You find out how to recycle everything from aerosols to yoghurt pots below.
In Fife, we can recycle in the green bin all plastic bottles, food and drink pots, tubs and trays of all colours, plastic bags, wrappers, film, and packaging, regardless of the type of plastic. Once these have been placed in the green bin all of these materials are separated for onward recycling. A list of what can be recycled in all of your recycling bins can be found on our Household Recycling page.
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Abandoned vehicles
We have powers to deal with abandoned or burnt out vehicles. You can report it online.
Aerosols
Recycle empty aerosols in your can bin at your local Recycling Point. If you have a green bin at the kerbside, aerosols can also be recycled here. Please do not pierce, crush or flatten before recycling.
Aluminium cans
See Cans
Aluminium foil
Clean aluminium foil, metal food trays and foil milk bottle tops can be recycled in the food and drinks can bin at your local Recycling Point or in your green bin at the kerbside if available.
Animal bedding
Due to contamination from pet waste please do not put animal bedding in the brown bin. Put in your landfill bin or if your pet is vegetarian in your home composting unit.
Area waste strategy
See Waste Strategy
Asbestos
Asbestos is a hazardous material that must be dealt with safely. Fife Council cannot accept asbestos waste at our sites. Householders should contact a waste management company licensed for asbestos disposal to dispose of this kind of waste.
Ashes
Bag fire ash and once cool, place in the landfill bin. Please do not place any hot ashes into the bin as this could lead to a fire. Please do not put ash in the garden waste bin because it will not aid the composting process.
Appliances
See Electrical Equipment.
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Bags
See Plastic Bags.
Batteries
Batteries can be recycled at all Recycling Centres, at most large supermarkets and electrical outlets.
Bathroom suites
Ceramic bathroom suites can be recycled at your nearest Recycling Centres. They can also be uplifted as part of the Bulky Uplift service. Cast iron baths are too heavy for the Bulky Uplift service.
Bicycles
Donate bicycles a bicycle charity such as Freecycle and Freegle (external websites). Otherwise Recycling Centres can take bicycles in the metal skip.
Bin collections
You can find out what services we offer by visiting our homepage at www.fife.gov.uk/wasteaware
You can find out your bin collection uplift dates by visiting www.fife.gov.uk/bincalendar
Bin liners
All empty plastic bin liners can be put into the green bin.
Biscuit tins
Recycle metal biscuit tins in the cans and plastic packaging bins at Recycling Points. Plastic or metal biscuit tins can be recycled in the green bin at the kerbside, if supplied.
Blister packs (medication)
Empty blister packs from medication can not be recycled in your green plastic bin. It's a composite of plastics and foil, which can not be separated easily. Please put these in your landfill bin.
Bones
Bones from meat or left over food can go into the brown bin if you are on the new 4 bin service. They cannot be home composted.
Books
Donate books in good condition to charity. If your books are not in a good enough condition to be reused then you can recycle them in your paper and cardboard bin.
Bottles
See Glass bottles or Plastic.
Brake fluid
See Engine Oil
Bric-a-brac
Take unwanted items or bric-a-brac to local charity shops or sell them at car boot sales. Local scout or guide groups may also like to receive such items for their fund raising jumble sales.
Bricks
See Rubble.
Broken glass
Please do not recycle broken glass items such as ceramics or window glass. Wrap these items up in newspaper or place them inside a box and then dispose of them in the landfill bin.
Broken glass bottles and jars can still be recycled at Recycling Centres. Please be careful not to injure yourself while placing broken glass in the bottle bank.
Bubble wrap
Bubble wrap can be reused to wrap fragile items. If you can't reuse it, you can recycle it in your green cans & plastics bin.
Building waste
See Rubble.
Bulky waste
See Special uplift.
Business waste
Businesses must have a waste collection contract and separate their waste. You will find registered waste carriers at SEPA or through a short internet search. Fife Council also offers a Commercial Waste Collection Service.
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Cameras
See Electrical Equipment.
Cans
Aluminium and steel cans can be recycled in the cans and plastic packaging bin at your local Recycling Centres or in your green bin at the kerbside, if supplied.
Car batteries
Recycle car batteries at one of 11 Recycling Centres within Fife.
Cardboard
See Paper and Cardboard.
