Recycling Symbols And What They Mean
No, but seriously, how do you recycle and what do all the little symbols mean?!
We know, it’s a thrilling ride moving out on your own. From managing your household bills to figuring out what to do with all the cardboard, and learning how to use a washing machine – it might not be an adrenaline rush but it’s a good idea to get the basics nailed down.
Living at home is obviously excellent, and one of the reasons could be that cardboard/tins/glass bottles you live on the side magically get taken away every day. Ahem… Thanks parents.
But now? You’re on your own – well, you and about 1 million new students across the UK. It’s time to put your grown-up pants on and work out exactly what goes in the recycling bins. Otherwise face the wrath of the bin men.
In this article:
What is recycling?
If you’ve really been sheltered from the wild old world of eco living, then recycling is going to blow your mind. Recycling is taking products or materials that you’re going to throw away, and reworking and reusing them in a different way. For instance, some clothing brands will use recycled bottles to create new, fashionable styles. Some areas of the UK are better at sustainability and recycling than others, we’ve got a list of the most sustainable unis here, so you can check out if your university is on the right track.
Without recycling, a lot of the rubbish that we throw away on the daily would just end up in landfills or the ocean. So if you don’t know, get to know.
Recycling symbols
Now here’s the thing. Recycling is not a one-size-fits-all situation. There are LOTS of different types of recycling, how you can recycle – you get the picture.
Recycling symbols T-B, L-R: Mobius Loop, Widely Recycled, Don’t Recycle and Not Yet Recycled, Green Dot Symbol, Recyclable Aluminium, Compostable, Forest Stewardship Council Logo
These are the main recycling symbols that you’ll usually come across in your daily life. But what do they mean?
1. Mobius Loop
This is probably the most easily recognised recycling symbol, and one you’ll come across the most. The Mobius loop tells you that your product is recyclable, at its very top level. If you see this bad boy, you know you need to look for a recycling bin.
2. Widely Recycled/Don’t Recycle/Not Yet Recycled
We’ll group these up because they mean very similar things. These are the little symbols that will be green if you can recycle or black if you shouldn’t. They’ll usually include really simple, clear instructions (like remove sleeve, or rinse) to indicate just HOW you need to recycle them. If they have a black symbol and say not to recycle, then do as they say!
3. Green Dot symbol
So the green dot symbol can be a little confusing. This symbol indicates that the company who produces the product will contribute to recycling schemes financially. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the ACTUAL product is recyclable. This is where it’s a bit confusing, so watch out for this one. You’ll usually find it on food and drink packaging.
4. Recyclable Aluminium
To be expected, this symbol can be found on aluminium packaging that is recyclable. Not all aluminium products are recyclable so it’s worth keeping an eye out to make sure you’re popping it in the right bin.
5. Compostable symbol
This one’s a bit more rare, but you might find it on fruit and veg stickers. It means that the product can break down into compost, for things like fertiliser.
6. Forest Stewardship Council logo
You’ll find this symbol on paper, cardboard and other products that indicate that they’re approved by the Forest Stewardship Council, which is responsible for ethical and sustainable forest management.
Recycling bin colours
Unfortunately there’s no standardised system for wheelie bins and recycling bins in the UK, which can make it hard to definitively state which bin is for which. So we’ll do our best!
Black wheelie bins / black recycling bins
So one thing we can mostly agree on, is that most houses across the UK will have a black wheelie bin. This is for general waste and rubbish – not your recycling. Simple, right? So anything that DOESN’T have a lovely little recycling logo on, including food waste (if you don’t have a food waste bin), you pop in the black wheelie bin.
BUT, to start off with the confusion, some of you will have a black recycling bin. You use this for:
- Plastic bottles/pots/tubs
- Food and drink cans
- Foil containers/any foil wrappings
- Empty aerosol cans
Now it’s time to get complicated…
Blue recycling bins
If you have a blue recycling bin, then this is usually for your dry recyclables. This includes:
- Paper/cardboard/newspapers
- Telephone books
- Egg boxes
- Drink and food cans
Red recycling bins
Red recycling containers are generally used for plastics, although these can sometimes be collected in your dry recyclable bin too (if you have a blue one for instance):
- Plastic bottles
- Empty cleaning products
- Plastic tubs/trays
BUT, some plastics aren’t allowed, which includes things like coat hangers, plastic wrapping and carrier bags.
Brown recycling bins
If you have a brown recycling bin, then breathe a sigh of relief because these are way less confusing than some of its more colourful counterparts. Brown recycling bins are usually designated for ‘mixed’ recyclables, which include:
- Plastic bottles
- Aerosol cans
- Glass bottles
- Food and drink tin cans
Ahem… but let’s not get too comfortable. Because in some parts of the country, you might find the brown bin is actually for food waste only.
Green recycling bins
So green recycling bins are two-fold. These CAN take:
- Glass bottles/jars
- Paper/cardboard
- Newspapers
Which makes them quite similar to the brown recycling bins. But, in a lot of parts of the country, your green recycling bin is actually a food waste bin. This should be used for all types of kitchen waste, so any type of bones, cooked food leftovers, teabags, eggshells etc. It’s also the one most likely to get pretty stinky, so make sure you get some decent compostable caddy liners because no-one’s trying to cause a household argument.
Other colours of recycling bins
Some less common colours of recycling are yellow, which are mostly used to collect textiles – hence why they’re a bit less common to pop up in your student house! If you have to get rid of bed linen, or clothes or towels, then head down to your local recycling centre and look for the yellow bin.
Purple recycling bins have started appearing across the country too, but their uses are really mixed at the moment, from mixed recycling to general household waste. So if you do find yourself in possession of a purple recycling bin, then it’s worth contacting your local council to see what you can use it for.
What do I do with old recycling bins?
Sometimes your recycling bins get broken. That’s just life – but while you can sometimes patch them up, you might also need to get a replacement. You can contact your local council to replace a recycling bin and they’ll usually get dropped off with your next collection. They’ll normally take away your broken container too, making it even easier!
You normally won’t have to pay anything to replace your recycling bins, although you might pay a small charge for garden waste bins. But if you have too many replacements, the council might start charging you.
We hope you’ve found this useful, especially if you’re moving out on your own. But we also have a guide to get you through freshers with everything you need to know.
Don’t forget to sign up to Student Beans, so you can take advantage of student discounts on all your favourite brands when you head to university.
