
B&Q, Ayletts and Northcotts - all recycle plastic plant pots.
Dunelm - accept pillows and duvets for recycling.
Batteries - can be recycled in any shop that sells batteries. Please note that batteries should never be placed in to household waste as they are classed as Hazardous Waste, and they can cause fires.

Other schemes:

Vodafone - will accept old mobile phones (wiped of personal data and with SIM card removed)
St Johns Church in Harpenden - collect medicine blister packs
High Oaks Dental Practice - accept old electric toothbrush heads and covers, floss sticks, interdental brushes and plastic toothbrushes.
Gillette - Accept any razor. Request your postal bag here.

Become a Wilderhood Watch Community Recycling Scheme Toggle accordion

Wilderhood Watch Community Recycling is a new local scheme, set up by residents to increase the amount of waste recycled.

Individual neighbours agree to collect an item that is not currently collected by the Council, and recycle it on behalf of the street.

To take part in your street, simply:

1. Agree with your neighbours who will collect what item. You can refer to the "Recycling Facilities Provided by Local Shops" above, and also check what can be recycled at the "Household Waste and Recycling Centre's".

2. Neighbours choose how they wish to collect the item. Will they place out a labelled bin or box, or do they wish for items to be posted through their letterbox or left on doorstep. A printable sign can be downloaded on this page.

3. Tell everyone on the street who is collecting what.

4. Keep records. It is a good idea if everyone records how much they have recycled so at the end of each year you can celebrate your achievements.

For more information and to get your street listed, visit https://wilderhoodwatch.org/community-recycling/

Now that your neighbours are working together, why stop there? You can work together to help the environment in many other ways. Your street can become a Hedgehog Street, Pollinator Highway, Bat Corridor or many others...for more information visit the Wilderhood Watch website.

Reduce Waste

WasteAware campaigns Toggle accordion

We’re part of the WasteAware partnership - working with the other county, district and borough councils to reduce, reuse and recycle Hertfordshire's waste. Find out more about WasteAware campaigns and how you can get involved.