Think you’re recycling all the plastic from your home? Think again.

The latest statistics show that 79% of all plastic ever created is still in the environment. David Attenborough has even described the seas as “choking with plastic”.

Thanks to programmes such as Blue Planet II, many of us are recycling more and thinking about buying less plastic. Yet, in East Sussex, we’ve found that a quarter of what goes in our bins could have been recycled.

For National Recycle Week (24 September to 30 September 2018) we’ve got a list of ten things that come in plastic packaging that you can recycle from your home.

Plastic bottles in sea water

Do you recycle these plastics?

  1. Shampoo and conditioner bottles.
  2. Shower gel and bubble bath bottles.
  3. Bathroom cleaner and bleach bottles (spray dispensers can’t be recycled).
  4. Hand soap bottles (but remember you can’t recycle the pump dispenser).
  5. Moisturiser bottles and tubs.
  6. Plastic meat trays.
  7. Yoghurt pots.
  8. Fruit punnets.
  9. Margarine tubs.
  10. Envelopes with windows.

A plastic bottle in the sea

Top tips for recycling:

  • Give containers a quick rinse before recycling.
  • Squash your bottles and then place the lids back on.
  • Pump tops and spray lids can’t be recycled.
  • Never forget those bathroom bits again – keep a separate bin or bag in the bathroom just for recycling.
  • See more bathroom recycling hacks on the Recycle Now website.

You can find out more about what you can and can’t recycle by checking with your local district or borough council.

Share your recycling tips in the comments!

Article updated January 2020.