What goes in each bin?

What items you can put in each bin

The 4 types of bins you should have, general waste, cans and bottles, paper and food or garden waste.
All households in Rochdale borough should have 4 bins for different types of items.

Each of your household bins is for different types of items.

  • Dark green bin: rubbish bin for general waste
  • Light green bin with blue lid: this mixed recycling bin is for your cans, tins, plastic bottles (no lids), aerosols, foil and foil trays, glass bottles and jars
  • Blue bin: clean and dry paper, cardboard and juice carton recycling
  • Brown bin: food, teabags and garden waste, including leaves, twigs and grass cuttings

How you can help

Across the borough, thousands of residents are recycling, but not everyone is getting it quite right. Putting just one wrong item in your recycling bin can contaminate a full load, costing taxpayers money. 

Please help by making sure you're getting it right - your efforts make a huge difference.

  • All non-recyclable waste will need to be placed in your dark green bin.
  • You can leave additional mixed recycling waste for collection in an open container where the contents can be easily seen. This must be left by the side of your mixed recycling bin on your scheduled bin collection day. 
  • We can collect a small quantity of dry flattened boxes if they are too big to fit in your paper bin. If they cannot be cut down to fit in your bin, remove any polystyrene or packaging and leave them next to your paper bin on your scheduled collection day. We will not be able to collect any wet cardboard as it will not be accepted for recycling.
  • Please take additional non-recyclable waste to a rubbish tip and recycling centre
  • We treat any waste left next to a dark green bin as fly-tipping

Find out more about recycling at Recycle for Greater Manchester

Want to learn more about recycling?

We can provide a free interactive recycling lesson for primary schools and local businesses/community groups. This fun and engaging session covers the importance of recycling wisely and the chance to learn more about our food heroes who love to help eliminate food waste.