What to do with

Crockery & cutlery

Crockery and cutlery cannot be recycled so please donate items that are still in a good, usable condition to charities or charity shops.

Disposable cutlery

This is often made from plastic or wood.

If it is made from wood then it can be placed in a garden waste collection to be composted. If it is made of plastic, owing to its small diameter it is unlikely they will be recycled as it will fall out during a process designed to remove small items of contamination.

The best thing to do is avoid using disposable cutlery if possible. An EU Plastics Directive means that plastic cutlery will be phased out, including in the UK in due course.

Disposable plates and bowls

These can be made either from plastic or paper/card. If they are contaminated with food then they should either be wiped clean or not recycled.

As with disposable cutlery, the best thing to do is avoid using disposable plates and bowls if possible. An EU Plastics Directive means that disposable plastic plates and bowls will also be phased out, including in the UK in due course.