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What happens to my recycling?

Silver bin recycling

After it’s collected, the recycling from your silver bin is taken to Veolia’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Mansfield.

The MRF processes recycling from all Nottinghamshire councils and is operated by Veolia who manage Nottinghamshire's Waste Management on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council. 

The £14 million facility processes around 350 tonnes of recyclables every day - that’s around 85,000 tonnes per year.

What happens to my silver bin recycling at the MRF?

Using various techniques, from hand picking to hi-tech machinery, the mixed recyclables are separated and sorted. They can then be sent to manufacturers and re-processors to be made into new items.

The hi-tech and complex process at the MRF operates on weekdays from 6am to midnight. 

Silver bin contamination

Contamination is when the wrong items are put into your recycling bin.

There are two types of contamination:

  • when something which cannot be recycled is placed in your silver bin
  • when items such as a pizza box with traces of food on it contaminates other items, especially paper, meaning they can no longer be recycled

Contamination can cause many problems at the recycling facility. Sometimes whole loads of recyclable waste have to be rejected.

The amount of contaminated recycling across Nottinghamshire is rising and we need everyone to help reduce this.

Always check what items can go in your silver bin for recycling waste. Also ensure that all recyclable items that have come into contact with food are thoroughly washed out, removing all traces of food.

Remember: if in doubt, leave it out.

Kerbside glass recycling

The glass collected through our Kerbside Glass Recycling scheme is colour separated by the latest colour separating technology with any piece of glass bigger than a 20p piece being identified and colour separated and then crushed and melted, before being reformed into a new product.

We want to recycle more and reduce the amount of glass that is sent to an ERF (Energy Recovery Facility), where glass is incinerated for energy recovery, because this is inefficient as glass is an infinitely recyclable material. The European glass federation, FEVE, estimates that every tonne of recycled glass produces 670 fewer kilograms of carbon dioxide than new glass.

Remember: if in doubt, leave it out.