I want to get rid of...

Report an abandoned vehicle to your local district council. It is a criminal offence to abandon a vehicle.

Looking to get rid of a vehicle? Did you know that we can do it for you.

Unsure if you get get rid of aerosols in your recycling collection? Contact your district council. If you're allowed to recycle them, make sure you do not squash or pierce the container.

Or take empty aerosols to any household waste recycling centre or a local recycling bank for no charge.

This includes:

• foil
• food trays
• milk bottle tops.

Check with your local district council if you can get rid of aluminium as part of your weekly recycling collection.

Or take to any: household waste recycling centres (metal container) or local recycling bank for no charge.

Waste asbestos is accepted at all of our household waste recycling centres in Kent with the exception of the Sheerness site.

You may bring no more than 5 sacks (or equivalent) per month for free.

How to dispose of asbestos safely

The asbestos must be:

• double wrapped in heavy duty plastic bags (or sheeting) and secured with tape
• not sticking out from the packaging
• no more than 10 feet (3 metres) x 5 feet (1.5 metres)
• kept damp.

You must wear protective gloves and a face mask and do not break or cut it.

The asbestos container is kept locked for health and safety reasons. Please ask a member of staff on site to unlock the container for you. They will not be able to help you lift the asbestos.

For large quantities, or if you need someone to collect the asbestos, contact the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association for a company near you.

Contact your local district council to find out if they will collect it for you.  Or take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

If you're looking to get rid of your bathroom suite, ask your local council to see if they can collect it.

Or take it to any of our household waste recycling centres for free. Please note you can only get rid of one bathroom suite per visit.

Charges

If your bathroom suite is ceramic, and you exceed our free disposal limit there will be a charge. This includes:

• baths
• bidets
• ceramic bathrooms
• cisterns
• shower trays
• sinks
• toilet pans
• wash basins.

Find out more about the limits and charges.

Don't put batteries in your wheelie bins or black sacks. Most supermarkets and large shops that sell batteries have a collection point for recycling. Find your nearest collection point.

Car batteries

Take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Electric bike and scooter batteries

Take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Other batteries

Includes rechargeable, mobile phone and laptop batteries.

Take to :

• household waste recycling centres
• libraries
• schools

Or check if your local council collects.

If you are a Kent school, library, children's centre or Kent County Council facility and have a battery recycling box, arrange a collection by calling Valpak on 08450 682572 or visiting the Recycle More website.

Bikes can be taken to:

• second-hand cycle shops
• charities
• any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

You must take bitumen to a licensed waste management facility.

We can’t take anything containing bitumen at our household waste recycling centres.

Cans are usually disposed of as part of your recycling collection – check with your local council.

Or take to any:

• household waste recycling centres for no charge
• local recycling bank
• community project near you, to help them to raise money.

Please rinse and crush cans before recycling.

Cardboard and card is usually disposed of as part of your recycling collection – check with your local council.

Or take to any:

• household waste recycling centres for no charge
• local recycling banks.

Carpets can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centre for no charge.

The carpet should be cut into manageable sizes and secured/tied if possible. However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take the carpet to one of our HWRCs.

Or check whether:

• your local council collects
• a local charity or furniture re-use group will take it
• the supplier of your new carpet will take it away.

You can recycle your carrier bags by visiting supermarkets and using their carrier bag recycling facility, or asking if your local charity shop could use them.

You can report abandoned vehicles to your local council. It is a criminal offence to abandon a vehicle.

Get rid of your car for free

We can get rid of your vehicle for free if you don't want it anymore. Complete our vehicle surrender form, or call 03000 41 73 73.

You'll need the address and postcode of exactly where the vehicle is and a daytime phone number. We'll pass your form to a company which can arrange a date and time to collect the vehicle.

When the company collects the car

Please have the keys and log book ready so you can sign the vehicle over to the person collecting it.

They'll confirm the vehicle has been removed and destroyed and will let the DVLA know.

