Recycling on estates and high rise properties

How to recycle if you live on an estate or in a high-rise property
Your re-usable bag for recycling
Food waste
Estates with street level properties
Where does my recycling go?
Say no to junk mail
More information about recycling on estates

Below you can find out how to recycle if you live on an estate or high-rise property, and the kinds of materials we collect.

In most cases, estates and high-rise properties are provided with two large bins: one for mixed recycling, and one for paper. Please put the below materials in the mixed recycling bin:

• aerosols
• cardboard
• cartons
• drink cans
  food tins
  mixed glass
  plastic packaging
  Paper (newspapers, magazines etc.) should be put in the deciated paper bin.

On estates where space is limited, one bin will be provided for both mixed recycling and paper. You can put all the above materials in that bin.

Your re-usable bag for recycling 

Residents living on estates and high-rise properties have now been issued with a re-useable recycling bag to assist them with recycling from their flat. The bag should be placed in the kitchen to collect recycling materials then used to transport recycling to the recycling bins and returned to the flat.

Please note:

• The bag will not be collected from the front door - it is a receptacle to assist with recycling. 
• The bag should not to be left outside the front door; if it is, it will be removed. 
• The bags have been purchased and delivered by external funding through the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB).

Some estates in Hackney also participate in the food waste recycle scheme. Residents receive a small kitchen caddy and compostable liners. The caddy is used to collect food scraps in the kitchen; these can then be taken to the food waste recycling bin located on site, near existing recycling facilities. The food recycling bins are emptied twice a week. 

Compostable liners are available from the Neighbourhood Offices or call the recycling hotline on 020 8356 6688 and a liner will be sent out to you.  It is very important  to only use compostable liners and not use plastic bags.

Is my estate / apartment block participating in the scheme?

To find out if your estate is participating in the scheme, you can this excel sheet here.

What can be recycled?

Below you will find a list of items that can and can't be recycled in the food waste bins:

Yes - these items can be recycled

• Fruit
• Bread and pasta
• Raw vegetables
• Cooked meat
• All cooked food
• Tea bags
• Egg shells
• Cooked vegetables
• Cooked fish

No - these items cannot be recycled

• Plastic bags
• Raw meat and fish
• Bones
• Tins & cans
• Glass
• Paper

For more information, you can download our guide to food waste recycling on estates (PDF, 2.8MB)

Estates with street level properties 

For those estates which contain street properties within the grounds (i.e., houses or low-rise apartment blocks that face out onto a street), a green box door-to-door collection  may be implemented, subject to an assessment carried out by the Council's recycling contractors. For more information on this service please see the Green Box recycling page.

Where does my recycling go? 

Paper that is collected separately is sent to Aylesford Newsprint in Kent, where it is turned into paper for newspapers across Europe. Your mixed recycling is sent to sorting facilities operated by Bywaters Ltd (in Bow) and Greenstar Ltd (in Edmonton). It is then sorted and sent onwards to be made into a variety of new products.
If you'd like to find out more, you can view a short video of how the sorting process works.

Say no to junk mail 

Hackney households receive approximately 35 million pieces of unwanted mail each year. This weighs 900 tonnes and takes 6,000 trees to make.

Follow the three steps to stop unwanted mail:

. Display your 'No junk mail' sticker
. Return the Royal Mail 'Opt out' card
. Register with the Mailing Preference Service

To receive a free 'Say no to junk mail' leaflet (including sticker) send your details to address below:

'Say no to junk mail'
Freepost LON11079
First floor, Keltan House
89-115 Mare Street, E8 4RU

For more information on junk mail and waste prevention, visit
www.hackney.gov.uk/wasteprevention

More information about recycling on estates

For more information about recycling on estates you can download our guide to recycling on estates and high-rise properties (PDF, 402KB)

You can also call the recycling team on 020 8356 6688 or email recycling@hackney.gov.uk

You can also visit Hackney Council's recycling website to find out more.