Introduction
Somerset has 16 recycling sites, managed on behalf of Somerset Council by Biffa.
Recyclable materials
All sites take the following common items and more, though exactly how they take each item may vary, for example paper may be taken in a dedicated paper bank, or in a paper and cardboard bank, and on most sites tins and cans are placed in the scrap metal skips.
Ask a member of staff on site if you are not sure.
List of recyclable materials:
- Electrical items
- Household batteries
- Mobile phones
- Printer cartridges
- Low energy bulbs
- Fridges and freezers
- Smoke alarms
- Cooking oil
- Plastic pots, tubs, trays and bottles
- Paint
- Wood and timber
- Textiles, clothes and shoes
- Mixed glass bottles and jars
- Garden waste
- Paper
- Cardboard
- Scrap metal
- Tins and cans
- Car batteries
- Used engine oil
Some sites take additional materials. Check what materials are taken at each site by visiting Find your nearest recycling site
Non-recyclable materials
We are always looking to do more, but there are still some materials that cannot be recycled.
Anything that cannot be recycled should go into either:
- The Energy from Waste (EFW) skip
- The upholstered household seating skip
- The non-Energy from Waste skip (landfill)
Energy From Waste skip
The Energy From Waste skip is for all household waste that cannot go into any of the recycling skips, unless it:
- Is upholstered household seating
- Is hazardous (garden chemicals), explosive (gas bottles) or liquid (cooking oil) waste – take advice from site staff.
- Is too large. Anything too big to fit into your home refuse bin, such as mattresses or large rolls of carpet – put these in the non-EFW (landfill) skip.
- Contains high levels of sulphur or chlorine (e.g. UPVC window frames, fascias, pipes, guttering and flooring or hard plastic toys & garden furniture) – take advice from site staff.
Upholstered household seating
Since 1 January 2023, new fire retardant treatment legislation means that all upholstered household items need to go into a separate skip and be processed differently.
Items affected include all upholstered sofas, sofa beds, armchairs, kitchen and dining room chairs, stools and foot stools, home office chairs, futons, bean bags, floor and sofa cushions.
All Somerset sites have dedicated skips for these materials.
If you are not sure, please ask a member of staff.
Non-Energy from Waste (landfill)
For all household waste that cannot go into any of the recycling skips and:
- Cannot go in the EFW skip because it is too large
- Is not upholstered household seating
- Is hazardous (garden chemicals), explosive (gas bottles) or liquid (cooking oil) waste – take advice from site staff.