You can now recycle plastic pots, tubs and trays in your black bin

Tameside residents can now recycle household plastics like pots, tubs and trays in their black recycling bin along with plastic bottles.

The move has been announced this week as part of National Recycling Week (14-20 October) and follows upgrades to Greater Manchester’s recycling facilities and to the recent contract extension with SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.

As from 14 October, Tameside residents can now recycle clean plastic items like: 

• Plastic pots (e.g. yoghurt, soup, cosmetics etc)
• Plastic tubs (e.g. margarine, laundry powder, chocolates etc)
• Plastic trays including black plastic trays (e.g. raw and cooked meat, fruit and veg punnets etc)

These items can now be put in the black recycling bin, alongside:

• Plastic bottles (e.g. milk, pop, bleach, cleaning products, trigger sprays, shampoo)
• Glass bottles and jars
• Food tins and drinks cans
• Aerosols
• Foil

Plastic films like crisp packets, bread bags, pet food pouches and carrier bags, still cannot be recycled. People can throw plastic films into their household bin, where they’ll be burned to generate electricity for the region.  However, Recycle for Greater Manchester are planning to collect these types of plastic for recycling in the near future and will keep residents updated. Hard plastics like garden furniture or children’s toys can be taken to any Recycling Site in Greater Manchester.

A Tameside Council spokesperson said: “This is great news for Tameside households, who will now be able to recycle even more of their waste - helping to protect the planet and reduce their carbon footprint. Please just ensure your plastics are clean before you put them in your black bin.”

By April 2026, the government requires all councils in England to recycle a consistent set of materials as part of its Simpler Recycling Policy. This means that wherever you live in England you will be able to recycle the same at work and at home.

As part of the government’s drive to improve recycling, several other policies are also being introduced to simplify plastic packaging, encouraging manufacturers to design packaging that is more easily recycled and to make packaging out of recycled materials to close the loop. This is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, which passes the cost of disposal and recycling on to manufacturers.  

For further information see www.tameside.gov.uk/recycling

Here is a full list of what else can go in the different household bins:

Blue (paper and cardboard) bin

• Newspapers and magazines
• Cardboard boxes
• Cardboard packaging (e.g cereal boxes, ready meal sleeves)
• Junk mail
• Envelopes
• Tetra Pak (drink cartons)
• Pizza boxes (no food)
• Books
• Greetings cards, wrapping paper (no glitter)

Brown (food and garden waste) bin:

• Grass cuttings
• Hedge trimmings 
• Small branches and twigs 
• Flowers and plants
  • All food waste (cooked and raw), including plate scrapings.
  • Teabags and coffee grounds
  • Fruit and vegetables
  • Meat and fish including bones

 Green (general waste) bin

• Nappies and sanitary products
• Soft plastics like bread bags, salad bags, film
• Crisp packets
• Pet food pouches
• Carrier bags
• Compostable or biodegradable packaging
• Tissues and kitchen roll
• Cat litter
• Hard plastic such as plant pots