When you sign the vehicle surrender form you are confirming:

• you are the sole owner of the vehicle
• the vehicle is not registered on a hire purchase agreement
• you are surrendering ownership of the vehicle to us for free disposal
• you are indemnifying us and our contractor against any damage caused to your property while removing the vehicle
• there is no property left in the vehicle, other than the standard fittings supplied with the vehicle
• the vehicle is in a place where it can be removed by machine without difficulty by the contractor.

Cartons can be disposed of as part of your recycling collection.

However, with the combination of materials in Tetra Pak and other cartons it may mean they cannot easily be recycled.

Unsure what to put in your recycling bin at home? Check with your local council.

We recommend recycling your old CDs by taking them to a charity shop, or selling them online.

Alternatively, you can dispose of them at any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Chemicals (domestic hazardous waste, including antifreeze) can be taken to the following household waste recycling centres only:

• Ashford
• Dartford
• Maidstone
• Sandwich.

We cannot accept any amount of glycerin at our household waste recycling centres. Please contact a private company to arrange disposal.

See also - pesticides.

Real christmas trees

Take your christmas tree to any of our household waste recycling centres.

Or contact your local council and request a collection.

Artificial christmas trees

Artificial christmas trees can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge. However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take the christmas to one of our HWRCs.

To dispose of clinical waste, contact your local council for collection.

See also - disposal of medical needles.

Good quality clothes can be donated to charity shops or dropped off at a clothes bank.

Alternatively, take your clothes to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

To get rid of an old computer, check if your local council can collect it or if a local community group can re-use it.

Alternatively take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge. Before visiting please wipe personal files prior to recycling or reuse. We cannot accept responsibility for protecting personal data left on computers.

If you are a businesses, charity or an organisation, why not dispose of your unwanted IT equipment and assets easily, safely, securely and in a way that minimises the impact on the environment. Take a look at our device recycling scheme.

Cookers can be collected either by:

• your local council
• a local charity.

Or take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge. However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a cooker to one of our HWRCs.

Never pour cooking oil down the sink as it could congeal and solidify, causing a blockage.

You can bring your cooking oil to any of our household waste recycling centres, and place into the cooking oil containers for no charge.

What we do with cooking oil

The cooking oil that we receive is sent on to a treatment facility where it is reprocessed to make biofuels.

Cooking oil is recovered through a natural process of filtration and sedimentation. The oil is then left for two to five weeks where the sediment is removed and the lighter, purer oil is filtered to create biofuel.

The biofuel is then used in eco-friendly power stations to generate renewable energy used to power UK homes and businesses through the National Grid. No chemicals are added at any point throughout the recovery process.

Alternatively, find out how to get rid of cooking oil from businesses.

Dishwashers can be collected either by:

• your local council
• a local charity.

Take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge. However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a dishwasher to one of our HWRCs.

We recommend taking duvets and pillows to a charity shop or a homeless charity.

Or take them to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

We recommend recycling your old DVDs by taking them to a charity shop, or selling them online.

Or take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge.

We recommend recycling your old electrical items (if not broken) by taking them to a charity shop, or selling them online.

Alternatively:

• check whether your local council will collect
• take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Do not put electrical items in your bins.

Engine oil can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge (there's a special container for it). Due to capacity within the container, we recommended that no more than 5 litres is accepted at any one time.

Find out about getting rid of trade waste oil.

Small domestic fire extinguishers can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge (gas bottle container).

Business fire extinguishers need to be disposed of by a specialist company - search online or check local listings for details.

To dispose of fireworks safely, place them with your non-recyclable rubbish. Make sure you’ve soaked them first.

Always follow the firework code.

Put out with your non-recyclable rubbish.

Food waste is collected weekly by local borough or district councils in most areas of Kent. It is then recycled to produce fertiliser for farms and renewable biogas, which fuels thousands of homes!

Did you know, you can also produce compost from your food waste? It's a great way to feed your plants and improve your soil. Both options are much better for the environment than putting food waste in your bin.

Find out more about how to manage your food waste visit your local borough or district council website or Recycle Now to learn about home composting.

It’s easy to recycle food waste:

• Line your food waste bin (caddy) with newspaper, paper towel or biodegradable caddy liners.
• Feed your caddy any solid food waste including cooked foods, bones, tea bags and leftovers.
• Empty it regularly into your outdoor caddy for kerbside collections, or into your garden compost bin.

