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Civic amenity sites

picture of amenityCivic amenity sites are for disposing of household waste. For the location of civic amenity sites on the Isle of Man please click the following link:

IOM Government - amenity sites

Recycling banks

picture of public For the location of public recycling sites and recycling banks please click the following link:

IOM Government - public recycling banks

Commercial recycling

picture of commercial site Commercial recycling sites and banks:
Ask Buck Recycling,

Unit 27, Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla, IM9 2AJ

Tel: 01624 825826

Fax: 01624 825836
  1. E-mail: buck@askbuck.com
    Website: www.askbuck.com

    2. If you wish to drop items off, please telephone beforehand to ensure someone is there to receive them. They will collect large amounts free of charge. All they ask is that you prepare the items carefully as described in the notes below. See PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES.

  2. Doxbond,
    Balthane Industrial Estate,
    Ballasalla, IM9 2AQ
    Tel: 01624 823772
    Fax: 01624 822066
    E-mail: recycling@doxbond.com
    Website: www.doxbond.com

    3. Doxband can take large or small quantities of paper, card, cardboad boxes, newspapers & magazines, (commercial and private). They offer a secure shredding and recycling service for confidential paperwork. You can call in and drop any of these items off or they will collect large amounts free of charge. All they ask is that you prepare the items carefully as described in the notes below. See PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES.

  3. Manx Waste Solutions,
    Snugborough,
    Tel: 01624 495327
  4. Strand Group www.strandgroup.im     www.strandgroup.im

What to do with your waste A - Z

Suggestions for reducing, re-using and recycling a wide variety of items are listed below. If you can take any recyclable item in quantity please let us know and we will pass this information on. If we have omitted anything please let us know.

It is absolutely vital that items are correctly prepared or they may become useless for recycling. Any contaminants may block the machinery used or cause a fire. This can make the whole process uneconomical or even dangerous for those involved. So do your homework beforehand and read the notes below.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES:

Wash or rinse anything that has had food, drink or liquids in. Please do not present bottles or cans still half full of food, drink, or shampoo for example. These pose a huge problem for the recyclers.

Separate items out as much as possbile, i.e take lids off jars, remove plastic rings, etc. The more you can do beforehand, the more economical the recycling process will be.

Keep broken glass visible or bagged sepately so it can easily be identified.

Turn plastic bags inside out and remove any paper reciepts. (Small amounts of paper can actualy cause a fire or block machinery during the recycling process).

If you know something has been contaminated with dangerous chemicals please seek further advice. Don't put someone else at risk.

If preparing paper for recycling, do not mix it with cardboard. Send this separately. Make sure you remove any metal (paperclips, bulldog clips, etc). Staples are OK. Always remove personal data or confidential information unless you are sending the paper to a secure shredding service such as that offered by Doxbond. This is to reduce the risk of identity theft.

Consult the list below and follow the instructions given for indivudual items.

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picture of foil Aluminium, tin foil & aerosols

To identify aluminium foil use the ‘scrunch test’. If a piece of foil is scrunched up, the aluminium foil will stay that way once released, a piece of plastic 'foil' will try and spring back to its original shape. (For information - the following are usually plastic 'foil' and are therefore unsuitable for recycling: coffee packets, leaf tea packets, crisp packets, some yoghurt pot lids).

*Clean foil can be recycled by taking it to any aluminium collection banks or put in your kerbside collection box.

See Public recycling banks

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling')
will take:
  - Aluminum and tin foil (clean)
  - Aerosols (usually aluminium) (empty)
  - Drinks cans (rinsed and crushed)
These should be placed in clear plastic bags. Buck Recycling can collect large quantities and will also provide the clear plastic bags to put these in.

*It is important that excess food residue and grease are removed as they may interfere with the recycling process.

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 Asbestos
This is controlled by the Health and Safety executive

Contact Health and Safety at Work Directorate:
DOI
Murray House
Douglas
IM1 2SF
Tel: +44 1624 685881, +44 1624 686247

DEFA Websitelink: Asbestos

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picture of batteriesBatteries - Household
These can be taken to any civic amenity site Tescos or any Co-Op shop.

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling')
will take household batteries. Ensure they are in a clear plastic bag and therefore easily identifiable.

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picture of car batteriesBatteries - Car
Can be taken to any civic amenity site or scrap merchant.

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Bicycles
If a bicycle is still rideable try advertising it in the papers or taking it to a car boot sale. Alternatively advertise it on freecycle.co.uk
Bicycles can be taken to any civic amenity site.

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picture of books Books
Can be taken to charity shops, car boot sales or any civic amenity site.

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picture of video CD, DVD's, Videos & Tapes
Can be taken to charity shops, car boot sales or any civic amenity site.

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling') will take CD's, DVD's and their cases. Ensure they are in a clear plastic bag and therefore easily identifiable. (Video tapes and cassette tapes are not recyclable).