Cardboard food and beverage cartons
currently not recycled.
Cards (birthday, greeting etc)
Recycle cards alongside all other paper and cardboard.
Carpets
Carpets are difficult to recycle and are not collected locally. Take carpets to your nearest Recycling Centres or arrange for a Bulky Uplift.
Carrier bags
See Plastic Bags.
Catalogues
Recycle catalogues in your paper and cardboard bin at the kerbside, at a local Recycling Centres.
CDs
Donate old CDs to charity shops or placed in the landfill bin.
Cereal boxes
Chemicals (Including Petrol / Diesel)
See Hazardous Waste
Children's toys
You can't recycle toys but you can donate them to a local charity shop. Or list them on Freegle, Freecycle or similar sites.
China plates and ornaments
If these are unbroken, you can donate them to a charity shop. Otherwise place them in your landfill bin.
Large volumes of broken crockery can be recycled at your local Recycling Centres. See Rubble for more information.
Chipboard and plasterboard
Chipboard and plasterboard cannot be recycled at present. Please place them in the landfill skips at your local Recycling Centres.
Christmas cards and paper
See cards.
Christmas trees
Place Christmas trees in your brown bin. Please ensure the lid can be closed. Or take your trees to your local Recycling Centres.
Christmas collections
Your bin collections may change over the Christmas holidays. Check your Bin Calendar.
Clingfilm
Clingfilm can be recycled in the green bin (please make sure it is clean). If you wish to cut down on the amount of cling film that you use you can consider using reusable containers.
Clinical household waste
Clinical Household waste is not collected by Fife Council. Some clinical waste needs separate disposal in an incinerator. Your GP or NHS practitioner will tell you this.
Contact NHS Fife to clarify if your medical waste needs treatment in this way.
Clothing and textiles
Donate good quality clothes and textiles to others, to charity shops or place in a textile bank. Clothes and textiles which are ripped or torn can also be placed in a textile bank. If these materials cannot be reused then they can be shredded and used as cleaning rags. Larger textiles, such as duets and pillows should be taken to your local Recycling Centres.
Coffee grounds
Compost coffee grounds in your home compost unit or recycle in your brown bin if supplied.
Coins
Most charities have a scheme where you can donate with unwanted foreign currency.
Commercial waste
See Business Waste.
Commercial waste - clinical waste disposal
Fife Council does not offer a commercial clinical waste disposal service. Please contact a private commercial waste company who may be able to help you. For more information contact NHS Fife.
Composting
To find out about home composting, please visit Zero Waste Scotland.
Computers
Recycle computers at your local Recycling Centres. We recommend that you delete personal data from the computer before recycling the unit.
Confidential waste
Confidential waste can be dealt with in several ways. If you shred your waste then you can place it into your home compost unit or paper and cardboard bin at the kerbside. Place the shredded paper into an empty cereal box or wrap in newspaper to prevent littering.
Cooked meat
Put cooked meat in your food and garden waste bin, if supplied.
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is not collected for recycling in Fife but it can cause a problem if disposed of down the drains. Transfer cooking oil into a bottle with lid and place the bottle into the landfill bin at home or dispose in the landfill skip at Recycling Centres.
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Disposable nappies
See Nappies.
Donate
There are many ways to donate items that are still in good condition and can be reused by someone else. Here are some of the ways:
Charity Shops – many local charity shops will take clothing, entertainment and bric-a-brac
Furniture Reuse – several organisations in Fife collect furniture to be refurbished and reused.
Online swap shops – sites such as Freegle, Freecycle and others are available for you to donate to other people. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure
Selling online – there are many sites online that allow items to be sold on again for reuse
Drinks cans
See Cans
Drinks cartons
currently not recycled.
Duvets and pillows
DVDs and videos
Unwanted DVDs and videos cannot be recycled. Donate to charity shops or given away online. See Donate above.
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Egg boxes
Recycle cardboard egg boxes in your paper and cardboard bin or compost at home. Plastic egg boxes can be recycled in your green bin.
Eggshells
Place eggshells in your home composting unit or in your food and garden waste bin if supplied.
Elastic bands
Rubber elastic bands cannot be recycled, so keep them for reuse or if broken place in your landfill bin.
