Metals

See automotive.

Nearly all aerosols are CFC-free but most replacements contain other greenhouse gases which are not environmentally friendly. Preferably buy pump sprays instead of aerosols. The cans can be disposed of with your general household rubbish, and will be extracted at the Resource Recovery Facility.

Do not crush or place the cans on a fire.

Many air fresheners come in either aerosol cans or small plastic units; both should be disposed of with your general household rubbish.

Why not experiment by making your own air freshener using a refillable spray bottle filled with water and a small amount of essential oil.

Aluminium cans won’t stick to a magnet as they are made of non-ferrous metal. You can support local charity Haylands Farm by squashing and taking them to a mini recycling site. Alternatively, the cans can be placed with your general household rubbish, and will be extracted at the Resource Recovery Facility..

Recycling aluminium cans saves 95% of the energy needed to make them from raw materials.

Foil milk bottle tops, or pie containers should not be placed in the aluminium can recycling bins as these create problems during reprocessing.

All foil items can be placed with your general household rubbish, and will be extracted at the Resource Recovery Facility.

Unwanted bicycles in good order could be reused. Bicycles are also collected, repaired, and resold by Re-Cycle-D. Contact Al Sheath on 01983 409744, or visit him at Unit 6, Marsh Close off College Close, Sandown, Isle of Wight. You can also visit www.re-cycle-d.co.uk or email [email protected].

They can also be disposed of at one of the household waste recycling centres.

Aluminium: see aluminium cans
Steel: see steel cans

Commerical CDs (not home-made) can be reused through charity shops, freecycle, or try selling them at car-boot sales, or through online sellers such as e-bay.

Unwanted CDs can also be used as bird deterrence in the garden when hung up around vegetable plots etc. or reused as drinks coasters.

Kitchen utensils can be reused. Or dispose of them with your ordinary rubbish.

N.B. Please wrap sharp utensils and broken crockery in newspaper and place out with your rubbish in a separate, clearly labelled bag to protect the collection crew.

Do not place in a recycling bank, as they can explode when crushed. The cans can be disposed of with your general household rubbish, and metal cans are extracted at the Resource Recovery Facility for recycling, plastic deodorant bottles will be turned into fuel in the Resource Recovery Facility.

Do not crush or place on a fire

Old metal dustbins make ideal compost bins or why not convert your old bin into a water butt?

Alternatively take it to one of the household waste recycling centres

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) will take British coins, call their Fund Raising Enquiry Line on 0845 345 0054 for more details.
Oxfam also raise money from recycling coinage - call Oxfam's Stamps and Coins Unit on 01869 355 100.

See furniture and bulky items.

See tools

See household hazardous.

See scrap metal

Most products require some packaging for health or product information reasons but you can try to avoid buying items with excess packaging.
Packaging components include:

Paper and board

Plastics - rigid and flexible

Glass

Metals - tinplate and aluminium

Try to reduce the amount of waste packaging by:

Buying lightly or non-packaged products

Avoiding wasteful or gimmicky packaging

Refusing extra bagging

Using products with refillable containers whenever possible.

See also, plastics.

Many scrap metals can be reused / recycled by the scrap industry. If you have a large amount it will be worthwhile taking it directly to a scrap metal merchant:

Cliftongrade Ltd, Newport Road, Cowes: 01983 292611
Open Monday – Friday 08.00 – 17.00; Saturday – 08.00 – 13.00  
Look in the phone book for alternative merchants.

See Abandoned vehicles.

Tools for Self Reliance (www.tfsr.org) is a charity run by volunteers who refurbish tools to be sent abroad. They deliver aid to groups of artisans in poor communities, and ensure that the right tools get to the right hands.

Workaid (www.workaid.org) is a charity which helps tackle poverty in developing countries by supplying tools for those who are in need.

Feed the Children (www.feedthechildren,org.uk) is working with Nottcutts Garden Centres, they collect tools to help the children in developing countries.

Much of the wrapping paper available now is not paper, but plastic or foil coated.
If the wrapping paper is shiny, or will not stay scrunched in a ball it should be disposed of with your normal rubbish.