Where do Rubble, bricks and concrete go?

Brick, concrete and stone are inert and are crushed into aggregate, which is a genuine recycling route rather than a euphemism. Most household waste centres accept them in limited quantities from householders and many now charge, since DIY waste sits awkwardly between household and construction waste. Rubble is extremely heavy, so watch vehicle weight limits and never overload a bag. Keep it clean: rubble mixed with plasterboard, wood or plastic stops being inert and costs far more to handle. DIY waste charges are set locally and differ sharply between neighbouring councils.

How to prepare it

1. Keep rubble free of wood, plaster, plastic and soil.
2. Use rubble sacks rather than bin bags, and fill them half full.
3. Check your site's charges and quantity limits before loading up.

What not to do

• Never put rubble in a wheelie bin; the weight breaks the lifting mechanism and crews will refuse it.
• Never mix plasterboard into a rubble load.

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 household waste recycling centre

• Leftover wet paint Household waste centre or a community paint reuse scheme. Liquid paint is not accepted in any household bin.
• Car batteries (lead-acid) Garage, scrap yard or household waste centre. Lead-acid is the most successfully recycled consumer product there is.
• Used motor oil Household waste centre oil bank, or a garage that accepts it. One container of it contaminates an enormous volume of water.
• Small electricals (kettles, toasters, hair dryers) Electrical waste. Household waste centre, a shop take-back point, or a kerbside small-electricals sack if your council runs one.
• Pyrex and heat-resistant glassware Never the glass bin. Ovenware is formulated not to melt like bottle glass, and one fragment can ruin a whole batch.
• Televisions and monitors WEEE recycling. Old CRT sets contain several kilograms of leaded glass.
• CFL energy-saving bulbs Household waste centre or a shop take-back point. They contain mercury and must not be binned.
• LED bulbs Small electricals recycling. No mercury, but they are electronics, not glass.
• Drinking glasses and wine glasses Not the glass bin. Tableware glass has a different composition from bottle glass.
• Smoke alarms Household waste centre or manufacturer return. Ionisation alarms contain a tiny sealed radioactive source.
• Crockery, mugs and ceramics Not glass and not recyclable at the kerb. Donate what is whole; broken pieces go to the household waste centre or general waste.
• Fluorescent tubes Household waste centre, intact. Mercury inside, and a tube that breaks in transit is a spill.
• Camping gas canisters and butane cartridges Household waste centre, as gas cylinders — not the metal skip and never a bin, whether or not they feel empty.
• Fire extinguishers Household waste centre or a fire equipment company. It is pressurised until a professional has discharged it.