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Brita water filters
Can be sent back to Brita for recycling.

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picture of aluminium drinks canCans - aluminium

Aluminium cans are not magnetic. They are very light and are easily crushed.

*Empty aluminium drinks cans can be recycled by taking them to any can bank or put in your kerbside box. They are recycled along with aluminum foil and aerosols.

See Public recycling banks

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling')
will take:
  - Drinks cans (rinsed and crushed)
  - Aluminum and tin foil (clean)
  - Aerosols (usually aluminium) (empty)
These should be placed in clear plastic bags. Buck Recycling can collect large quantities and will also provide the clear plastic bags to put these in.

*It is important that the cans are empty as the presence of liquids may interfere with the recycling process.

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picture of steel canCans - Steel

Steel cans are magnetic and so easy to identify.

*Clean steel (food & pet food) cans can be taken to any civic amenity site or put in your kerbside box.

See Public recycling banks

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling') will take clean and preferably crushed steel cans. These should be placed in clear plastic bags. Buck Recycling can collect large quantities and will also provide the clear plastic bags to put these in.

*It is very important that excess food residue and grease are removed as they may interfere with the recycling process. Remove the paper labels and add them to your household compost bin.

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picture of cardboardCardboard & cardboard boxes
Doxbond or Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling') will take *clean, flat-packed cardboard boxes. You can drop them off or they will collect if you have quantity. There may be a small charge for this service.

Remove any labels containing personal data such as your address from the boxes. You also need to remove plastic delivery slip holders and packing tape. Both will collect from commercial premises.

Most are sent to the UK and then recycled into blue hand towels, paper and toilet rolls, for example.

You can take now cardboard to the Eastern Civic Amenity Site.

*It is important that any residue or rubbish is removed from the boxes as this may interfere with the recycling process. Do not send boxes that have contained hazardous chemicals.

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picture clothing bankClothes, textiles, linen
If items are in good condition you could take them to a charity shop.

Before you dispose of blankets, towels and wool jumpers consider giving these items to any of the numerous animal shelters or Veterinary surgeries on the island. They are often short of such items for bedding.

You could donate to any of the following:

Mann Cat Sanctuary (Based in Santon, Tel: 01624 824195)
MSPCA (Based in Foxdale, Tel: 01624 851672)
Cats Protection Trust/Catline (Based in Ballaugh, Tel: 01624 898178)
Any Veterinary surgery (See telephone directory for details)

Alternatively place these items in any textile/clothing bank.

See Public recycling banks

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Confidential papers

Doxbond (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling'), offer a confidential document shredding and recycling service. This is a free service for pensioners who deliver paperwork to them. They provide wheelie bins and bags to commercial clients which they then collect. There is a charge for this service. Please telephone for more details.

Make sure you remove any metal, (paperclips, bulldog clips, etc). Staples are OK. Remove plastic windows and sellotape from envelopes.

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picture of computersComputers
Before you throw out a working computer ask a local charity if they need one.

Ask a reputable computer engineer to wipe personal data from the machine to prevent identity theft.

Currently you can take your old computer to any civic amenity site. Currently there is no charge. Businesses should not be using these sites to recycle computers.


You can also dispose of any computer by taking it to:

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling').
PLEASE NOTE: There is a small charge of under £15 for this service.

Island Computer Systems If you buy any new computer from ICS they will collect and securely wipe your old computer, (to US Department of Defence standard), and then recycle it for free. (Call Nick Hill on tel: 830555)

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Construction waste
Needs to be separated out to be recycled.

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Domestic appliances - eg cookers, washing machines
Can be recycled by taking them to any civic amenity site.

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picture of toastersElectrical goods containing mainly metal - eg. toasters
Can be recycled by taking them to any civic amenity site.

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picture of envelopesEnvelopes
Place these in any paper bank or along with any other paper for recycling, but remember to remove the plastic windows and any sellotape.

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picture of X Fluorescent light tubes
You can take these to any civic amenity site. There is no charge. Luminaires will collect them from commercial premises.

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picture of freezersFridges & freezers
You can take these to any civic amenity site. There is a reasonable charge to pay for them to be sent off the island for recycling.


For local authority information:
Isle of Man local authorities
Isle of Man local authorities (No flash version)

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Furniture
Can be recycled by taking items to any civic amenity site, or car boots sales or try advertising through newspapers etc

Charity shops and Hospice Warehouse take furniture.

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picture of glass Glass bottles and jars

First rinse them thoroughly and remove any metal lids or plastic. Then put them in your kerbside box or take to any glass bank. The metal lids are a valuable resource which can be put in any scrap metal bank. The plastic can be put with your other plastics for recycling.

