What you put in your yellow kerbside recycling bin should be simple right? Glass, plastic and paper? Well yes and no.

It all depends on the type of waste product and the ability of recycle plants to handle and sell it.

Southland's three territorial councils each provide their ratepayers with a yellow recycle bin and red general waste bin. These are collected on alternate weekdays.

Recycling is delivered to Recycle South's Invercargill plant, while general waste is destined for AB Lime's landfill near Winton.

Glass bottles and jars are all good to recycle, but cookware, pyrex, window mirror and drinking glass are not so must be put in your red general waste bin.

Likewise aluminium foil and trays, aerosols, lids, tops, caps, pumps and trigger sprays are not recyclable so also destined for land fill via your red bin.

Sorting plastics is a little trickier, with households needing to first identify what type of plastic it is before disposing.

If your plastic waste has a 1,2 or 5 within its triangle icon, then it's good to recycle, however plastics with a 3,4,6 or 7 will all need to go into your red bin.

Batteries are recyclable but, because they can cause fires and other health and safety issues, cannot be disposed of through the red or yellow bin system.

All batteries must be either dropped off at Pheonix Metalman's drop off point at 297 Bond Street, Invercargill, or at any of the four Southland-based Mitre 10 stores.

Tetra Pak (Liquid Paperboard Packaging) containers are also not currently recyclable through the yellow bin system, however they can be dropped for recycling to The Batch Cafe, 173 Spey Street, Invercargill. Tetra Pak's should be cut and flattened before being rinsed and dried. Plastic lids and straws can remain with them for recycling.

Washing but not squashing your recycling is encouraged, as well as removing any lids and tops, and flattening those boxes.

Avoid overfilling your bin or making it too heavy - to ensure a seamless collection.

Also check your collection day by CLICKING HERE

SUMMARY OF RECYCLABLE ITEMS

YES

• Plastic containers numbers 1, 2 & 5
• Glass bottles and jars
• Steel, aluminium, and tin cans
• Advertising mail and envelopes
• Newspapers and magazines
• Paper and cardboard packaging

NO

• No dead animals, no green waste, no building waste. Remember recycling is hand sorted!
• Plastic bags (full or empty)
• Food scraps
• Clothing, shoes and bedding
• Hazardous waste, chemicals and empty aerosol cans
• All types of batteries
• Nappies
• Polystyrene
• Cookware, pyrex, window mirror and drinking glass
• Electronic and electrical items
• Medical waste
• Garden waste
• Gas bottles and pressurised canisters

Source: Wastenet.org.nz