Electrical equipment
Recycle electronic and electrical equipment at your nearest Recycling Centres. You will find containers for:
Consider donating working electrical equipment to a local furniture charity. See Furniture Reuse for more information.
Energy efficient light bulbs
Recycle energy efficient bulbs at your local Recycling Centres or dispose in your landfill bin. If disposing of light bulbs in your landfill bin please place the light bulb into the packaging from your replacement light bulb, or wrap the bulb up in newspaper or bubble wrap.
Envelopes
Recycle envelopes with your Paper and cardboard. Padded envelopes cannot be recycled and should go in your blue landfill waste bin.
Engine oil
Take engine oil to one of our 11 Recycling Centres. Please do not dispose of engine oil in the drains. Brake Fluid can also be recycled in the Engine oil container.
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Fabrics
Fat
Please do not dispose of fat down the drains. To dispose of fat please place it into a sealable container and leave to solidify. Once solid, seal the container and dispose of it in your landfill bin.
Fireworks
Soak fireworks thoroughly before bagging. Once soaked, put fireworks into your blue landfill waste bin or take to the Recycling Centres for landfill disposal.
Fish tanks
See Glass panes
Fluorescent tube lights
Foil
See Aluminium Foil
Food
Food waste is collected alongside garden waste in your brown bin, where supplied.
Fridges and freezers
Recycle fridges and freezers at the Recycling Centres or arrange for collection via the Bulky Uplift Service.
If the unit is still in working order you could consider donating it to a local furniture charity. See Furniture reuse below.
Fruit & vegetable peelings
Place fruit and vegetable peelings in your brown bin if provided, or compost in a home composting bin.
Furniture
Donate furniture and electrical items to charity. There are two main furniture charities in Fife.
You could also consider donating your furniture or electrical goods. See Donate for more information.
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Garden waste
Garden waste can go into your garden waste bin or to your local Recycling Centres.
You can also compost your garden waste at home.
Gas cylinders
You can recycle empty gas cylinders (LPG, Butane, and Propane only) at one of your local Recycling Centres.
Unfortunately, we cannot take full cylinders. You should try contacting the supplier for advice, as they may be able to take it for reuse. Further info can be found on the Recycle Now page.
Gas fires
Small gas fires (without gas cylinders) can be taken to your nearest recycling centre and disposed in the containers for small electrical items. These items will be recycled, where possible, instead of going to landfill.
Glass bottles and jars
You can recycle glass bottles and jars at a local Recycling Centres. The metal lids can be recycled in the cans and plastic packaging bin.
Glass panes
Panes of glass cannot be recycled in the glass bottle and jar bins. Please take glass panes to your local Recycling Centres to dispose of the items safely.
Glasses
See Spectacles.
Grass
See Garden Waste.
Greeting cards
See Cards.
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Hangers
Hangers can be reused but if you have too many you can offer them to your local charity shop. Broken hangers can be recycled in your green bin.
Hazardous Waste or Chemical Waste (Including Petrol / Diesel)
Fife Council do not collect or accept hazardous or chemical waste. You should contact a licensed contractor, who will levy a charge for this service. Please dispose of hazardous / chemical waste responsibly and do not place it into drains or waste bins.
Home Composting
See Composting.
Hoover dust
Hoover dust cannot be recycled so please place this in your landfill bin.
Houseplants
Houseplants can be composted in a home compost bin or in your brown garden waste bin.
Household chemicals
Please follow the manufacturer’s instructions to dispose of household chemicals. Empty chemical containers can be recycled if given a quick rinse out.
Household waste
In Fife we provide various methods for collecting household waste. Use the links below to find out more about the recycling services that we provide at the household. Visit our Household Waste Collections page to see the services we offer for residents.
Four bin service
Bulky waste uplifts
Sack collections
Recycling in flats
Collection dates
Reduce & Reuse
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Ice cream tubs
Recycle ice cream tubs in your green cans and plastics bin, if supplied or in cans and plastics recycling bins at Recycling Centres. If you do not have a green bin please place these in the landfill bin.
Ink-jet cartridges
Many charities and organisations can make use of these cartridges. A quick internet search should show you the way.
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Jars
Juice cartons (Plastic)
Plastic Juice Cartons can be recycled in your green bin.
