In one of our very first posts back in August, we talked about what can be recycled in our lovely port city of Portsmouth, both at kerbside and at recycling banks scattered across the city.
To quickly recap, the council kerbside collection accepts metal cans, tins and aerosols, plastic bottles, paper and cardboard as well as small electrical equipment (WEEE). Easy peasy lemon squeezy as I (Tamara) don’t have to leave my house.
For those adventurous souls who like to venture into the great outdoors, there is a mix of council, charity, and supermarket recycling banks across the city that accept a variety of materials – mostly textiles, glass jars and bottles, and printer cartridges. But let’s not forget my piece de resistance – mixed plastics at Sainsbury’s.
Though I am pleased I can reduce my waste through recycling mixed plastics, it does require more effort than kerbside collection as I have to leave my house – you know how I feel about that!! I have rocked up to Sainsbury’s Farlington with a car full to the brim – and this is no exaggeration – with mixed plastics from my household, my next-door neighbour, and at least 5 other people from Portsmouth Green Party who don’t have cars. And then…prepare yourself for the horror….the recycling bank is overflowing and I have to take it all back home again. Bloody pain, I tell you! First world problems, I know – but incredibly frustrating nonetheless! So much so, I took it upon myself to contact Sainsbury’s to ask about their scheduled emptying of the banks and they notified me that they had ordered a second bin to the store to accommodate all the recyclable plastic. I’m rock ‘n roll like that!
Enough of my ranting. Let’s turn our green dial up and look at the other household bits and bobs that can also be recycled in Pompey at supermarket collection points and recycling banks.
Household Batteries
Collection bins for domestic batteries can be found in most chain supermarkets – and not just the larger superstores but also, for example, your local Tesco Express. Check the supermarkets you frequent the most and I guarantee you will find a battery collection bin. My nearest one is at my local Co-Op. You can also locate your nearest battery recycling online. A quick postcode search on Recycle More shows collection points at a variety of shops including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, One-Stop, Toys ‘R’ Us, Debenhams, Mothercare, and Maplin Electronics – but remember not all options are necessarily listed online or in one place.
Since 2010, a change in the law means that larger providers that sell batteries also need to provide in-store collection for used batteries. Tesco has battery-recycling points at all Express, Metro, Superstore, and Extra stores and also accepts batteries from mobile phones, laptops, hearing aids, watches, cameras, cordless power tools, electric toothbrushes, razors and hand-held vacuum cleaners. Sainsbury’s also offer a take back scheme for all portable waste batteries. Lots of other stores also have collection bins for batteries – just keep your eyes peeled.
It is so important to recycle batteries as if disposed of in landfill they can leach chemicals into the ground causing soil and water pollution. The majority of our waste in Pompey is incinerated and burning batteries can cause atmospheric pollution. A large proportion of batteries bought in the UK are not recycled and end up with household waste. Prevent these toxins from entering our environment and recycle your batteries!
You can also consider switching to rechargeable batteries which are a greener, more cost-effective option and can also be recycled at the end of their lifespan!
A final note, check the batteries of your smoke alarms and, unless it is a ten-year alarm, remember to change (and recycle!) the batteries once a year.
Plastic Carrier Bags
I have noticed collection points for recycling plastic carrier bags at some larger supermarkets such as the Commercial Road Sainsbury’s and the Palmerston Road Waitrose [and the Commercial Road and North Habour Tesco’s- Emma].
Some of these collection points also allow for other packaging films to be included such as plastic bread bags and the plastic wrappers from toilet roll and kitchen towel packs. I will write a follow-up post on this as I want to be sure of what exactly can be included before I send you off on a recycling pilgrimage!
Water Filters
Online search facilities have failed me on this one – however, luckily Emma, our Instagram Queen, spotted that the big Tescos at North Harbour has a recycling station for water filters cartridges. Other than Tescos, the only other option I am aware of is collection points for BRITA branded water filters. These can be recycled locally at Boots, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Argos, where boxes are provided for the collection of used Brita cartridges.
Cartons
Juice cartons, milk cartons, cartons for tomatoes and soup…I wish I could tell you these can be recycled locally. But sadly, they can’t. Don’t get me wrong, it is totally possible to recycle cartons and tetrapaks – Portsmouth City Council just doesn’t provide this facility.
Some of you have asked us if cartons can be recycled with kerbside recycling of paper and card or at Sainsbury’s mixed plastic banks. Good question but the answer is unfortunately no. This is because cartons are made of a mix of paper, plastic and aluminium foil and so would contaminate either the paper or plastics collection if included.