See Public recycling banks

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling') will take *clean, rinsed bottles and jars. You can drop them off or they will collect if you have quantity. Deliver them in large clear plastic bags, or an open top crate so they are easily identifiable. They will collect if you have quantity. (?ask about light bulbs and other types of glass).



*It is very important that as much food or product residue is removed from the bottles and jars as possible, as this may interfere with the recycling process. It also means that the recyclers have an additonal disposal problem which adds to cost of recycling.

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Greetings cards
These can be placed in paper recycling boxes and bins.

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picture of junk mailJunk mail
Take your junk mail to any paper bank. 
Note: Remove any identifying personal data on address labels, catalogues or envelopes before disposing of them. It is best to shred any documentation that contains personal data to avoid identity theft.

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Magazines or catalogues

Can be recycled by taking them to any paper bank or put in your kerbside box. Alternatively donate them to your local doctor, dentist or hairdresser, for their waiting room(s). The hard back should be removed from the likes of the Next catalogues before recycling it.

Doxbond (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling') will take magazines and catalogues for recycling. You can drop them off or they will collect if you have quantity. There may be a small charge for this service.

Remove any personal information first and also any plastic envelopes they may have been delivered in.

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picture of mobile phonesMobile phones
Take these to the Manx Telecom shop in Douglas or the Manx Wildlife Trust at Tynwald Mills in Peel so they can be sent away for recycling.

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Newspapers
These can be recycled by taking them to any paper bank or put in your kerbside box.

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Oil filters
These can be recycled by leaving them with any scrap metal providing they have been drained.

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White paper
Take unwanted paper to any paperbank or put in your kerbside box. 
Note: Remove any identifying personal data on address labels, catalogues or envelopes before disposing of them. It is always best to shed any documentation that contains personal data as this reduces the liklihood of identity theft.

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picture of phone booksPhone directories and yellow pages
These can be placed in paper banks or put in your kerbside box.

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picture of plastic bag Plastic bags

If a plastic bag is reusable then reuse it! Alternatively offer them to your local shops to give out to customers.

To prepare a plastic bag for recycling first turn it inside out. This is the only way to guarantee that you remove all the contents and especially paper receipts. These can interfer with the recycling process and may actually cause a fire or block the machinery as the plastic is processed. Now flat pack the bags and take them to:

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling'.)

You can also give your unwanted plastic bags to Tesco, who ship them across for recycling.

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Plastic bottles
These can be placed in your kerbside box.
They can be collected from commercial premises for recycling. Contact

    Ask Buck tel: 825826
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picture of rubble Rubble
Can be taken to any civic amenity site. The southern amenity site will only accept small quantities of rubble from householders and may charge you for excess. Larger quantities should be taken directly to quarry. Corletts at St Johns recycle clean rubble and Knivetons Ballasalla charge £5 a tonne.

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Scrap metal (of any sort)
Can be recycled by taking it to any civic amenity site, or contact

    Costain's tel: 801337,
    Douglas Metals tel:428972,
    Manx Metals Ltd tel: 823606,
    Northern Scrap Metals tel: 880820
The metal is sorted into ferrous and non-ferrous.

You can also drop off small items of scrap metal (or bags of mixed metals) to Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling'), when you deliver other items to them.

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Shredded paper - small amounts
Can be put in any paper bank. Or it can be used as pet bedding, bedding for chickens or horses, or mixed in with garden compost or a garden wormery. It can also be used for starting a fire at home instead of firelighters!

See Public recycling banks

Ask Buck Recycling (Details at the top of this page under 'Commercial recycling')
will take bulk shredded paper and can collect. It it shipped across in bulk and then used to make recycled products.

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picture of shoes Shoes
These can be recycled by taking them to any textile bank.

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Spectacles
These can be recycled by taking them to Boots,Specsavers (Douglas) or Newby and Padley Optometrists (branches in Onchan, Port Erin and Peel).

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Televisions
These can be recycled by taking them to civic amenity site. There is a charge for disposal.

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Tetra packs
Rinsed, flattened Tetra packs can be taken to Ask Buck recycling.

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picture of ink cartsPrint cartridges These can be recycled by taking them to:

The Green Centre-opposite Little Shoprite in Douglas

Jurby School (school funds)

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Waste & engine oil
Can be taken to any civic amenity site. Containers should be sealed and preferably no bigger than 10 litres.

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Wax cartons
Wax cartons, such as the Manx creamery milk cartons are not recyclable so do NOT send them for recycling with tetra packs. You must put them in your rubish bin. Alternatively they make very good firelighters.

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Wood & timber
Can be recycled by taking them to any civic amenity site.

Elm wood Under current legislation it is an offence to move any elm with the bark still attached along a highway as this may contribute to the spread of Dutch Elm Disease. Storage of elm logs (plus bark) is also discouraged. Please consult the dutch elm disease co-ordinator at DEFA for further advice. Those handling elm wood are generally encouraged to burn timber on site when practical to do so.

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