Discover what happens to food waste when it gets collected.

Collections

Fridges/ freezers can be collected either by:

• your local district council as bulky waste
• a furniture project (if working)
• a local charity (if working).

Take to a household waste recycling centre

Or you can take a fridge/ freezer to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge. Fridge and freezer drawers can be disposed of in the general waste container.

Old fridges and freezers are hazardous waste due to the gases they contain. The gases have to be recovered safely before the fridges and freezers can be recycled.

Please ensure that all food has been removed from fridges and freezers before delivery to HWRCs.

However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a fridge/freezer to one of our HWRCs.

For other kitchen items that may be chargeable visit our waste charges page.

Furniture projects can repair and re-use unwanted items:

• Necessary Furniture (covers Canterbury and surrounding area) - 01227 712680
• Emmaus Archcliffe Fort shop (covers Dover and Folkestone areas) - 01304 204550
• YMCA (covers Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks areas) - 01732 361108 / 01892 615612
• British Heart Foundation (covers most of Kent) - 0844 412 5000
• Pilgrims Hospice (covers all east Kent and as far as Tenterden) - 01227 640000
• Visit the Furniture Reuse Network website.

Bulky waste collections

Your local council may also collect you furniture through their bulky waste collection.

Household waste recycling centres

You can take your furniture to any of our household waste recycling centres (HWRC) but check the guidelines on upholstered seating.

We can reuse good quality, undamaged furniture at these HWRCs:

• Allington
• Ashford
• Canterbury
• Dover
• Maidstone
• Margate
• New Romney
• Pepperhill 
• Sheerness

However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take the furniture to one of our HWRCs.

Take your garden cuttings to any of our household waste recycling centres.

We accept the following when brought in black bags:

• grass
• leaves
• hedge trimmings
• plants and branches up to 10cm wide.

Empty your garden waste into the bins provided, do not place your black sacks into the containers.

We don’t accept invasive weeds such as ragwort or Japanese knotweed.

Charges

If you exceed our free disposal limit for one of the following items there will be a charge:

• soil
• gravel
• hardcore
• paving slabs
• rocks
• rubble
• sand
• soil
• stones.

Find out more about our limits and charges.

Garden waste bin

Residents can purchase a garden waste bin from their local council.

Plant pots

Plastic or fibreglass plant pots can be disposed of in the general waste container.

Whole plant pots or garden ornaments can be disposed of at our household waste recycling centres free of charge if they are made from the following materials:

• concrete
• clay
• wood
• metal.

If you exceed our free disposal limit on any ceramic, clay, or concrete rubble from plant pots there will be a charge.

Learn more about our limits and charges.

Gas bottles should be returned to where you bought them or contact the manufacturer.

Or take gas bottles (not calor gas bottles) to any of our household waste recycling centres.

We cannot accept calor gas bottles at our houesehold waste recycling centres. Visit the calor website for information on how to return your calor gas bottle.

Glass bottles and jars can usually be disposed of as part of your recycling collection – check with your local council.

Or take to any:

• household waste recycling centre, except Faversham
• recycling bank.

Sheets of glass can be taken to any of household waste recycling centres for no charge (ask staff for help).

Do not put sheet glass in bottle banks.

We recommend recycling your unwanted hangers (plastic or wooden) by:

• donating them to a charity shop or a local care home
• selling them online.

Alternatively, you can dispose of them at any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Hardcore can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centres.

Charges

If you exceed our free disposal limit for one of the following items there will be a charge:

• breeze blocks
• bricks
• cement - solidified (not powder)
• concrete - solidified (not powder)
• drain pipes
• flagstones
• granite
• gravel
• hardcore
• marble
• paving slabs
• rocks
• rubble
• sand
• soil
• stones
• tiles (ceramic, clay, slate).

Find out more about our limits and charges.

For larger quantities you may need to consider hiring a skip or a company to remove the material. Trade or business hardcore is business waste.

Check whether your local council will collect.

Or take to any of our household waste recycling centres.

