Where do Cat litter go?

Bentonite clay litter is inert mineral and belongs in general waste; it is also heavy, which is why bin weight limits catch people out. Wood, paper and corn litters are compostable in principle, but cat faeces can carry Toxoplasma gondii oocysts, which survive composting and are the reason pregnant women are told to avoid litter trays. Urine-only clumps from a plant-based litter can go on an ornamental compost heap, but nothing from the tray should go near food crops. Flushing is out — sewage treatment does not reliably destroy the oocysts and it blocks pipes. A few councils cap bin weight in a way that catches out clay litter, so check your local rules.

How to prepare it

1. Bag it and knot the bag before it goes in the bin.
2. Scoop daily; oocysts take a day or more to become infective, so fresh removal reduces risk.
3. Wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards.

What not to do

• Never flush cat litter; it blocks drains and Toxoplasma survives sewage treatment.
• Never compost cat faeces for a vegetable garden.

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 general waste bin

• Used cooking oil Let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it in general waste — or take it to an oil bank.
• Polystyrene and foam packaging General waste almost everywhere. It is recyclable in principle and collected almost nowhere.
• Incandescent and halogen bulbs General waste, wrapped. They are not recyclable glass and not electrical waste either.
• Crisp packets and snack wrappers General waste, or a supermarket soft-plastics bin where one exists. Not the kerbside recycling.
• Broken glass Wrap it thickly and put it in general waste, unless it is a broken bottle or jar — those can go in the glass bin.
• Dried-out paint and empty tins Once the paint is solid, many councils take the tin in general waste or as scrap metal. Check yours, because this one genuinely varies.
• Cling film General waste. It is excluded even from soft plastic collections almost everywhere.
• Till receipts General waste. Thermal paper is coated, not printed, and it should not go in with paper or compost.
• Wet wipes and makeup wipes General waste. Never the toilet, whatever the packet says about flushability.
• Dog waste Bagged in general waste, or a dog waste bin. Not the food waste caddy, and not the compost heap.
• Nappies General waste, bagged. There is no kerbside recycling route for them anywhere in ordinary use.
• Medicine blister packs General waste in most places, or a pharmacy collection scheme where one exists.
• Greetings cards with glitter or foil Tear off the plain card and recycle that; the glittery part goes in general waste.
• Cigarette butts Put it out completely, then bin it. Filters are cellulose acetate plastic, and a live butt starts bin fires.