The nearest permanent carton recycling banks I have found through Recycle Now are in Bognor Regis and Chandlers Ford. Southampton City Council is currently trialling mixed plastics recycling banks which happily for our neighbouring city does include cartons (tetrapaks) as well as plastics like plastic meat and ready meal trays and plastic bottle tops. I am seriously jealous. This is my call to action – if Southampton can have cartons recycling, so can Pompey!!!
Energy Saving Light Bulbs
Let’s end on a bright note – haha, do you see what I did there? I am pleased to tell you that recycling light bulbs are pretty straightforward. Old style standard light bulbs cannot be recycled but energy saving light bulbs – which are a type of fluorescent lamp – can be recycled. Robert Dyas, Commercial Road Sainsbury’s and Curry’s PC World all have collection points/ recycling banks for energy saving light bulbs.
Have you spotted any recycling banks or collection points that I have missed? What other recycling facilities would you like to see in Portsmouth? Let us know in the comments below. And ’til next time, Happy Recycling!
Tracey McCulloch says:
Great work Tamara!! We went to Sainsbury’s at Cosham yesterday with loads. Very full mixed plastics bins..but managed to squeeze more in. V interested in the tetra pack and plastic food covering options..coz none ATM.
February 5, 2018 — 8:05 pm
Tamara says:
Hi Tracey,
Nice one on taking your plastics to Sainsburys Farlington. If the bin is overfull, I suggest you pop in store and let them know. This acts as a little nudge for them to arrange collection.
Thanks for the reminder re. the plastic food coverings – checking this out is still on my To-Do list – time to get it onto my Ta-Dah List!
Best, Tamara
February 28, 2018 — 7:34 pm
Tim's Emma says:
Hi again Tamara and Emma
I should be able to help with upcycling greeting cards! I can ask a couple of places we think take them and a struggling artist who definitely takes them… would you be able to ping me your contact details to pass on? Please?
October 22, 2018 — 7:56 pm
Editor says:
Hiya Emma,
That is brilliant! I still have a load of xmas cards for recycling that I keep forgetting to recycle in Jan. It’s such a small time window! I have such a bad habit of storing things to be recycled and they sit around my house for years! Lol.
Tamara (and Emma)
October 29, 2018 — 8:31 am
Gary says:
Hi Tamara, Great stuff. I noticed polystyrene packaging in the mixed plastic bin at Sainsburys Farlington. It would be great to follow the bin to its next destination to confirm that the plastic is sorted and downcycled. The mixed plastic bins in Southampton are an overflowing mess. Do they take polystyrene? Is this better than ecobricks?
Gary Millard
October 31, 2018 — 9:33 am
Editor says:
Hi Gary,
It is so frustrating to see things that can’t be recycled in the recycling banks. I think clearer packaging would really help as well as general recycling education for people.
As I mentioned in a reply to your previous message, we went on a tour of the Veolia recycling facilities in Portsmouth. It was heartening to see that they pick out (by hand!) the incorrect/ unrecyclable materials. I would hope that is the case with the Sainsburys mixed plastics recycling too.
As far as I am aware, the mixed plastics bins in Southampton don’t accept polystyrene. But if you live near Southampton, it is definitely worth checking. Sadly, the mixed plastics banks which were being trialed in Southampton have been removed The mixed plastics recycling banks have been removed. Southampton City Council’s website state it is ‘Due to unforeseen circumstances the company who emptied them has no end market for the lower grade plastic packaging.’ I am absolutely gutted by this as a successful trial in Southampton would have been a fab example for Portsmouth City Council to follow.
Re. eco-bricks, I have to plead ignorance. It is something I am aware of but I have my concerns re. plastics leaching into the ground and also with us foisting our waste onto poorer countries. It is on my list of things to research so I can make a reasoned decision on where I stand. What are your thoughts on eco-bricks?
Best wishes,
Tamara (and Emma)
November 6, 2018 — 7:36 pm
Heather Rose says:
We are now also practicing to do recycling in our community. I think that it is a great way to reduce the waste in the environment which are bad for the nature and people. I hope that the other countries or places will be inspired to do recycling too. Thanks for sharing these article.
August 10, 2018 — 1:38 am
emma says:
Hi Heather,
Thanks so much for your comment.
Tamara and I wish you the best in your recycling journey and please let us know if you have any questions.
Best,
Emma (and Tamara)
August 10, 2018 — 7:38 am
Gary says:
Long life bulbs apparently are wanted unbroken for the gas? I wonder what happens after that?
October 31, 2018 — 9:26 am
Editor says:
Hi Gary,
Thanks for your comment. I have to admit I have never thought about the recycling process of lightbulbs. You have given me food for thought and google!
