Helping students recycle

Replacing recycling bins, bags and boxes

There are different containers for recycling depending on where you live in Durham City - a blue-lidded bin, communal bins, a green recycling bag and a box. If you aren't sure which recycling containers you should have then you can contact us to find out.

If your property does not have a recycling bag or box (and your street does not have communal bins) we'll send you a replacement free of charge. You can Ask for a new bin or bin repair.

There is a £25 charge for a replacement rubbish or recycling bin. If you think your property is missing a rubbish or recycling bin you should contact your landlord.

Finding out when your collection day is

Please enter your house number and postcode into My Durham. You can download a collection calendar which tells you when your bins will be emptied.

Waste and the environment

Our use of natural resources has become unsustainable, which is causing harm to the environment and contributing to climate change. Waste prevention, reuse, repair and recycling all contribute to moving England further towards a circular economy and reducing our uptake of natural resources.

It is estimated that recycling alone has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 10.4-11.2Gt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions between 2020-2050, which would be equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide Japan emits in a year. We've declared a Climate emergency.

Recycling

What goes in your recycling bin or bag

Plastic pots, tubs and trays, cartons, cans, aerosols, foil, paper and cardboard can all be recycled in your recycling bin or bag. Find a full list of A-Z household waste items in our Reuse and recycling A-Z.

Don't put your recycling into black bags - put the items loose into the bin. If you have extra recycling and it won't fit in your bin, put it into a clear or see-through plastic bag and leave it next to your recycling bin. 

What goes in your recycling box

Glass bottles and jars can be recycled in your recycling box or in the communal bins labelled glass.

Rubbish

What goes in your rubbish bin

Please place all domestic household waste that cannot be recycled, such as food waste, polystyrene and cleaning wipes, in your rubbish bin.

Other information

If in doubt, keep it out of your recycling bin - if you're unsure whether you can recycle an item, leave it out of your recycling bin and put it in your rubbish bin. 

It's really important that you follow these guidelines as it helps to reduce contamination and means we can recycle, reuse or compost more of your waste. If you put wrong items in the wrong bin, this could result in the whole bin lorry load being classed as contaminated and rejected for recycling. 

A detailed page on what goes in which bin can be found at What goes in which bin?.

More information: Watch a handy video on recycling in County Durham

Small electrical waste and vape recycling

Unused or broken electrical items, small enough to fit in a carrier bag, batteries and vaping devices and e-cigarettes can be taken to one of our recycling points. Please don't put them in any of your bins as they can cause fires. You can take small electrical items to:

•   Clayport Library 8 Millennium Place, Durham DH1 1WA
•    St John's Church, Crossgate Peth, Neville's Cross, County Durham, DH1 4DU (small electrical recycling only)
•    Freeman's Quay Leisure Centre, Freeman's Pl, Durham DH1 1SW. 

A full list of our collection points across County Durham can be found on Waste electrical and electronic equipment (weee) recycling.

Batteries 

Do not put batteries of any kind in any of your bins. They can cause fires in our refuse vehicles or at the waste sorting facilities. Most supermarkets have battery recycling areas or you can take them to one of our small electrical recycling points. 

What happens if you put the wrong things in the wrong bin

You will find a yellow sticker on your bin and a letter through your door to help you to understand how to 'Bin it right'. You may also receive a home visit to explain recycling in more detail. 

If you continue to place non-recyclable items in your recycling bin, it will not be collected and you will receive an orange sticker and will have to remove the contamination and place your bin out on next collection day. 

Green Move Out

Green Move Out is a partnership project between us, Durham University, County Durham Furniture Help Scheme (CDFHS) and Durham Constabulary. Aimed at Durham University students moving out of their 'livers out' accommodation in Durham City and those leaving college accommodation, its purpose is to encourage students to leave Durham clean and tidy and to donate unwanted items for reuse.

Students moving out are issued purple bags to fill with donated items they no longer need. These items include clean clothing, paired shoes, clean bedding, books, electrical items, pots and pans, crockery and cutlery (wrap if fragile or sharp) and tins of food (in date). Items must be in good, clean condition as they will be reused. These unwanted items can be placed in the purple bags provided, the bag tied shut and placed at the front of the property for collection. Wash your hands before and after filling the bag and before and after placing the bag out for collection. These bags will be collected by CDFHS and your items will be reused to support those in need in the local area. If you have items which are too large to be placed in the bags, such as furniture, please contact CDFHS on 01388 721 509 to arrange collection.

