What goes in your bins in the Scarborough area?

This service is delivered differently in each area of the county. This information relates to the former district of Scarborough. Looking for information in another area of the county? You can change the location here.

Find out what general rubbish, gardening and recycling waste can and cannot be put in your waste and recycling bins in the Scarborough area.

Residents in the Scarborough area have up to three waste containers:

  1. Blue bins for recycling
  2. Brown bins for garden waste
  3. Green bins for non-recyclable household rubbish

Blue bins for recycling

We will accept:

  • paper and shredded paper
  • glass jars and bottles
  • card and cardboard
  • plastic bottles and lids
  • clean yoghurt pots
  • clean margarine or butter tubs
  • large plastic ice cream tubs
  • plastic fruit punnets and food trays 
  • clean plastic ready-meal trays 
  • plastic washing tablet containers 
  • food and drink cans 
  • empty aerosols 
  • cartons, such as juice cartons and milk cartons 

To find out about plastic resin codes, which are featured on items as a chasing arrows symbol surrounding a number, and which ones you can recycle at the kerbside visit our plastic recycling page.

We will not accept:

  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like face masks or gloves
  • food waste 
  • plastic carrier bags
  • black bin bags
  • nappies
  • polystyrene
  • cling film and plastic film
  • medicine blister packs
  • DVD or CD cases
  • coat hangers
  • children's toys
  • garden furniture

Brown bins for garden waste

We will accept:

  • grass cuttings
  • leaves
  • shrubs
  • weeds and bedding plants
  • hedge trimmings and prunings less than five centimetres in diameter

We will not accept:

  • rubble
  • soil
  • fruit and veg peelings
  • food waste
  • wood

Green bins for non-recyclable household rubbish

Use the green bin for non-recyclable household rubbish.

If you don't have a green bin and use sacks, you may use up to four green sacks per collection. 

We cannot collect items such as tyres, rubble, tiles, carpets, soil and other DIY waste.

Batteries

Please do not place used, dead batteries in the rubbish bin or recycling as these can be crushed or punctured when the waste is collected and processed. Some battery types can ignite or explode when they are damaged and can then set fire to other materials in your waste bin.

Batteries should be recycled safely at one of the Household Waste Recycling Centres or find your local battery recycling point on the Take Charge website.