There are recycling facilities for the following materials in Cumbria: paper, cardboard, glass, plastic bottles and containers, cans, foil, textiles and shoes, green garden waste, oil, paint, batteries, electrical goods, metals, wood, rubble and soil. Recycling facilities vary between different locations and sites so follow the link to find out about your local HWRC, recycle point or kerbside collection facilities.

To find out more about your local HWRC call 01228 607644, email waste.management@cumbriacc.gov.uk or write to Cumbria County Council Waste Management, Barras Lane, Dalston, Carlisle, CA5 7NY.
To find out about recycling points or kerbside collections in your area, contact your relevant District Council:
Allerdale - 01900 607915, recycling@allerdale.gov.uk
Barrow - 01229 894950, recycling@barrowbc.gov.uk
Carlisle - 0845 050 2008, recycling@carlisle.gov.uk
Copeland - 01946 852585, info@copelandbc.gov.uk
Eden - 01768 817817, recycling@eden.gov.uk
South Lakeland - 01539 733333, recycling@southlakeland.gov.uk

There are several good reasons why you should recycle as much of your waste as possible…

If it's not recycled it really is wasted
By putting something that could be recycled in the bin and sending it to landfill we are needlessly burying useful resources. A huge proportion of what goes in your bin can be recycled and made into new products many times (saving raw materials and energy) or even composted at home (giving you free compost for your own garden).

By recycling and making compost at home you save valuable materials from being wasted.

Waste is bad for the environment
When waste is buried at landfill sites, it can cause a range of environmental problems such as the production of methane gas (a contributor to climate change) and a highly toxic liquid called leachate that can seep into watercourses, pollute the natural environment and cause health problems. Landfill sites also smell very unpleasant, attract vermin and cause a litter problem when items such as plastic bags are blown out of the site by strong winds.

By taking part in recycling you are cutting down the amount of waste that is sent to landfill sites.

There is no space left for waste
For many years, much of our waste has been buried in the ground at landfill sites and most of these huge holes in the ground in Cumbria and the rest of Britain are already full of our rubbish or will be filled up in the next few years. Finding new sites for landfill is very difficult because suitable land is scarce and nobody wants a landfill site near where they live, work or send their children to a school or in the countryside where it would damage wildlife and the natural environment.

By recycling you will reduce the need for landfill, helping to preserve natural resources and to protect the environment for you and for future generations.

Recycling is easy
More and more recycling facilities are becoming available in Cumbria, making it easier for you to recycle as much as possible. There are kerbside collections, Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and Recycling Bring Sites (often found at convenient locations such as supermarkets or leisure centres) all over the County. Follow the link to find your nearest facilities. You can also get a reduced price compost bin to recycle your kitchen and garden waste at home.

You can also call 01228 607644, email waste.management@cumbriacc.gov.uk or write to Cumbria County Council Waste Management, Barras Lane, Dalston, Carlisle, CA5 7NY to find out about your nearest HWRC.
You can also contact your relevant District Council to find out more about kerbside collections and recycling bring sites in your area:
Allerdale - 01900 607915, recycling@allerdale.gov.uk
Barrow - 01229 894950, recycling@barrowbc.gov.uk
Carlisle - 01228 817200, recycling@carlisle.gov.uk
Copeland - 01946 852585, info@copelandbc.gov.uk
Eden - 01768 212376, recycling@eden.gov.uk
South Lakeland - 01539 733333, recycling@southlakeland.gov.uk

You can also get a reduced price compost bin to recycle your kitchen and garden waste at home. Alternatively you can call the compost bin order line on 0845 077 0757.

It's easy to get into the recycling habit and the benefits (to you, the environment and future generations) are great!

The materials you collect for recycling are reprocessed (shredded, ground up or melted down) and made into new products. Visit www.recycle-more.co.uk (external link) for more detail on recycling processes!

Your recycled items can be made into a huge variety of new products (see the www.recyclenow.com (external link) for a selection of products made from recycled materials). Plastic bottles can be made into fleece jackets, glass can be recycled again and again into new bottles and jars without losing it's quality, aluminium cans can also be recycled many times and made into new cans (or cars!). Paper and card are pulped and recycled into new products such as toilet roll, cereal boxes, newspapers etc. Recycled paper can even be used to insulate your house! Visit www.recyclenow.com (external link) for more information on what happens to recycled materials.

Materials collected for recycling will only ever get sent to landfill if the load is badly contaminated in some way (e.g. a collection of glass containing Pyrex, safety glass or other treated glass cannot be processed as normal and would have to be disposed of). Care should be taken to only put the correct recyclable materials in designated containers and banks.

All bottles and jars can be recycled and should be separated by colour at glass banks (blue glass should go in green glass banks).

You should not place any of the following in your kerbside collection or in a glass bank as they cannot be recycled: light bulbs, Pyrex, pottery/crockery, tiles, panes of glass, safety glass or other treated/heatproof glass. If you have any undamaged crockery, Pyrex bowls, dishes etc they can be donated to a charity shop.

Find out more about recycling glass

No, this is not necessary but please rinse out your containers (especially food, drink and pet food containers) before recycling to prevent bad smells and vermin.

Buying recycled products has many benefits, including preventing the unneccesary use of raw materials and ensuring that the market for recycled materials remains strong, meaning that recycling schemes can continue. Look out for recycled versions of your usual purchases (especially 'everyday' items such as toilet roll, writing and printer paper) when you go shopping. If you can't find recycled products in the shops you visit, ask the store manager to start stocking recycled products and explain why it is important! Have a look at the Recycle Now website for an impressive range of recycled products and gift ideas.