How do I recycle my stuff?

Many of our unwanted items are nestling a secret second life within, just waiting to be re-born into something new and beautiful. Plastic bottles can be transformed into everything from warm clothes to bags, wine bottle corks can be reinvented as tiles. Recycling everything we possibly can cuts down on pollution, saving on energy and raw materials, landfill space, and carbon emissions.

So what to do and where?

Firstly, your handy blue and black boxes will take a whole host of recyclables - cans, glass, batteries, engine oil, clothing... check out the full list of what they'll take here. If you've got large bulky items, or a broken appliance, the council can come and collect it for you. And on the off-chance you were wondering exactly where all the stuff you recycle ends up, read on here...

Aluminium can be recycled forever without losing any of its quality, and recycling a can saves a staggering 95% of the energy it would take to make it new. If you wanted you could recycle your cans for charity or even help plant fruit trees in Africa.

For those trickier items hanging round your home, like old CDs, floppy disks, paint pots and the like, the incomparable ‘How can I recycle this?' is overflowing with helpful advice and suggestions.

If you happen to have pairs of specs lying around the house don't bin them! There are around 300 million people in the developing world who could use a pair of glasses just to lead a more normal life. Donate yours to someone else who could use them.

Old PCs can be donated to Computeraid who'll wipe all the data and pass them on to be re-used in schools and communities in developing countries. And if you've got old unwanted furniture and electrical items hanging around, send them along to the Furniture Re-use Network and help families in need.

And get those drawers decluttered! Whether stuffed with old keys, broken (or working) watches, jewellery, old coins and more, Guide Dogs for the Blind can turn them all into much needed cash. And printer cartridges, mobile phones, PDAs and IT Equipment can all be recycled for charity by organisations like Greensource.

Have you been reusing, recycling, or donating your stuff? Tell us all about it here and be in with the chance of winning £25 iTunes vouchers!

SHARE THIS