Emma and I did go on a tour of Veolia’s waste and recycling facilities (no bulbs there) and will be writing a post on our experience soon.
Best wishes,
Tamara (and Emma)
November 6, 2018 — 7:27 pm
Catryn Fray Rose says:
Hi Tamara,
We are new residents in Southsea, having moved down from Worcester, and we are having trouble adjusting to the lack of kerbside recycling options. I think Worcester is up there with the amount you can recycle in the household bins. I was very pleased to find your advice. It is great to know that there is somewhere for plastics at Sainsburys so we will definitely be making a trip there soon. Are you able to tell me who it is best to write to to voice my concerns as I feel it is very important to be able to recycle as much as possible?
November 20, 2018 — 12:06 pm
Editor says:
Hi Catryn,
First of all, welcome to Southsea! I hope you are settling in and discovering all the joys of Pompey.
I am so chuffed you will be recycling your hard plastics at Sainsbury’s recycling banks – it is such an under-reported resource, I’m pleased to get the word out!
Re. your question with who to write to re. recycling in Portsmouth – in May of this year, I attended a Zero Waste Portsmouth Question and Answer session on Recycling in Portsmouth with Colette Hill, Portsmouth City Council Officer who manages waste and recycling and Councillor Dave Ashmore, Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety. You can read the minutes from the Q&A here: https://zerowasteportsmouth.wordpress.com/qa-on-recycling/
Their email addresses are and . Another avenue is to contact your local councillors who you can find here: https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1
Hope that helps,
Tamara (and Emma)
November 22, 2018 — 8:46 am
Peter Churchill says:
Unfortunately Robert Dyas are unable to accept Energy Saving Lightbulbs for recycling..
January 9, 2019 — 2:57 pm
Ian Johnson says:
Asda Fratton now have a recycle point for fruit juice cartons. You mentioned in your post that this was one you hadn’t managed to find, so I thought I’d post this comment as an update. Good news!
February 11, 2019 — 11:46 am
Editor says:
Wonderful news! Now I just need to find somewhere local for recycling foil…! 🙂
Thanks for sharing the news!
Best,
Tamara (and Emma)
February 16, 2019 — 8:23 am
Goyum says:
Good post. Let’s not forget to recycling papers, plastics and bottles. It’s perfectly acceptable these days.
March 13, 2019 — 10:04 am
Editor says:
Absolutely. Keeping recyclables out of the waste stream is imperative. In Portsmouth, paper and plastic bottles are collected at kerbside. There are also numerous recycling banks across the city for paper and card, two mixed plastics recycling banks and one cartons recycling bank. No reason not to recycle!
March 20, 2019 — 10:12 am
Mary says:
Hi. You did a great job on this. So helpful to those new at it. So, did I understand, cartons can be recycled at Farlington Sainsbury’s.?
September 20, 2019 — 11:59 am
Tamara says:
Hi Mary,
I am glad you have found this recycling post useful. Yes, cartons can be recycled at Farlington’s Sainsburys and the Commercial Road Sainsburys. I assume it is any big Sainsburys nationally but I am not sure as I have only used the local Pompey ones.
Best wishes,
Tamara (and Emma)
September 27, 2019 — 9:52 am
keith says:
does anyone know where I can recycle loads of kids toys (cuddly, board games toys, etc.). Any kids charities or childrens centres I could approach ? I have half a room full
March 17, 2019 — 11:03 pm
Tamara says:
Hi Keith,
A few options spring to mind – local charity shops are my usual go-to choice.
Portsmouth Hospitals Charity Shop would welcome toys etc. Please note soft toys must have the CE logo on them.
https://www.porthosp.nhs.uk/get-involved/fundraising/donatingtothecharityshop.htm
Another option is to donate to the local domestic abuse refuge as many children have had to leave their favourite toy behind. Only toys that are in good condition can be accepted and cuddly toys need to be new due to health and safety issues.
https://southerndas.org/support-us/
There are a plethora of suggestions online, and hopefully our suggestions will help!
Let us know who you end up donating all the toys to!
Best wishes,
Tamara (and Emma)
March 20, 2019 — 1:12 pm
piemage says:
We have to recycle the unuseable water bottles i agree with your review.
June 10, 2019 — 11:05 am
Kat Martin says:
A few years ago I saw Polystyrene recyling but unfortunately not in the UK. A recycling centre had huge skips for polystyrene and when they were full someone spent couple of hours compressing it into large bricks. We were told it was high value when they had a tonne of compressed polystyrene but it took a fair while to get that much so it wasnt cost effective for most recycling companies. It would be good if a way could be found to do this here.