Your district council collects your household waste bins, including garden waste and recycling, and bulky waste collections (furniture and white goods).

Contact your district council about:

• any issues with your bin collection
• garden waste collections
• any missing bins
• bulky waste collections.

Contact your local council

Or take any of the following to your nearest household waste recycling centre for no charge:

• cardboard and card
• garden waste
• glass
• paper
• plastic bottles.

Knives can be taken to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge (metal container).

Do not put sharp knives in with your domestic rubbish or recycling collections as they could cause the collection crew harm.

Take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

Old-fashioned bulbs can’t be recycled - wrap in newspaper and put out with your rubbish.

Lawnmowers can be collected either by:

• your local council
• a local charity.

Or take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge.

Make sure petrol lawnmowers are empty as we can’t take petrol.

Loft insulation can be made up of glass or natural fibres.

Both materials can be placed into the general household waste bin. If the insulation is made up of glass material, it should be bagged up.

Please note that loft lagging usually should be removed by the contractor replacing it.

Mattresses can be collected either by:

• your local council
• a local charity.

Some shops may also take back your old mattress. Or, take your mattress to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge. However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a mattress to one of our HWRCs.

Take to your local chemist or pharmacy.

See also needles.

Check whether your local council will collect metal (for example stainless steel).

Or take to any household waste recycling centre for recycling for no charge.

For large items or commercial waste, contact a local scrap metal merchant.

Check whether your local council will collect.

Or take to any household waste recycling centre to be disposed of in the general waste container for no charge.

Some shops may take back your old mirror.

Take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge (small electrical appliances container) and attach the charger if available.

If you no longer need your old phone, tablet or laptop, why not recycle it so someone else can use it? Learn more about the Device Recycling Scheme.

Put out with your non-recyclable rubbish.

If you administer medicines yourself you are responsible for getting rid of needles, syringes and other medical waste.

Never put needles or syringes with your household rubbish or recycling.

Arrange a collection of sharps box

To arrange collection or disposal of a sharps box contact the healthcare service who provided the item. Or your district council may offer a collection service.

Nursing homes and medical establishments

You should arrange for this type of collection through your normal waste collection contractor.

Needles used for non medical purpose

Needle exchange facilities are offered at each of the drug and alcohol hubs in Kent. Find out how to dispose of needles in your local area:

• Ashford
• Canterbury
• Dover
• Folkestone
• Gravesend
• Maidstone
• Medway
• Swale
• Thanet
• Tunbridge Wells

View a list of pharmacies across Kent that accept needles and syringes (PDF, 121.5 KB)

Found needles or syringes

If you come across a needle or syringe:

• never touch it, try to hide or conceal it
• never try to dispose of it by kicking it down a drain or putting it in the bin or down the toilet.

Contact your local council to request a member of their staff to visit the location as soon as possible.

There are a few companies who may be able to offer a collection service. See the Waste Directory for details.

Paint can only be taken to your local household waste recycling centre to be disposed of for no charge. It is preferable if it is dry and hardened, although the sites can accept wet paint in the size of paint tin you would normally use for household projects usually up to 5 litres.

No commercial paint or large tins will be accepted.

Paint tins and cans

The tins can be put into the 'household waste' container as there are currently no re-use or recycling facilities for this waste.

If you wish to get rid of any empty metal paint cans they may be put in the metal container for recycling.

To assist the paint drying out, leave the lid off the container before bringing it to the centre. Adding cat litter or sawdust to the paint helps assist in the drying process.

Take to:

• household waste recycling centres (paper and cardboard container) for no charge
• recycling banks.

We recommend shredding anything with personal details on before disposing of it.

Books

Books can be donated to a charity shop, your local supermarket's community section or sold online.

Books are accepted at most household waste recycling centres for reuse.

Wrapping paper

When recycling wrapping paper, make sure any ribbons or bows are removed. If you're not sure whether it can be recycled, remember the scrunch test. If it scrunches it can be recycled!

Commercial or business paper and shredding is not accepted at any household waste recycling centre. It should be taken to a transfer station.

