A to Z of recycling - C
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Find out how to reduce, reuse and recycle particular items in Preston by selecting the letter your item begins with.
Top tip: If you can't find your item try searching for the name of the material first. E.g. plastic tub, cardboard box etc.
Cans/tins (food/drinks)
![Tuna tin](https://preston.gov.uk/image/8843/Tuna-tin/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1634744421427)
Recycle - put in your yellow lidded recycle bin
Cardboard boxes
![Cardboard box](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9063/Cardboard-box/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1636649425833)
Reuse - give away through Freecycle or Freegle
Recycle - put in your red lidded recycle bin
Carpets
![Carpets](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9654/Carpets/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1644259416977)
Reuse - give away good condition carpet via Freecycle or Freegle
Reuse - ask local animal rescue shelters if they could recondition used carpet into mats
Dispose - book a bulky waste collection or take to your local household waste and recycling centre
Carrier/plastic bags
![Plastic bag](https://preston.gov.uk/image/8378/Plastic-bag/gi-responsive__100.png?m=1632399228213)
Reduce - reuse bags you already have when you go shopping to avoid buying more single use plastics
Recycle - take to your local supermarket
Recycle - find a local drop off point at recycle now - plastic film and carrier bags (includes most major supermarkets)
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Cartons/Tetra Pak (flattened)
![Juice carton](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9083/Juice-carton/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1636733342673)
Recycle - rinse out and take to your local household waste and recycling centre or the University of Central Lancashire Student Union building
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Catalogues and directories
![Yellow phone book](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9388/Yellow-phone-book/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1639497351560)
Recycle - put in your red lidded recycle bin
CD/DVDs
![CD](https://preston.gov.uk/image/8452/CD/gi-responsive__100.png?m=1632477617783)
Reuse - give away through Freecycle or Freegle
Reuse - take to your local charity shop
Recycle - find a local drop off point through Terracycle
Ceramics
![Ceramic cup and saucer]()
![Ceramic cup and saucer](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9642/Ceramic-cup-and-saucer/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1644249615987)
Reuse - give away through Freecycle or Freegle or take to your local charity shop
Dispose - wrap up broken ceramics and put in your grey bin
Cereal boxes
![Box of cereal](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9470/Box-of-cereal/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641808191987)
Recycle - put in your red lidded recycle bin
Please note: remove the inner plastic bag before recycling
Cheese packaging (empty)
![Cheese packaging](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9348/Cheese-packaging/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1639069018783)
Recycle - find a local drop off point through Terracycle
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Chocolate and sweet packets
![Empty chocolate wrappers](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9347/Empty-chocolate-wrappers/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1639068198463)
Recycle - find a local drop off point through Terracycle
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Christmas cracker (paper - non glitter)
![Christmas cracker]()
![Christmas cracker](https://preston.gov.uk/image/12706/Christmas-cracker/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1670496424137)
Recycle - put in your red lidded recycle bin. Remove any ribbons or toys first.
Christmas lights
![Christmas lights](https://preston.gov.uk/image/12708/Christmas-lights/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1670497699973)
Reuse - give away through Freecycle or Freegle or take to your local charity shop
Recycle - take broken lights to electrical recycle points or your local household waste and recycling centre
Christmas trees (real)
![Real Christmas tree](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9476/Real-Christmas-tree/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641818585223)
Recycle - cut up and put in your brown lidded (garden waste) recycling bin
Christmas trees (fake)
![Fake Christmas tree](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9475/Fake-Christmas-tree/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641814729183)
Reuse - give away through Freecycle or Freegle
Reuse - take to your local charity shop
Clothes
![Orange jumper](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9477/Orange-jumper/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641818925087)
Reuse - take to your local charity shop or give away through Freecycle or Freegle
Recycle - take to your local household waste and recycling centre
Coat hanger
![Coat hanger](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9645/Coat-hanger/gi-responsive__100.png?m=1644252870207)
Reuse - ask charity shops if they need any hangers or give them away through Freecycle or Freegle
Recycle - take to your local household waste and recycling centre*
Dispose - put in your grey bin
*Only hangers not made of mixed materials can be put in the skips - wooden in wood skip, plastic in hard plastic skip, metal in metal skip
Coffee cups
![Coffee cup](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9480/Coffee-cup/gi-responsive__100.png?m=1641819562707)
Reduce - Buy a re-usable cup to help reduce your carbon footprint
Recycle - find your local coffee cup recycling point through National Cup Recycling Scheme
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Coffee grounds
![Ground coffee pile](https://preston.gov.uk/image/8448/Ground-coffee-pile/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1632412981320)
Recycle - put in your home compost
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Coffee pods
![Coffee pod](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9643/Coffee-pod/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1644251437270)
Reduce - try reusable and refillable coffee pods
Recycle - take to the your local drop off point or use the Podback recycling service
Conditioner bottles
![Conditioner bottle](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9351/Conditioner-bottle/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1639137547057)
Recycle - put in your yellow lidded recycle bin
Contact lenses
![Contact lenses](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9481/Contact-lenses/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641819859313)
Recycle - find a local drop off point through Terracycle
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Cooking oil
![Cooking oil](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9482/Cooking-oil/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641821048847)
Recycle - take to your local household waste and recycling centre
Dispose - pour into a container and put in your grey bin
Cosmetic bottles
![Cosmetic bottle](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9484/Cosmetic-bottle/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1641821564290)
Recycle - put in your yellow lidded recycle bin
Recycle - take part in the Recycle at Boots Scheme by visiting Boots - recycling at Boots
Crisp packets
![Empty crisp packet](https://preston.gov.uk/image/9353/Empty-crisp-packet/gi-responsive__100.jpg?m=1639138516453)
Recycle - find a local drop off point through Terracycle
Dispose - put in your grey bin
Cut Flowers
![Cut flowers](https://preston.gov.uk/image/8453/Cut-flowers/gi-responsive__100.png?m=1632478799883)
Recycle - put in your brown (garden waste) recycling bin or your home compost