June 24, 2019 — 9:20 am
Al says:
Hello,
I live in Portsmouth.
Does this mean that polystyrene has to go in the food waste bin?
Thank you.
Al
August 4, 2019 — 7:38 am
Tamara says:
Hi Al,
As far as I am aware, polystyrene can’t be recycled in the UK at the mo and should go into your waste bin. It definitely shouldn’t go into the food waste bin.
Best,
Tamara (and Emma)
August 23, 2019 — 11:35 am
Deborah says:
Tetra Pak recycling is now available at Asda carpark ( back of The Bridge Centre)
Sainsbury’s at the top of Commercial Road now offer a mixed hard plastics bin – yoghurt tubs, meat trays, fruit punnets and so on.
October 21, 2019 — 12:31 pm
Sara M says:
Tetrapak cartons can be recycled in the bin, located in the car park of Asda in Fratton. Only one in the city at the moment but better than none at all. Any suggestions regarding what to do with foil containers would be really helpful, if anyone can tell me. Thank you.
October 31, 2019 — 10:30 am
Tamara says:
Hi Sara,
I have good news for you! Currently, there are three carton recycling banks in the city (Asda at Bridge Centre in Fratton, Morrisons at Anchorage Park and at Alex Way by Mountbatten).
Check out our updated guide to Recycling in Portsmouth here: https://greenpompey.org.uk/shades-of-green/2019/09/12/how-to-recycle-in-portsmouth-in-2019/
Re. foils, you can drop them off at St Mary’s Church in Fratton, 9am-12pm, Monday to Friday.
Best,
Tamara (and Emma)
November 22, 2019 — 8:13 am
Kate Jones says:
There is a recycling bin for tetrapaks at ASDA in the middle of Portsmouth.
March 13, 2020 — 9:44 am
Tamara says:
Hi Kate,
Thanks for your message.
Yes, you are absolutely right, there are three carton recycling locations now in Portsmouth. These can be found at the Asda in Fratton, Anchorage Park Morrisons, and Mountbatten Center carpark on Alex Way. This is an old post and we have an updated post that reflects this: https://greenpompey.org.uk/shades-of-green/2019/09/12/how-to-recycle-in-portsmouth-in-2019/
Thanks for reading!
Tamara (and Emma)
March 13, 2020 — 10:02 am
Itzi says:
Hi, does anybody know if there is any other plastic recycling banks apart from Sainsburys? All the bins are being replaced and they’ve taken away the old ones, but I’ve been told it will be 6 weeks until the new ones are there.
March 3, 2021 — 8:19 pm
Tamara says:
Hi Itzi,
Unfortunately, Sainsbury’s is the only place I know that has recycling banks for mixed plastic. As you mentioned, the mixed plastics recycling banks at Sainsbury’s Farlington are being replaced and should be available at the end of March. I haven’t been there to check if the new ones are there yet but will report after my next trip.
Best,
Tamara (and Emma)
March 28, 2021 — 8:42 pm
Dave Barnes says:
Hi Tamara
Do you know if Waitrose or anywhere else is taking the plastic bag recycling with the ♻️ symbol on it? I have a load from IKEA that has the logo.
Thanks
Dave
August 18, 2021 — 9:58 am
Tamara says:
Hi Dave.
Thanks for your question. So the symbol ♻️ is called a Mobius Loop and it indicates that the product can be recycled. On plastic items, it should have a number from 1-7 in the middle of the looping arrows. This number indicates the type of plastic and how it should be recycled. If the Ikea bags have the number 4 in the centre (Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) – resin ID code 4) then you are good to recycle them in the carrier bag recycling.
I do remember the Waitrose on Marmion Road having a carrier bag/soft plastics recycling bank in store but I haven’t been there for a while. The big Tesco’s at Fratton has one just inside the entrance before you go up the stairs to the main shopping level. Many Coop’s also now have soft plastics recycling instore, though I have noticed that they often are overfilled. The Sainsbury’s in Farlington also has a recycling box instore for soft plastics. So lots of choices for you! 🙂
You can use Recycle Now’s Recycling Locator tool to check for your nearest recycling facilities for carrier bags, bread bags and other recyclable plastic packaging: https://www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/plastic-film
All the best,
Tamara (and Emma)
August 18, 2021 — 3:28 pm
David Barnes says:
Tamara (and Emma)
Thanks a lot the Coop on Albert Road seems to accept the widest selection of soft plastics which is great. Now need to start a soft plastics recyling bag!
August 19, 2021 — 7:25 am
Pat says:
Boots at Ocean Park do not collect old energy saving light bulbs or batteries.
January 31, 2022 — 2:07 pm