Materials starting with A and B

Aerosol cans

Reduce

You can reduce the use of aerosol cans by choosing items such as refill solid deodorants.

Recycle

Place empty aerosol cans in your green recycling bin. They should not be pierced or squashed.

Dispose

Aerosols containing products such as insecticides, oven cleaners, paints and automotive sprays (often marked with a skull and cross bones or a black cross on an orange background) should be placed in your black/grey waste bin for disposal.

Aerosols that are not empty should should be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre for disposal.

Aluminium

Recycle

You can recycle cans and tins in your green recycling bin.

They can also be recycled in the appropriate bin at on our recycling sites and at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Please empty and rinse out cans before recycling.

Aluminium foil and containers

Reduce

You can use silicone or beeswax reusable wraps as an alternative when wrapping food or reuseable box when making packed lunches.

Reuse

Try as much as possible to clean, flatten and put it back in the drawer for next time. Containers can be used for seed trays.

Recycle

There are several aluminium foil recycling bins around the borough.

Find your nearest recycling site.

Dispose

You can dispose of foil and foil containers in your black/grey waste bin.

Asbestos

Dispose

Asbestos cannot be recycled.

Cement bonded asbestos can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre where it is disposed of in a controlled manner. Please note there is a fee chargeable at Household Waste Recycling Centres.

Bonded asbestos is often grey in colour and looks similar to cement - if you are in any doubt please have the material checked.

When handling bonded asbestos you should wear goggles, a face mask and gloves.

Do not break the asbestos into smaller pieces. Do not cut or saw it.

If you have any smaller pieces please make sure you dampen them down with water.

Find out more information on asbestos disposal.

Baby wipes

Dispose

Baby wipes cannot be recycled. You should place them in your black/grey bin.

Barbecues (BBQs)

Reduce

Use a portable BBQ instead of a disposable one.

Reuse

Metal BBQs could be reused as a planter in the garden or on the balcony.

Recycle

Old, unwanted or damaged metal BBQs can be recycled at the Household Waste

Dispose

Disposable BBQs cannot be recycled. They can be placed in your black/grey waste bin. You need to make sure your BBQ is fully extinguished first and coals are wrapped. Wait at least 48 hours before wrapping the coals in foil.

Batteries

Batteries: car

Do not put car batteries in your household rubbish or recycling - they contain hazardous materials and can cause fires.

Recycle

Car batteries can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre. The site has a designated bin.

Batteries: household

Do not put batteries or electrical items with hidden batteries in your household rubbish or recycling - they contain hazardous materials and can cause fires.

Reduce

Consider rechargeable batteries - they're environmentally friendly and better value over time.

Recycle

Household batteries can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre and many shops or supermarkets. Look out for large, clear, plastic tubes, normally located near the entrance.

Find your closest battery recycling point.

A battery bin is also located in the reception area of Council Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH. You can deposit your used batteries during our opening hours Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm except on bank holidays.

Hidden batteries

Many household electrical items, including vapes, hearing aids and laptops, contain a hidden lithium battery that can be extremely dangerous when thrown away. Before recycling electrical items, always check to see if the battery can be removed to recycle separately.

Take the electrical item to a Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) drop off point.

Find a WEEE drop off point

Beds and bedding/blankets

Beds

Single, double and king size

Reuse

If they are still in a decent condition, beds can be sold, donated or passed on for reuse by someone else.

Advertise locally for sale or donate using Freegle and other online platforms.

Dispose

Beds can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Bedding/blankets

Duvet covers, pillow cases and sheets

Reuse

You can use the fabric for making clothes and accessories, or as rags and dust sheets.

Bedding/blankets in good condition can be donated to a charity shop,animal rescue or homeless shelter. The Basingstoke Community Furniture Project is always looking for good quality household goods.

Recycle

Pure wool, cotton, linen and other natural fibres can be composted but not if mixed with any fibres such as polyester.

You can recycle at the Household Waste Recycling Centre or if it fits in your washing machine, then it can be put into one of the textile bins in the borough.

Find a textile bin

Bins (all types)

Dispose

Both metal and hard plastic bins should be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Bikes

Reuse

Bikes can be donated to a charity called Bike start . Alternatively, you might want to freecycle it, this is a community network similar to eBay but does not involve any money.

Recycle

Broken,damaged or no longer fit for purpose bicycles can be recycled at the Household Waste Recycling Centre

Biscuit tins and sweet tubs

Reuse

Refill tins and tubs as food containers or to keep things organised in the bedroom, living room or bathroom.

Dispose

Biscuit tins and sweet tubs should be placed in your black/grey waste bin.

Blister packs for tablets

Recycle

These can be taken to selected pharmacies, check with your local one. Larger participating shops include:

  • all Superdrug outlets
  • Boots pharmacy, Chineham shopping centre, Chineham
  • Boots pharmacy, Hook parade, Station Road, Hook

Blister packs cannot be recycled in your green recycling bin. You need to put them in your black/grey waste bin or at one of the foil bins in the borough.

Find your nearest foil bin

Books

Reduce

Join a library and borrow books, both hard copy or download onto a mobile phone or tablet.

Reuse

Sell or donate to a local charity shop, or online using Freegle and other online platforms.

Recycle

You can recycle at the Household Waste Recycling Centre or at one of the book bins in the borough.

Find your nearest book bin

Books that are damaged and no longer usable can be placed in your green recycling bin.

Bottles and jars

Reduce

You can get reusable water bottles for on the go drinking. You can also consider re-fillable bottles for laundry liquid, detergent, handwash, shampoo and shower gel.

Reuse

You can reuse glass bottles and jars when buying food and other household products in refill shops.

Jars can also be reused for keeping things tidy in the house, including nails, screws and stationary.

Recycle

All glass bottles and jars, including perfume and aftershave bottles, go in your separate glass box or bin. Please remove the lids and place these in your black/grey waste bin.

You can also recycle glass bottles and jars at one of our recycling points, or at the Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Plastic bottles can be recycled in your green recycling bin. Before recycling, rinse the bottles out, squash and replace the lids. For milk bottles you can place the lids inside the bottle before squashing it.

Dispose

Broken glass bottles and jars should be placed in your black/grey bin. Pyrex, window glass and drinking glasses should also be placed in your black/grey bin.

Bras

Recycle

Bras in 'new' condition which have not been worn can be sold online or given away. Some charity shops will accept used bras or you can take them to one of the textile bins in the borough.

Find a textile bin

Bras in 'good but worn' condition can be donated to an organisation such as Against Breast Cancer, either directly or by one of their bra banks.

Bravissimo accept bras in any condition for recycling at their UK shop stores. For every kg they receive they make a donation to CoppaFeel!

Bricks and building materials

Reuse

Sell or donate on Facebook market place and local social media giveaway groups for uses in the garden, at allotment sites and for building projects.

Recycle

Up to two 50-litre rubble bags, or one bulky item such as a sink or toilet pedestal will be accepted at the Household Waste Recycling Centre for free, at a maximum frequency of four visits over four weeks. Anything more than this will be chargeable.

If you have larger amounts, consider hiring a skip.

Bubble wrap

Reuse

You can use bubble wrap for transporting fragile items in the post or when moving house. You can also wrap plants with it to protect them from frost.

Dispose

Bubble wrap cannot be recycled in your green recycling bin. You need to dispose of it in your black/grey waste bin.

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