Take to the following household waste sites:

• Ashford
• Canterbury
• Dartford
• Dover
• Folkestone
• Gravesend
• Maidstone
• Sandwich
• Sevenoaks
• Sittingbourne

Never put pesticides down the drain. For further information visit the Environment Agency website.

Contact your local repair garage to find out how to dispose.

If you are storing petrol, you must have a licence. Find out more about storing petrol.

Take plasterboard to the following household waste recycling centres:

• Allington
• Ashford
• Canterbury
• Dartford
• Deal
• Dover
• Herne Bay
• Maidstone
• Margate
• New Romney
• Pepperhill
• Richborough
• Sevenoaks
• Sittingbourne
• Tunbridge Wells.

Plasterboard is not accepted at Faversham, Folkestone, Sheerness or Swanley.

Plaster powder is not accepted at any of our household waste recycling centres.

Charges

If you exceed our free disposal limit for there will be a charge.

Find out more about our limits and charges.

If you're getting rid of plasterboard as part of your business you'll need to contact a waste management company.

Most local councils collect plastic from your house.

Or take to your household waste recycling centre for no charge (household waste container).

Any plastic bottles that are collected at the kerbside, are transported by us to material recycling facilities where they are sorted and re-processed ready to be re-manufactured into new products.

Take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge.

Many charities collect toner cartridges and ink jet cartridges for recycling to raise money for charity.

Take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge.

Printers are dismantled and their base materials are either made into new electronic items or end up in mainstream manufacturing.

Check if your local council will collect radiators removed from your home, or take to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a radiator to one of our HWRCs.

If you have a cesspit that needs emptying, contact your local council.

Take to any household waste recycling centre.

Charges

If you exceed our free disposal limit for there will be a charge.

Find out more about our limits and charges.

See needles.

Looking to get rid of your old television? Check whether your local council can collect it, or contact your nearest charity shop to see if they will take it.

Or take it to any of our household waste recycling centres for no charge.

However, you may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a television to one of our HWRCs.

Toys in good condition you can take to charity shops, your local hospice or hospital.

Broken toys can be taken to any household waste recycling centre for no charge (household waste container).

Mains or battery operated toys should be placed in the small electrical appliances container at household waste recycling centres.

Check if your local council will collect tumble dryers.

Or take to any household waste recycling centre and place in the large WEEE area for no charge.

You may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a tumble dryer to one of our HWRCs.

Tyres are accepted at any of our household waste recycling centres. Any tyres attached to wheels do not need to be removed before disposing of the tyre.

Charges

You will be charged to get rid of tyres at your local HWRC.

Find out more about the charges.

We’re required by law to store any waste upholstered domestic furniture separately at our household waste recycling centres (this doesn’t apply to good quality items put aside for reuse).

Some upholstered furniture contains certain chemicals that don’t easily break down. Waste containing these chemicals, known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), are safely destroyed to reduce any impact on the environment.

Types of waste upholstered domestic seating

• sofas
• sofa beds
• armchairs
• recliner chairs
• kitchen and dining room chairs
• garden furniture
• stools and foot stools
• office chairs
• futons
• bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
• other forms of household seating to which relevant fire regulations apply. This might include child car seats, high chairs and benches.

Restrictions

At Dartford, Maidstone and Sittingbourne HWRCs, we unfortunately can't accept waste upholstered domestic seating because there's not enough space to store it separately.

Don’t cut up your seating

Keep your waste upholstered domestic seating whole to prevent any POPs getting into the environment. If you can’t transport it in one piece, contact your local council for a bulky waste collection.

Cover any damage

If your waste upholstered domestic seating is damaged and you’re visiting one of the below HWRCs, cover the damaged area securely. For example, use a bin bag and tape.

• Faversham
• Folkestone
• Herne Bay
• New Romney
• Richborough
• Sheerness
• Swanley.

Take to any household waste recycling centre and place in the household waste bin for no charge.

Do not place wallpaper in the paper bin, as it may have glue on the underside.

Check whether your local council will collect washing machines.

Or take to any household waste recycling centre for no charge. You may need to apply for vehicle vouchers if you are using a larger vehicle to take a washing machine to one of our HWRCs.

Take to any household waste recycling centre.