Kerbside Recycling Now Includes Certain Plastic Pots, Tubs and Trays

January 2025

West Berkshire Council have confirmed from 27 January 2025, kerbside collections are expanding - making it easier to recycle certain pots, tubs, and trays.

Information from West Berkshire Council:

The new kerbside collection will make it much easier for residents to send their plastic waste to recycling and recovery. Alongside plastic bottles, cans and aerosols, residents can now add certain clean plastic pots, tubs, and trays to their recycling bags for collection. This includes items such as clear yoghurt pots, spread tubs, most ready meal trays, and clear fruit punnets. Residents with communal bins, will also be able to dispose of these items in the red-topped wheelie bin.

Accepted Items:

  • Cream pots (without film lids)
  • Clear yoghurt pots (without film lids)
  • Spread/margarine tubs
  • Biscuit tray packaging
  • Takeaway tubs and ready meal trays (without film lids)
  • Clear fruit trays (without film lids)
  • Clean meat trays (without film lids)

We cannot accept:

  • Black plastic trays
  • Plastic film – such as bread bags and tray coverings
  • Crisp packets
  • Plastic wrapping
  • Foil lids and trays
  • Flowerpots
  • Hot beverage pods (please take these to your nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre)
  • Tetra Paks/cartons (these can be recycled at our mini recycling centres and Household waste recycling centres)
  • Blister packs/pill packets

If the plastic tray or tub still has food waste on it, or it still has a plastic film or metal covering, it can cause a problem as it goes through the recycling process. This makes it unsuitable for reprocessing meaning that it won’t be recycled. We politely ask residents to rinse items and remove any film or cardboard sleeves before placing them in the recycling bags. Cardboard sleeves can be placed in the paper/cardboard box. To make more space in your recycling bag, items such as plastic bottles can be squashed to expel air before placing them in your bag.