The Council currently has collection schemes for:

Newspaper, Cardboard & Mixed Papers, Aluminium & Steel Cans, Aluminium Foil, Plastic Packaging and Glass.

Look out for other re-use and recycling schemes operated by charities and community groups for aluminium foil, printer cartridges, clothing, furniture and electronics goods, and trial schemes for tetrapak type cartons.

All properties in the District receive a fortnightly kerbside collection of materials for recycling.

Glass is not collected at kerbside but the District has a large number of Bring Bank sites situated at supermarkets, car parks, schools and leisure facilities throughout the area. Most villages also have local mini bank sites.

In most of the District, including the three main towns of Braintree, Halstead and Witham, a special "High Diversion" recycling scheme enables residents to recycle almost half of their household waste. Fortnightly collections of garden and kitchen waste for composting are added to the recycling service, with the remaining refuse being collected once a fortnight. For more advice on what service is available to you contact the Customer Service Centre at csc@braintree.gov.uk or call 01376 552525.

<>   Newspapers & Magazines

This category also includes directories, catalogues and brochures.  A fortnightly kerbside collection is available throughout the District, the Customer Service Centre will be able to confirm your collection days. Simply place newspapers in a clear recycling sack and leave at the edge of your property where it can be seen from the road by 7:00am on your collection day.

In addition to the kerbside collection Paper Banks are conveniently situated at over 70 locations throughout the District. Call the Customer Service Centre for details of your nearest or most convenient collection point.

<>   Cardboard and Mixed Papers

This is all clean paper and cardboard not covered by the Newspaper and Magazine category. It includes junk mail and envelopes, cardboard food packaging, cereal boxes, office type paper, cardboard boxes, egg boxes, toilet roll tubes, cardboard milk and juice cartons. 

<>   Cans and Aluminium Foil

This includes a wide range of steel and aluminium cans including aerosol cans (but not paint tins or  gas containers). Simply rinse out the cans, try not to waste hot water, and place in the recycling bags provided. Leave at the edge of your property where it can be seen from the road by 7:00am on your collection day. Don't worry about separating steel and aluminium, we do that automatically.

Aluminium foil and foil trays should be clean and free from food residues.  Please try to fold or crush small pieces of foil together.

In addition to the kerbside collection bring banks for cans are conveniently situated at over 100 locations throughout the District.  For a postcode search see the Bring Bank Locator or call the Customer Service Centre for details of your nearest or most convenient collection point.

<>   Plastic Packaging

This includes any plastic food packaging, such as yoghurt pots, margarine tubs and plastic bottles.  It is important that the plastic is clean and free from food residues.  This category also includes many other types of plastic packaging and items such as plastic flower pots, but not hard plastic items or expanded polystyrene.  Plastic bags can be included but to help reprocessing these should be bundled inside one of the bags and loosely tied.  Plastic packaging should be placed in the same recycling bag used for cans. Leave at the edge of your property where it can be seen from the road by 7:00 am on your collection day. Don't worry about identifying different types of plastics, these are all sorted in our contractor's factory.

In addition to the kerbside collection a few bring banks for plastic bottles are conveniently situated at the major recycling points in Braintree. These are limited to the Braintree area as it is not economically or environmentally viable to transport this low-density low value material over longer distances. For a postcode search see the Bring Bank Locator or call the Customer Service Centre for details of your nearest or most convenient collection point.

<>   Textiles

If you have items of clothing or shoes you wish to recycle for others to reuse please….

-- Take them to a LMB textile bank located around the District.  To find your nearest bank click here.

-- Check to see if your local school has a collection scheme such as Shoe Friends.  To find your nearest school participating click here..

-- Donate them to your local Charity Shop.

-- Farleigh Hospice also offers a free collection service in most areas.  Please call 01245 228948 for further information.

<>   Glass

Glass is collected through a network of over 100 mini-banks situated at convenient points throughout the District. It is important to keep the three colours of glass (Green, Brown and White) separate. Contaminated cullet is worthless.   Again for a postcode search see the Bring Bank Locator or call the Customer Service Centre for details of your nearest or most convenient collection point.

<> Recycling Centres for Household Waste

In addition to Braintree District Council services the Recycling Centres for Household Waste operated by Essex County Council provide opportunities to recycle a wide range of materials.  Click here for more details.