Recycling in Earley

The EASI organisers have collected the information below on how to recycle or dispose of a range of items.
If you have any contributions to make to this list, please tell us!
There are three pages of information - the first is a list of items & how to recycle them, the second is a list of the recycling points in and around Earley, while the third contains information about Terracycle, a national recycling organisation. Click on the buttons at the bottom of the page to switch between the three.

Latest news - Stores are increasingly offering recycling points and services.

• Some Boots stores, Woodley and the two Central Reading stores, but not Earley, unfortunately, have collection boxes for hard-to-recycle items such as toothpaste tubes and other personal hygiene items . This is also linked to their loyalty cardscheme
• Many Co-op stores (including the one at the Three Tuns crossroads) now have collecting bins for plastic packaging. There's a list of what they accept in the table below under Soft Plastic Packaging
• Marks & Spencer stores also have soft plastic recycling, in Reading and Shepherds Hill roundabout stores
• Tesco also have soft plastic recycling in all major stores
• Large Superdrug stores (those with a dispensing chemist) now have collecting boxes for empty medicine blister packs. See their website for more details, and other things they will recycle
• John Lewis stores now have a recycling scheme. They will accept any tech items, unwanted good quality clothes and sofas! Their delivery vans will also take away unwanted goods when making a delivery to your home
• B&Q has collecting points for electrical items in its stores
• And if you have something that is useable but no longer required, put it on the re-use table at the RE3 site at Smallmead.

Ali's Recycling refers to a collecting point available at the Earley Town Council offices. The collecting bin is currently (July 2022) in the Council Offices car park. There's also a bin outside Trinity Church in Chalfont Close (near the Earley Retreat / Lower Earley Library), and another at the Crescent Community Centre. Further information can be found on Ali’s Recycling facebook page. The Town Council collection point is only available while the Town Council car park is open.

In the list of items that can be recycled, we refer to the Blue Bag and Green Bag. Earley residents will know what these mean - the blue waste sack and green recycling bags provided by Wokingham Borough Council. (The old Black Box was replaced by a reusable Green Bag during 2021, although black boxes may still be accepted, for now.) For waste and recycling collected by WBC and items taken to the RE3 Recycling Centres, please see the RE3 Waste Acceptance Policy.
You may also like to try re3cyclopedia, which can be downloaded from the Apple store or Google Play. Enter your postcode and the item you’re looking to recycle, click the ‘Look it up!’ button and the tool will show you the bin/box at home to use. The search will also provide you a nearby recycling banks and any relevant information to help with recycling your item.
The app provides additional features; you can download the mobile version below:

• Check your general waste and recycling collection dates
• Report missed bins
• Apply for a commercial permit to the recycling centres
• Receive news and events updates

You can also receive updates about waste and recycling, and many other things, from WBC by subscribing to Wokingham Connect.

shows you recycling points anywhere in the country, including Earley.