Circular economy

A circular economy aims to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible through reduction, repair, reuse and recycling.

By reducing waste, minimising resource extraction, and lowering emissions a circular economy can reduce the environmental impacts of our consumption.

Attend a repair cafe

We funded multiple repair cafes through our Microgrant program and during Sustainable September.

Repair cafes allow you to bring your broken items to be repaired for free or for a small donation.

View a map of repair groups in the UK.

Donate, sell, and share your items

Please consider donating your unwanted items to charity instead of dumping them at the tip. This helps raise funds for charities and reduces waste disposal costs.

You can donate:

  • Furniture
  • White goods
  • Electrical items
  • Books
  • Vinyl records
  • Household bric-a-brac

Find out how to donate, sell, share and repair.

Donate to the Rework Workshop

If you have an item you don't need and don't want to mend and keep, you can donate it to the Rework Workshop at Smugglers Way. The workshop will repair your donation and pass it onto charities.

Find out more about the Rework Workshop.

Recycle your waste

Rinse and separate your recyclables in your recycling bin for collection, or use one of our public recycling banks.

Garden waste

Garden waste can be composted at home, taken to a recycling centre, or be collected as refuse.

Find out how to recycle garden waste.

Food waste

We offer free food waste collections for households with enough space for a food waste caddy. Reducing food waste can save the average family with children £60 per month.

Find out how to recycle food waste.

Electricals

We offer a collection and recycling bank service for electrical items.

Find out how to recycle small electricals.

Free Mega Skip days

Mega Skip Days provide an opportunity for residents to dispose of bulky items for free.

Large skips are placed in neighbourhoods around the borough for all local residents to use. We now run Mega Skip Days twice a month, as they have led to a 16% reduction in fly-tipping.

Find out more about Mega Skips days.

Book a bulky and DIY waste collection

We can collect DIY waste produced during home improvements, as well as bulky waste items from your home.

This service is available to residents and residential landlords, but not to businesses.

Find out how to book a bulky waste and DIY waste collection.