Junk mail
See Unwanted Mail.
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Labels
You do not need to remove labels from food and drinks cans, plastic bottles or glass bottles and jars.
Landfill
Landfill is the term for the site where your household waste is sent too. All waste in your landfill bin goes to one of Fife's two landfill sites at Wellwood, by Dunfermline, and Lower Melville Wood, by Ladybank.
The waste goes into a hole in the ground and is then covered over with soil.
Laser toner cartridges
Some organisations can recycle these if you place them in the post. A quick internet search will highlight some organisations that can do this.
Leaves
See Garden Waste.
Letters
See Paper and Cardboard.
Light bulbs
Normal light bulbs cannot be recycled and should go in your landfill bin. Energy-efficient light bulbs can be recycled. See Electrical equipment for further information.
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Magazines
Magazines can be recycled in your paper and cardboard bin at the kerbside, at some Recycling Centres.
Margarine tubs
Recycle margarine tubs in the green plastics and cans bin and in cans and plastics recycling bins at Recycling Centres.
Mastic
Mastic is a plant resin, with a hard glue or gum-like texture. Although it's an organic material, we cannot guarantee it will break down properly in our composting process. Please dispose of this in your landfill bin.
Mattresses
Mattresses cannot be recycled at this current time. Mattresses cannot be recycled at this current time. Dispose of mattresses at a Recycling Centres or arrange a Bulky Uplift.
Medicine
You can take your unwanted medicines back to the chemist where you bought it.
Metal
Metal tins and cans, go in your green bin or in the food and drinks can bin, at your local Recycling Point. Take scrap metal to a local Recycling Centres.
Microwaves
See Electrical Equipment.
Milk bottles
Plastic milk bottles can go in the green bin at the kerbside, if supplied and in cans and plastics recycling bins at Recycling Centres.
Mirrors
If they are not broken then a local furniture charity may wish to use them. See Donate. Broken mirrors should go into landfill skips at our local Recycling Centres.
Mobile phones
Fife Council does not recycle mobile phones but many other organisations do. A quick internet search will highlight many options.
Motor oil
See Engine Oil.
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Nappies
Reusable nappies are a cheaper alternative to disposable nappies. They reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill and better for the environment. You can find out more about the Fife Real Nappy Library at Go Real.
Newspapers
Recycle newspapers in your paper and cardboard bin, at some Recycling Centres.
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Packaging
You can recycle plastic bottles, film, wrappers, bags, tubs and food trays in household green bins or in cans and plastics bins at Recycling Centres. For a list of plastics you can recycle visit www.fife.gov.uk/4bins.
Paint
Paint cannot be recycled but some local charity organisations reuse paint. If you need to dispose of paint, please leave the lid off and allow the paint to harden and then replace the lid. Or mix the paint with sand or cat litter to solidify the paint. Then this can go to your local Recycling Centres for disposal.
Paper and cardboard
Recycle all your paper and cardboard in your paper and cardboard bin at home, at some Recycling Centres.
Pet waste
Place pet waste in your landfill bin. Please do not place pet waste in the brown bin, even if your pet is vegetarian, as this cannot be composted.
Photographs
Photographs cannot be recycled, please dispose of unwanted photographs in your landfill bin.
Plastic
You can recycle plastic bottles, tubs and food trays in household green bin or in cans and plastics bins at Recycling Centres. For a list of plastics you can recycle visit www.fife.gov.uk/4bins.
Bioplastics are not made from plastic, these are compostable materials and cannot be recycled with other plastics. Please put these into your blue landfill waste bin.
Plastic bags
Save money and help the environment by reusing your old carrier bags or use a reusable bag.
Plastic bags, including shopping bags, bread bags and salad bags can go into the green bin to be recycled.
Polystyrene packaging
Polystyrene cannot be recycled. Please put in your landfill bin.
Polythene wrappers
Polythene wrappers can go in your green bin for recycling.
Postage stamps
See Stamps.
Printer cartridges
Fife Council does not collect printer cartridges for recycling but many companies do. A quick internet search will show you some of these companies.
Pyrex glass
Pyrex glass cannot be recycled in the glass bottle bank bins. Please place any Pyrex into the landfill bin.
