AS THE festive season approaches, East Sussex residents are being reminded what items can and cannot be recycled.

With more waste than usual generated over the Christmas period, people are being urged to ensure they put the right thing in the right bin.

Across East Sussex residents recycle 41 per cent of their waste but items that are incorrectly disposed of in household recycling bins can result in whole lorry-loads of recycling that is unable to be recycled.

The wrong items seen most often in recycling bins are food, nappies, black bags and textiles.

Many Christmas items can be recycled including Christmas cards, envelopes, gift packaging and scrunchable wrapping paper. Any glitter, ribbons, bows or sticky tape should be removed first.

Clean, foil food packaging such as mince pie cases can also be recycled, along with plastic and glass bottles.

With over 189 million batteries used over the Christmas period, the council is also reminding people to ensure they recycle batteries responsibly.

Many interactive toys and gadgets, as well as small household appliances, contain batteries. Batteries or items with integrated batteries should never be placed in household wheelie bins.

Batteries that are incorrectly disposed of can explode or ignite after being compacted, punctured, soaked in liquid or exposed to heat at waste sites or on collection vehicles.

In East Sussex, households in Rother, Wealden and Hastings can dispose of their batteries and other small electrical items at the kerbside by placing them in separate carrier bags on top of their recycling or rubbish bin.

Residents in Eastbourne and Lewes can visit www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk to find their local recycling point for electricals and batteries which will include local supermarkets and electrical retailers.

Cllr Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, said: “With extra waste generated during the festive season from online shopping packaging, food containers, and Christmas cards and wrapping paper, it is important to ensure we recycle as much as possible.

“By putting the right items in the right bin over the Christmas period residents can help us recycle more waste, reduce costs and help the environment.

“And to help make sure your recycling is as clean as possible, please remember to wash pots, tubs, bottles and jars before recycling them. Items don’t have to be perfectly clean, just a quick rinse in the washing up water is enough.”

Recycling and waste collection services in East Sussex are provided by the local district and borough councils. East Sussex County Council is responsible for the disposal, recovery and recycling of the collected material.

For more information on household rubbish and recycling collections and contact information for local councils, visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/rubbish-recycling/rubbish-collection