Tonbridge and Malling has one of the best recycling rates in Kent. Making sure as much of your waste as possible gets recycled or reused can help us do even better and minimise the impact waste has on our environment.
To find out what bins we provide see Check what goes in each bin.
Our top three tips to maximise recycling
- rinse empty pots, cans and other containers before putting them in your green bin to reduce contamination
- replace lids on bottles and jars - this helps stop them getting lost or jammed in recycling machinery
- reduce how much you throw away by reusing and repurposing as much as possible
Our A to Z guide
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
A
Aerosols
Green bin.
Aluminium foil and trays
Green bin. Make sure it’s clean of food residues.
Asbestos
Read our guide on disposing of asbestos.
Ash
Compost it if it’s from wood burning stoves and fires. Coal ash goes in the black bin.
B
Bathroom items
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Batteries
Use recycling points in shops and supermarkets. We can collect a small bag of domestic sized batteries, left on top of your green lidded recycling bin on collection day. For larger batteries for example laptops or car batteries, take them to a KCC recycling centre .
Biscuit tins
Green bin.
Black plastic
Black bin.
Books
Donate them to charity shops or sell online.
Bottles and jars
Green bin.
Breeze blocks and bricks
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
C
Cans
Green bin.
Car batteries
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Carrier bags
Most supermarkets accept bags for recycling.
Cardboard or cards
Green box.
CDs and DVDs
Donate to charity shops or sell online.
Cement
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Cling film
Black bin.
Clothes
Good quality clothes can be donated to charity shops or dropped off at a clothes bank. See Find a recycling site. We can collect a small carrier bag of clothing/textiles left on top of, or next to your black refuse bin on collection day.
Coffee cups
The combination of materials used in disposable coffee cups means they cannot easily be recycled. Put them in your black bin.
Coffee pods
Use manufacturer recycling scheme. See Podback.
Computers
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Concrete
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
D
Drain pipes
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Drink cartons
The combination of materials in Tetra Pak and other cartons means they cannot easily be recycled. Put them in your black bin. The nearest location for recycling cartons and composite items is Tesco Pembury, Woodsgate Corner, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4NE.
E
Egg boxes
Green box.
Egg shells
Food waste caddy or compost them.
Electrical items
Take to a KCC recycling centre . Small electrical items (i.e., toaster/iron), can be put in a carrier bag and left on top of, or next to your black refuse bin on collection day.
Electronic devices
Securely recycle your old electronic devices (laptop, pc, phone, tablet) with KCC Device Recycling Scheme. Using specialist processes to ensure 100% data-wiping, to the strictest UK legislative standards.
Envelopes
Green box, even if they have plastic windows. Padded envelopes can be re-used or go in the black bin.
F
Flagstones
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Food waste
Food caddy. Includes meat and bones.
Fridges and freezers
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Furniture
Donate it to charity or take to a KCC recycling centre.
G
Garden waste
Brown bin. Sign up for garden waste collection.
Gas bottles
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Glass
Bottles and jars go in the green bin. Other types of glass such as Pyrex or window glass goes in the black bin.
Granite
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Gravel
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
H
Hardcore and rubble
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
I
Ink cartridges
Printer cartridges can be recycled through various manufacturer and charity schemes.
J
Junk mail
Green box. You can reduce the amount you receive by contacting the Mailing Preference Service.
Lids
Lids should be replaced on plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars and put in your green bin.
Lightbulbs
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
M
Marble
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Medicine bottles
Empty bottles can be cleaned and put in your green bin. Take unused medicine to your pharmacist for disposal.
Metal baking trays
Take to a KCC recycling centre. Do not put in green bin.
Mobile phones
Green Smartphones will send you a pre-paid envelope so you recycle your phone for free. For each phone recycled they will also plant a tree.
Phones can also be taken to KCC recycling centres.
N
Nail polish bottles
Black bin - the chemicals in nail polish mean the bottles cannot be recycled.
Nappies (disposable)
Black bin.
O
Oil
Engine oil goes to KCC recycling centre. Cooking oil should be put in a sealed container in your black bin.
P
Paint
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Paper
Green box.
Paving slabs
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Pesticides
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Pet food pouches
Black bin.
Pet food tins
Rinse and put in green bin.
Pillows
Feathers can be composted and the textile outer cover recycled at a KCC recycling centre.
Plant pots
Plastic plant pots, apart from black ones, go in the green bin. Black ones go in the black bin.
Plasterboard
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Polystyrene
Black bin.
Pyrex
Black bin.
R
Reading glasses
Most opticians will take old glasses.
Rocks
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
S
Sand
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Saucepans
Donate to charity or take to a KCC recycling centre.
Shoes
Drop off at a textile recycling bank or take to a KCC recycling centre.
Soil
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Stones
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
T
Tea bags
Food caddy.
Televisions
TVs and other electrical appliances should be taken to a KCC recycling centre.
Tetra Pak and cartons
The combination of materials in Tetra Pak and other cartons means they cannot easily be recycled.
The nearest location for recycling cartons and composite items is Tesco Pembury, Woodsgate Corner, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4NE.
Alternatively, put them in your black bin.
Tiles
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
Toothpaste tubes
Squeezable and pump action tubes go in the black bin.
Toothbrushes
Black bin.
Toys
Donate to charity, pass on to friends or in the black bin
Battery operated toys should be taken to a KCC recycling centre.
Tyres
Take to a KCC recycling centre. (Charges apply).
V
Vacuum dust
Black bin or compost.
W
White goods
Fridges, freezers and washing machines go to a KCC recycling centre or may be collected by stores when purchasing replacement appliances.
Wrapping paper
Plain wrapping paper goes in the green box. Paper which is shiny, has glitter or which springs back when scrunched goes in the black bin.
Wood
Take to a KCC recycling centre.
Y
Yoghurt pots
Green bin.
Z
Zinc
Zinc is an important element in batteries and can be salvaged if you recycle them. Consider switching to rechargeable batteries which last longer and are better for the environment.