What goes in my bin?

COVID-19 update

Household kerbside collections are currently continuing as normal. Changes and disruption may occur depending on resources and staff availability. Any changes to the bin service will be communicated via the Council website and social media.

Please continue to leave your bin at the kerbside by 7am on your designated collection day. Please ensure you clean bin handles and you follow the waste collection hygiene guidelines.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding at this time.

#StayAtHomeSavesLives

Blue Bin Recycling

You must use your blue recycling bin to dispose of recyclable waste including newspapers, paper, envelopes (except for padded), magazines, tins, cans, aerosol tins, cartons, cardboard, plastic bottles, tubs and trays and glass bottles and jars. This will reduce the amount of material in your black/green landfill bin and will also help the environment!  Let’s all do our part and Recycle Right!

All material must be placed in your blue recycling bin “Clean, Dry and Loose” No plastic bags

Clean: Ensure there is no food residue in containers

Dry: Ensure all milk and mineral bottles are empty. Paper and cardboard is dry or it will form a porridge texture and stick to other materials

Loose: DO NOT stack items inside each other. Cardboard should be flattened not used as a container for other items. This will result in rejection at the reprocessing plant.

See attached information on how you can “Recycle Right”  Your guide to what can and cannot be recycled in your blue recycling bin.

Brown Food Waste Caddy

Brown waste caddies are used for the collection of food waste.  This means you can put items such as meat and fish (raw or cooked), bread, cereals, teabags and egg shells.  People who do this have noticed just how much food is wasted in their home and it has led to smarter shopping habits.

Black and Green Landfill Bin

The green/black bin is for all non-recyclable waste such as nappies, plastic bags, sweet and crisp wrappers. We like to think of this bin as the last resort! If you can recycle or add to composting let’s do it and for the remainder you can place this into your landfill bin.

Disposal of hazardous waste

Waste is hazardous when it has properties that might make it harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous waste must not be placed in your kerbside collection bins. You must dispose of your waste responsibly.
Hazardous wastes includes:

• Chemical waste
• Asbestos
• Pesticides and chemicals
• Fluorescent tubes
• Lubricating oils and fuels
• Home heating oil tanks
• Paints and thinners
• Batteries
• Electrical items

Household Battery Recycling

It is estimated only 35% of household batteries are currently recycled! Classified as hazardous waste batteries contain materials and metals like cadmium, lead and sulphuric acid that pose environmental and health risks when disposed of incorrectly. If batteries are crushed, bent or damaged in any way, they can spark fires causing significant damage.

How do I dispose of household batteries?

Reduce: Choose products that don’t require replaceable batteries
Reuse/Recharge: If required choose rechargeable batteries or try to buy appliances that use renewable energy – a wind up torch or a solar powered calculator
How to recycle household batteries
Batteries MUST NOT be placed in your kerbside collection
NO Black/green landfill bin
NO Blue recycling bin

YES Household waste recycling centres (HRCs)
You can bring old household batteries to any of the 15 recycling centres located across the district and dispose of in the designated collection facilities for battery recycling.

Other battery recycling outlets

Many of the schools throughout the Fermanagh and Omagh district collect batteries for recycling as part of the eco school initiatives. Contact your local school to see if they have a collection point

From February 2010, shops that sell more than 32kg of batteries a year (approx. 345 x 4packs AA batteries) must provide battery collection facilities in-store. This includes (but is not limited to) AA, AAA and 9v batteries, rechargeable batteries and batteries from:

• mobile phones
• laptops
• hearing aids
• watches
• portable cameras
• torches
• electric toothbrushes
• razors

This means there are more places you can take your old batteries for recycling. Including but not limited to chemists including Superdrug and Boots, Supermarkets including ASDA, TESCO and local SPAR shops have take back collection points.

If you require a battery recycling box for your business, school or office please contact the Council Recycling Officer 0300 303 1777

For further information visit https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/disposal-hazardous-waste-and-electrical-items or Contact waste and recycling 0300 303 1777