What happens if you put Books in the wrong bin?

Never put mouldy books in with paper recycling.

Where do Books go?

Charity shop, book bank or a street library. Paperbacks are recyclable as paper; hardbacks need the boards removing.

Donate or reuse

Books are wanted second-hand far more than people assume, and charity shops, book banks and community libraries all take them. Paperbacks that are genuinely unsellable — damaged, mouldy, outdated textbooks — go in the paper recycling as they are. Hardbacks have board covers with glue and cloth that pulping does not want, so tear the cover off and recycle the block. Mouldy books go in general waste, because mould spreads through a bale. A few councils exclude books from paper collections because of the spine glue, so check your local list.

How to prepare it

Offer sellable books to a charity shop or a book bank first.
Tear the cover off a hardback before recycling the pages.

What not to do

Never put mouldy books in with paper recycling.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to donate or reuse

Clothes and textiles Wearable: charity shop or clothing bank. Worn out: still the textile bank — damaged clothes are sorted for fibre and rag, not landfill.
Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables) Reuse first — charities collect free. Otherwise a bulky collection or the household waste centre.
Shoes and trainers Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.
Duvets and pillows Not the textile bank. Animal shelters take clean ones; otherwise household waste centre or general waste.
CDs, DVDs and cases Not kerbside recyclable. Donate playable discs; the polycarbonate needs a specialist and the cases are usually accepted separately.
Spectacles Opticians and charity collection boxes. Frames are reused, not shredded.
Wine corks Natural cork composts and there are collection schemes for it. Plastic "corks" go in general waste.

Common questions

Where do Books go?: Charity shop, book bank or a street library. Paperbacks are recyclable as paper; hardbacks need the boards removing.
What happens if you put Books in the wrong bin?: Never put mouldy books in with paper recycling.

Where do Clothes and textiles go? Wearable: charity shop or clothing bank. Worn out: still the textile bank — damaged clothes are sorted for fibre and rag, not landfill.
Where do Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables) go? Reuse first — charities collect free. Otherwise a bulky collection or the household waste centre.
Where do Shoes and trainers go? Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.
Where do Duvets and pillows go? Not the textile bank. Animal shelters take clean ones; otherwise household waste centre or general waste.
Where do CDs, DVDs and cases go? Not kerbside recyclable. Donate playable discs; the polycarbonate needs a specialist and the cases are usually accepted separately.
Where do Spectacles go? Opticians and charity collection boxes. Frames are reused, not shredded.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste recycling centre

Sources

US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked