Recycling reduces the amount of waste we send to landfill as items are made into new things. It costs much more to send rubbish to landfill than it does to send recycling to be processed. This is money that could be spent on other council services. Landfill sites are producers of harmful greenhouse gases, so there’s a double environmental benefit to increasing our recycling.
General tips to help you recycle more and reduce your waste
- Check your collection day to see if we offer kerbside recycling collections at your address.
- Download your recycling calendar so you can see which day you should put out which bin.
- Check what you can put in which bin to make sure your recycling is properly separated for collection.
- Try and avoid disposable products – look out for products that you can buy refills for, as these often work out more cost effective as well as reducing the amount of plastic and glass that gets thrown away.
Battery recycling
Please don’t put batteries in with your household waste (wheelie bins or black sacks). You can find battery collection points for recycling at most supermarkets. Click the link below for more information.
Find your nearest collection point
You can find further information on different types of recycling via Kent County Council’s website.
Vape recycling
Most vape shops have vape disposal bins at their stores. You can also find your nearest recycling point here.
Toy donation and pre-loved clothing for children
If you are looking to donate any unwanted toys or pre-loved baby items, there are organisations in Thanet that take donations.
Mama to Mama accepts donations of high-quality pre-loved baby items. One of their missions is to rehome high-quality pre-loved items to prevent them from reaching landfill. Visit their website for more information on what they can accept, and how to donate.
There are also many charity shops in Thanet that will accept donations. We would advise checking with them beforehand.
General recycling
There are a number of static collection sites across Thanet, usually located at supermarkets and car parks.
You can find a list of recycling sites in Thanet here.
Household waste and recycling centres
There are two household waste and recycling centres in Thanet, managed by Kent County Council.
Further information can be found on Kent County Council’s website.
Food recycling
Seven million tonnes of food and drink are thrown away every year, which is 19% of all the food we buy – this would fill nine Wembley Stadiums!
Fruit, vegetables and bread are the most common types of food wasted.
Think before you buy
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You can reduce the amount of food your household wastes by planning meals and writing a shopping lists.
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Don’t forget your reusable shopping bags to avoid using plastic carriers, which many stores charge for.
Tips to help you make the most of the food you buy
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Keep fruit and veg in it’s packaging for as long as possible, as it will stay fresh longer.
- Don’t put bread in the fridge, it will go stale quicker. Keep it in a cool dark place or freeze it, and take out what you need as and when.
- Look out for resealable packaging or try and store food in air-tight containers
For the A-Z of food saving tips visit the love food hate waste website.
Lining food caddies
Food waste can be put into the brown bin in compostable bags. Or try using old newspaper or kitchen towel to line your brown food bin.
Furniture recycling
Advertise your old furniture on local free websites. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. By getting people to take it away from your home for free you are saving on paid for disposal costs or petrol from transporting to your household waste site.
Composting and water butts
Find out about composting and water butts on the recycle now website
You can also buy a food digester or composter at a discount, directly from this supplier’s website.