Streets where the Green Move Out collections will take place

If you live in one of the following streets, you'll receive a purple bag:

Bus Station

Allergate DH1 4ET
Allergate Terrace DH1 4ES
Atherton Street DH1 4DF
East Atherton Street DH1 4DG
Mitchell Street DH1 4DQ
Neville Street DH1 4EY
New Street DH1 4DH

Viaduct

Flass Street DH1 4BE
Hawthorn Terrace DH1 4EL and DH1 4EQ
Holly Street DH1 4ER
John Street DH1 4DE
Juniper Way DH1 4GZ
Laburnum Avenue DH1 4HA
Lawson Terrace DH1 4EW
May Street DH1 4EN
Mistletoe Street DH1 4EP
Mowbray Street DH1 4BH
Sutton Street DH1 4DD
Waddington Street DH1 4BG

Sands

Ferens Close DH1 1JX
Orchard Drive DH1 1LA
Wearside Drive DH1 1LE

Whinney Hill

Whinney Hill DH1 3BD, DH1 3BE, DH1 3BG and DH1 3BQ

Church / Hallgarth

Back Mount Joy DH1 3AZ
Boyd Street DH1 3DP
Church Street DH1 3DG and DH1 3DQ
Church Street Head DH1 3DN
Hallgarth Street DH1 3AT, DH1 3AY and DH1 3BB
Hallgarth View DH1 3BH
High Wood View DH1 3DT
High Wood Terrace DH1 3DS
Mavin Street DH1 3AU
Mount Joy Crescent DH1 3BA
The Hallgarth DH1 3BJ
Union Place (off Stockton Road) DH1 3DR

Elvet

Elvet Crescent DH1 3AP
Old Elvet DH1 3HL, DH1 3HN, DH1 3JR and DH1 3LZ
Three Tuns DH1 3AQ

Fram Peth

Highgate DH1 4GA
Sidegate DH1 5SY

Peninsula

Saddler Street DH1 3NP, DH1 3NU and DH1 3PG

Claypath

Claypath DH1 1QS, DH1 1QT, DH1 1RG and DH1 1RP
Gilesgate DH1 1QN and DH1 1QW
Leazes Place DH1 1RE
Providence Row DH1 1RS

Gilesgate (Sunderland Road)

Bradford Crescent DH1 1ER, DH1 1HL and DH1 1HW
Heaviside Place DH1 1JF, DH1 1JG and DH1 1JH
Musgrave Gardens DH1 1PJ, DH1 1PL and DH1 1PN
Wakenshaw Road DH1 1EP and DH1 1EW
Wynyard Grove DH1 2QJ
Young Street DH1 2JU

Kepier

Douglas Villas DH1 1JL
Ellis Leazes DH1 1JJ
Mayorswell Close DH1 1JU
Mayorswell Field DH1 1JW
Mayorswell Street DH1 1LQ
Renny Street DH1 1JN
Wanless Terrace DH1 1RU

Crossgate

Alexandria Crescent (St Margaret's Garth) DH1 4EE
Brierville DH1 4QE
Colpitts Terrace (St Margaret's Garth) DH1 4EG
Crossgate DH1 4PR, DH1 4PS and DH1 4PY
Nevilledale Terrace DH1 4QG
Palatine View DH1 4QQ
Summerville DH1 4QH
The Avenue DH1 4EB and DH1 4ED

Gilesgate (Upper)

Gilesgate DH1 1HY, DH1 1JA, DH1 1QG, DH1 1QH and DH1 1QQ
St. Giles Close DH1 1XH
The Sidings DH1 1HS

Neville's Cross

Hastings Avenue DH1 3PY, DH1 3QG and DH1 3QQ
Lowes Barn Bank DH1 3QJ and DH1 3QL
Neville Terrace DH1 4AH
Neville's Cross Bank DH1 4JF, DH1 4JP, DH1 4JQ, DH1 4JR, DH1 4JS, DH1 4JT and DH1 4JW
Ward Court DH1 4PL
Cross View Terrace DH1 4JY and DH1 4JX