A to Z of reusing, recycling and waste disposal

It's important to dispose of medication properly to avoid it causing harm if it gets into the environment or water system. Inhalers can contain drug residue or greenhouse gasses even when they're empty. Whether empty or full, inhalers should be returned to your local community pharmacy for destruction and safe disposal.

You can refill and re-use inkjet cartridges by buying a refill kit or visiting your local cartridge retailer. There are many charities that want unwanted ink cartridges and provide Freepost envelopes so that you can send them your cartridges. These are often available in your local supermarket or other retailer or can be found by entering a search on the internet.

If your iron still works, please donate it to a charity shop or your local reuse organisation. You can recycle your iron by taking it to your nearest bring site that has a WEEE bank (see W for a list of WEEE banks) or to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the small waste electrical container. The metal and plastic will be recycled into new products.

If these are still in working order, please donate them to your local charity shop or reuse organisation. If they are not good enough to reuse please recycle your lamp/light fitting by taking it to your nearest recycling centre, where you can put it in the small electrical waste container.

Please recycle your unwanted leaflets and flyers in your green recycling bin, your nearest bring site or recycling centre . They will be recycled into new paper products.

See 'Garden waste'. 

Try to buy low energy lightbulbs, particularly for rooms where lights are left on for long periods of time. This will save money on energy and by not replacing lightbulbs so often. Low energy lightbulbs can be recycled at your nearest household waste recycling centre. Other types of (incandescent) lightbulbs cannot be recycled at present. These should be wrapped in newspaper and placed in your black household bin.

Please consider using real nappies. Real nappies are reusable and washable. They are easier to use than you might think and can work out cheaper in the long run than disposable ones. Leeds Cloth Nappy Library offer support to cloth nappy users and provide a lending facility.

If you are using disposable nappies, please bag them up before you put them in your black bin.

Please see Hypodermic Needles

Old newspapers have many uses. For example, it can be used for animal bedding or art projects (papier mache). You can recycle your newspaper by putting it in your green recycling bin or taking it to your nearest bring site or recycling centre. It will be made into new paper products.