Tameside Residents urged to rinse and recycle their plastics

Tameside residents are being reminded to do their bit for the environment by rinsing and recycling plastic pots, tubs and trays in their black mixed recycling bins.

The appeal comes as Recycle Week (22–29 September 2025) marks one year since Tameside Council, along with other Greater Manchester authorities, widened recycling collections to include plastic pots, tubs and trays. These items can now be recycled alongside plastic bottles, aerosols, foil, foil trays, drink cans, food tins, glass bottles and jars.

All mixed recycling from the borough is delivered to Recycle for Greater Manchester’s Materials Recovery Facility in Sharston, Manchester. Once there, the plastics are separated and sent to a specialist processor, where they are turned into plastic pellets that can be reused in manufacturing.

Residents are being urged to rinse out their recycling before putting it in the bin. Containers contaminated with food are much less likely to be recycled and can cause damage to the sorting machinery.

Cllr Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods, said: “We’re asking everyone to please keep up the brilliant work of recycling your pots, tubs and trays when recycling plastics. The more you can recycle, the better it is for the environment but also it reduces the costs of sending waste for disposal which is more expensive, safeguarding our limited funds for key local services that are most important to residents. Thank you to everyone for recycling.”

For more information on what can go in your black mixed recycling bin, visit www.tameside.gov.uk/recycling.