RECYCLING IN EPSOM AND EWELL – WHAT, WHERE, HOW…

Posted by Kat Heath on 09 Mar 2025

Recently statistics released on the Wrap website showed up to 84% of UK households are unintentionally cross contaminating their recycling waste.

This is an issue both nationally and locally in which, according to Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, there has been a continuing issue with heavily-contaminated green recycling bins

‘’We are seeing significant amounts of non-recyclable waste – especially nappies and sanitary waste – in green bins. This is reduces how much we can get recycled”

This not only is a health hazard but also collectively has a major impact on the environment.
Just one un recyclable item placed into the wrong bin can potentially contaminate a whole neighbourhoods recycling.

With that in mind it is vital that we all make a conscious effort to educate ourselves on what can be recycled and what can’t be.

Below is a rough checklist of items that can be recycled in accordance to the Borough’s guidelines.(Epsom & Ewell only)

Green Bin (Weekly) : Mixed Recycling
Paper:
Including magazines and envelopes.
Cardboard:
All cardboard apart from Greasy Pizza boxes and Coffee Cups.
Plastic:
Most plastics including Yogurt pots, trays and bottles with lids on
Cans:
Steel, aluminium cans, lids, fully extended aerosols and jar lids.NO foil.
NO plastic bags or sacks
NO cartons.

If you have textiles make sure they are clean and place in a clearly labelled bag next to your recycling.
Large recycling such as TV boxes fold up flat and place next to your recycling bin.
If your bin is full additional recycling can be placed in a clear labelled bin bag next to your recycling bin.

Fact: Your recycling bin is full of reusable items! For example the magazines and newspapers are reused to make new as quickly as 6 days after your refuse collection!

For more info on your green bin visit:
Mixed recycling bin – weekly collection | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

Black bin (Weekly) : Unrecyclable Waste
Items that are non recyclable such as nappies, sanitary wear, foil and cartons.
No garden waste
No hazardous waste
No business waste

All items must be placed in a fully contained bin bag, tied up.
The lid on bin must be closed

Fact: All non recyclable items are burnt to generate electricity!

For more information on your black bin
Visit:
https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/residents/recycling-and-waste/simply-weekly-recycling/refuse-weekly-collection

Food Caddy (Weekly)
All food items including uncooked food can be placed in here.
No liquids
No packaging

You can line caddy with a plastic bag.

Fact: During the anaerobic digestion process when recycling your waste food, a methane gas is produced which will be used to generate electricity!

For more information on your food waste bin visit:
Food waste recycling – weekly collection | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

What happens to our recycling?
Food waste: Filtered and converted into compost. The methane gas is harnessed to generate energy.
Paper: Recycled to create newspapers. It takes 6 days from kerbside to newsstand.
Cardboard: Becomes new cardboard.
Plastics: Becomes new packaging
Clothes: Become new items of clothing or resold.

For more information on Epsom & Ewell Recycling services and guidelines visit: https://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/residents/recycling-and-waste

Please note all the above is in regard to residents within Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.
Surrounding borough councils may operate slightly differently.
See below for neighbouring councils:

For information on London Borough of Sutton Recycling services and guidelines visitwww.sutton.gov.uk

For information on Reigate & Banstead Recycling services and guidelines visit:www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO RECYCLE:
As well as kerbside recycling there are alternative methods to help others whilst helping the planet.
Eco Church is an initiative run by Epsom Methodist Church where they have created a recycling hub for the following items:

Used Bras: Reused as part of the Smalls For All project, helping supply underwear to vulnerable women in Africa. For more info: https://www.smallsforall.org/whatwedo/

Used Stamps: Help raise money for RNIB

Used toothbrushes and empty toothpaste tubes – Via Boots made into plastic pellets and used to make outdoor furniture and decking, flooring tiles, playground surface covers and much more.

Batteries: Melted to form new batteries.

Empty Makeup Containers: Recycled into a product called Stormboard that is used to make plant pots and furniture.

Used Pens: Recycled via Rymans which then donate the money to charity.

Glasses/contact lenses: Sent via Specsavers to Lions club of
Chichester and forward to Medico France who then ship spectacles directly to contacts undertaking eye clinics in Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Nigeria and Nepal. More recently specs have been taken to a refugee camp in Lebanon.

For more information on collection via EMCs Eco Church initiative contact Hazel Jump on:
email: hazel@hazeljump.com
Tel: 07970 276160
Or visit: https://www.epsommethodistchurch.org.uk/Groups/354440/Eco_Church.aspx

Local shops:
Sainsburys: batteries, mobiles and coat hangers
Ryman: Printer cartridges and used pens
Boots: used make up containers and contact lenses
Robert Dyas: light bulbs and water filters

I hope you have found this useful?!

Kat