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Radios
See Electrical Equipment.
Razor blades
Do not recycle razor blades due to the danger they would pose when processed. Please wrap these in a tissue or newspaper and place them into your landfill bin.
Recycling - general information
Fife Council offer Recycling Services through Household Collections, Recycling Centres.
Recycling - bags and containers
We provide recycling bins both at the household and at various locations around Fife.
For information on recycling at the household please visit our Household Waste Collection pages.
Rubble
At the Recycling Centres you can recycle soil, brick, stone and rubble. Please do not place rubble in the landfill bin as this will cause damage to the vehicle.
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Shopping bags
See Plastic Bags.
Scrap metal
Recycle scrap metal at one of Fife's 11 Recycling Centres.
Shredded paper
Recycle shredded paper can in the paper and cardboard bin at your home, at some of our Recycling Centres.
Please wrap shredded paper in newspaper or in a cereal box to reduce the chance of this spilling onto the street.
Shoes
Paired shoes can be recycled at the textile banks located at Recycling Centres in Fife.
Smoke Alarms
Please recycle smoke alarms in the small electricals container at one of our 11 Household Waste Recycling Centres.
Soil
Please do not place soil into your garden waste bin at the kerbside. It can make the bin too heavy to lift and has no benefit to the composting process. Recycle soil at your local Recycling Centres.
Special uplift
We offer a Special Uplift service to collect bulky waste from the household. For further information please visit Bulky Uplift.
Spectacles & sunglasses
Old glasses can be given to charity or given in to some opticians for reuse or recycling.
Stamps
Many charities collect stamps for a charitable cause. You can also leave the stamp on your envelope when you recycle it.
Staples
Staples can be left on your papers and magazines when recycling. These will be removed during the recycling process.
Steel cans
See Cans.
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Takeaway food containers
Reuse plastic takeaway food containers where possible. Unneeded takeaway food containers can be recycled in your green bin.
Tea bags
Compost tea bags in the home compost bin or in your food and garden waste bin where supplied.
Telephones
Some charity shops may wish to sell unwanted telephones but they can also be recycled at Recycling Centres. See Electrical Equipment for more information.
Telephone directories
Recycle telephone directories along with paper and cardboard. See Paper and cardboard.
Textiles
Tiles
Recycle tiles at your local Recycling Centres.
Timber and wood
Take timber and wood for recycling to your local Recycling Centres.
Toilet paper
The cardboard tube out of toilet paper can be recycled. See Paper and Cardboard
Toys & games
Toys and games cannot be recycled. Donate toys to younger children in the family, charity shops and even some doctor’s surgeries and hospitals.
Tyres
Tyres cannot go to landfill by law. Most tyre companies will dispose of your old tyre when replacing it, but there may be a small charge for this.
TV monitors
See Electrical Equipment.
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Unwanted mail
Unwanted mail can be unwelcome to some residents. Visit the Scottish Government's page on reducing the amount of junk mail you get, for advice.
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Vegetable peelings
Compost fruit and vegetable peeling at home or through your brown bin. See Composting for more information.
Videos and DVDs
Give DVDs and videos to local charity shops or maybe your local school could make use of them.
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Wallpaper
Wallpaper cannot be recycled as it is often a mixture of paper, plastic and glue. Please place used wallpaper into your landfill bin.
Waste strategy
Fife Council is committed, along with all other local authorities in Scotland, to the Scottish Governments Zero Waste Strategy.
White goods
See Electrical Equipment.
Wrapping paper
Wrapping paper often comes in two forms, a paper and plasticised version. If the wrapping paper is easy to tear it can be recycled along with all other paper and cardboard. Plasticised wrapping paper is more difficult to tear and goes into the landfill bin.
You can still recycle the paper wrapping if it has sticky tape attached.
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Yellow pages
Recycle yellow pages and other telephone directories along with all other paper and cardboard.
Yoghurt pots
Recycle yoghurt pots in the green bin, if supplied, or in cans and plastics bins at Recycling Centres.
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Zero Waste
We collect a wide range of materials for recycling and have one of the highest recycling rates in Scotland. We want to continually improve on this figure and have set out our plans in our Zero Waste Plan. You can also look at the Scottish Governments Zero Waste Plan for more information.