Your questions answered
- Can I request additional recycling bins?
- When does the council collect my recycling?
- Where should I place my recycling for collection?
- What should I do if you have missed my recycling?
- What materials can I recycle?
- Can I leave any additional side waste next to my bin?
- How can I get a compost bin?
- Why don't you collect all plastics?
- Do you collect waxed food and drink cartons?
- Will food waste attract vermin or smell?
- How do I keep my bin clean?
- What happens to my food waste?
- Does Salford recycle clothes and shoes?
- Need additional information?
Can I request additional recycling bins?
Yes, if you feel you need additional recycling containers, you can order one free of charge by calling 0161 909 6500 or emailing environment@salford.gov.uk.
When does the council collect my recycling?
Your brown bin or box and blue bin or sack is collected monthly on the same day as your normal (black) bin. Your magenta-lidded bin is collected fortnightly.
Find out when your recycling bins will be collected.
Where should I place my recycling for collection?
You should put your bins/box or sack in front of your property before 6.30am on your collection day.
Please do not put your bins out before 7.00pm the night before collection and collect your bins by 11.00pm on the day of collection to avoid vandalism.
What should I do if you have missed my recycling?
If we have missed your recycling then please call us as soon as possible on 0161 909 6500.
What materials can I recycle?
The blue bin can be used to recycle materials such as paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines, and envelopes.
The brown bin can be used to recycle glass, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, tins and foil.
The magenta-lidded bin can be used to recycle garden and food waste.
Please take a look at the materials that you can recycle in the various bins provided.
Can I leave any additional side waste next to my bin?
No, unfortunately we cannot collect anything left at the side of your bin. All waste must be placed inside your recycling container and the lid of your bin must be closed when you put it out.
Tip: To maximise the capacity of your bin, break up and flatten recyclable materials such as plastic bottles or cardboard where possible.
How can I get a compost bin?
You can order a compost bin at a reduced rate through our compost bin offer.
Why don't you collect all plastics?
We only collect plastic bottles and not plastic food trays, plastic carrier bags, yoghurt pots, etc.
There are lots of different types of plastic, and although they could all potentially be recycled there isn't anywhere locally that we take them to be recycled. If we transported them over long distances we would lose the environmental benefits of recycling. This is why we only take plastic bottles. Even the lids from the bottles are made from types of plastic we can't recycle locally.
However, Salford City Council and the other local authorities in Greater Manchester are working together to improve this all the time and if this ever changes we will update the list.
Do you collect waxed food and drink cartons?
Yes, food and drink cartons such as orange juice and milk cartons can be recycled by putting them in the blue bin or sack.
Will food waste attract vermin or smell?
Properly managed fortnightly collections pose no health risk according to an Open University study on behalf of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and the national Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
Experience from other local authorities indicates that vermin or risks to health do not increase as a result of properly managed changes.
Provided the waste is contained within the bin and the lid kept shut, there should be no health related implications. Householders can minimise the likelihood of smells by keeping the waste in the special compostable bags provided.
How do I keep my bin clean?
Wheeled bins can be rinsed with warm water and mild detergent to keep them clean.
What happens to my food waste?
Salford's food waste is taken to a local processing plant. There it's turned into compost which is used on UK farms as a natural fertiliser, meaning there's less use of chemicals which helps create cleaner and safer places for us all.
A video showing how food waste is recycled is available on the Recycle for Greater Manchester website.
Does Salford recycle clothes or shoes?
We do not collect textiles such as clothes or shoes as part of our recycling service. However we would encourage you to take unwanted clothes and shoes to your local charity shop or recycle them at one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) or recycling bring sites.
Need additional information?
If you want to find our more about recycling, order more recycling containers or find information about your nearest bring-site, please call 0161 909 6500 or visit Recycle for Greater Manchester.
This page was last updated on 3 April 2012
