Please always try to Reduce and Reuse before Recycling. Here are some hints and tips for managing your household waste to help you to be more environmentally friendly.

Asbestos

This is a building and insulation material commonly used before the 1970's. It can cause harm if the fibres are disturbed and inhaled.

Contact your Council helpline for advice.

Batteries

Household non rechargeable batteries can be placed out in household recycling boxes.

Car batteries and rechargeable batteries can be taken to Household Recycling Centre at Horsley or Hempstead.

Binoculars

Binoculars and telescopes in good working order can by donated to the RSPB where they can be used for conservational or educational projects.

Building Rubbish

Architectural salvage yards take some items for resale, and old bricks and timber can often be reused.

Bicycles

These can be donated to The Nelson Trust where they run workshops with their clients, showing them how to strip down, repair and rebuild bicycles. They are based at:-

Units 1,2,3 Hope Mills
Brimscombe
Stroud
Glos. GL5 2SE

Cars and vehicles

On average 75% of a vehicle can currently be recycled. Scrap merchants are able to recycle old vehicles.

CDs and DVDs

An estimated 2,500 tonnes of CDs and DVDs are thrown away each year. Whilst some of us reuse them as drinks coasters there’s now another alternative. Your unwanted CDs, DVDs and their cases can be taken to our four recycling sites in the district – and more are due soon.

Simply pop your discs and cases into the Oxfam book banks, available in the following locations:

• Cam, Co-op Stores
• Dudbridge, Sainsbury’s Supermarket
• Horsley, Civic Amenity Site, Pyke Quarry
• Stroud, Tesco Supermarket

Chemicals, Paint and Oils

Garden chemicals, paint and oils should be disposed of at your nearest Household Recycling Centre.

Garden chemicals can make up over 50% of chemicals returned to household waste recycling centres, especially during the gardening season.

DO NOT pour chemicals or oil down toilets, sinks or outside drains as they can pollute rivers.

Computers

Appeal to both companies/organisations and individuals to donate computers to ITSA.

Electronics

Some retailers will take back old electrical items, check this out when buying new items.

Some charity shops will accept small electrical items.

Check out some reuse networks such as groups.yahoo.com/group/Stroudfreecycle/ where you can offer items for others to reuse.

Please dispose of waste electrical items sensibly and take to your local household recycling centre or check if qualifies for a free collection from the Council.

Furniture

Local charity shops, schools and community groups can sometimes use unwanted items.

Please note that unwanted sofas and chairs must have the kite mark to prove they meet British safety standards.

Make sure all furniture is clean and in good repair before you donate it.

Light bulbs

Light bulbs should not be put in glass banks.
They should be disposed of at your nearest Household Recycling Centre.

Plastic

There are many different types of plastics.

Plastic bottles i.e. milk and fizzy drinks bottles and detergent bottles, can be recycled in kerbside boxes.

Items such as margarine tubs and rigid food containers are made from a very wide range of polymer, many of which are blends. These are much more difficult to identify and separate efficiently. It is also more difficult to secure an outlet for the material as mixed plastics are not in high demand.

Yogurt pots are made from polystyrene which is an entirely different polymer make-up and again very limited outlets.

Blocks of polystyrene used in packaging can be utilized to fill the empty space in your freezer when it is not full to save energy.

Most supermarkets have Plastic carrier bag recycling points.

Rubber Hot Water Bottles

Cut your hot water bottle into squares and use them as jar openers or non slip mats for your plant pots. Cut up hot water bottle into strips and use as drainage in bottom of plant pots.

Fill hot water bottle with foam or polystyrene chips and create a kneeler for your gardening.

Stamps

Many organisation you can donate stamps to including RNIB, Oxfam (also collect coins), Help the Aged and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Don't forget to recycle your envelopes once you've cut the stamp and your address off.

Textiles

Old clothes, bedding, curtains, blankets and shoes can be taken to a local charity shop or placed in Textile Recycling Bank at your local recycling site. If you deposit shoes, tie them together so they don’t get separated.

Timber/Wood

Scrap wood can be taken to the local household recycling centre where it can be sorted for recycling.

Look out for Christmas tree recycling skips after Christmas.

Tools

Unwanted tools and equipment can be donated to organisations who refurbish the items and send them to vocational training projects in developing countries. Check out Workaid and Tools for Self Reliance at www.workaid.org/wkaidtools or www.tfsr.org/.

VHS and Cassette Tpes

As DVD's and CD's.

Water Filters

All Brita Water Filters can be returned to them for recycling via a freepost address, for more details go to www.brita.net

If you use a different brand, contact the company direct to find out where to recycle their water filters.