Refuse and Waste
Get involved in recycling
Did you know that, on average, every household throws away 1 tonne of rubbish each year? The majority of this rubbish could be recycled or reused at Frizlands Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre or made into compost for your garden.
Try recycling, even the smallest action makes a difference. It helps save our environment and will benefit you too! Contribute by using our orange bags to dispose of your recyclable rubbish at one of our recycling locations.
Top tips that will reduce your waste|
Ideas and suggestions.
By promoting and buying recycled products we will reduce the amount of waste in our landfill sites.
Recycling facility locations and maps|
For a complete listing of recycling locations with the types of materials accepted at each location.
Help us reach our recycling target.
You will now be able to recycle your glass bottles and jars through the glass recycling scheme.
You can recycle all types of paper, food and drinks cans and plastic bottles in the Orange sacks.
Composters are recycled plastic bins for the garden.
Marks Gate Kitchen Waste Collection and Composting Scheme|
We have introduced a new kitchen waste collection and composting scheme for flats in Marks Gate.
Garden waste can be used for composting at home or can be brought to the recycle and reuse centres for composting.
Information about organisations and projects in the borough. How people can make small changes to their lifestyles to improve the environment.
Where to recycle:
Other recyclable products
In addition to cans, glass, newspapers and textiles, there are other household items that can be recycled:
Spectacles
Don't bin your bins! Find a local optician or charity shop, which has a Vision Aid Overseas collection bin. All the old glasses are sent abroad to be reused by people in developing countries.
Tools
70 local groups renovate hammers, screwdrivers and spanners. All tools in fact, for Third World use through Tools for Self Reliance. To help or donate, telephone 023 8086 9697 or visit the Tools for Self Reliance website.
Bicycles
Re-cycle is a scheme that ships used bikes to developing countries, where the local people are taught to repair and maintain them.
At present, you can only live in the Essex area, but there are plans to set up collection points across the country. Telephone 01206 382 207 or visit the Re-cycle website for more details.
Textiles
Osborne Partnership offer a textile recycling collection service. For further information, telephone 020 8592 5742 or email info@osbornepartnership.org.
Osborne Partnership - Textile Recycling Collection 
PDF 141K
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Shoes
The European Recycling Company operates a network of collection points for second-hand shoes, which are sold on to developing countries and reconditioned before being passed onto local people at affordable prices.
All shoes, boots or trainers are accepted in any condition. Telephone 0500 827 198 for details.
Furniture and electrical goods
Recycling projects are always on the lookout for used furniture and electrical items, such as vacuum cleaners, fridges and cookers, to pass on to low-income families.
Telephone London Furniture Reuse Network on 020 7324 4690.
IT recycling
Computer Aid is a registered charity that refurbishes IT equipment for reuse in schools, hospitals and community organisations in developing countries. They offer a free decommissioning service to organisations in the UK for their old IT equipment, empty printer cartridges and old mobile telephones.
Paint
Half-used tins of paint should never be thrown out for the bin men, because they are classified as hazardous waste.
Contact Community Repaint, which runs schemes around the country where unwanted paint is redistributed free of charge to community groups and charities.
Telephone 0113 243 8777 for local dedicated drop-off points, usually at civic amenity sites or DIY stores.
Waste Solutions - February 2005 PDF 652K
Interim Report on Door Knocking Awareness Raising Campaign PDF 3.48M
Contact us
Telephone or email our specially trained team of Customer Service officers at Barking and Dagenham Direct for a number of services.
Useful web links
A charity working in the borough, which has a textile and bric-a-brac recycling collection service for residents.
Barking and Dagenham Freecycle|
A growing part of the worldwide Freecycle community this local group encourages everyone to recycle their old items.
You can recycle more than you think. This informative site helps you to recycle more.
You can make a difference to our environment. An informative guide on the recycling process and how/where you can recycle.
