Cutlery and Crockery Recycling
Restaurants, hotels, and cafes get through loads of knives and forks, plates and bowls, glasses and mugs every year. Most of these items are cleaned and reused but things break, get chipped, and eventually need replacing as they wear out. Recycling cutlery and crockery at such times is a sustainable choice.
There are various situations when your business may need to get rid of old cutlery, crockery, and pots and pans. It could be due to damage and breakages, or you might be upgrading dinner sets to match new restaurant décor or investing in new kitchen pans and knives to improve processes.
Learn how to dispose of cutlery, crockery, ceramics, and pots and pans from your business responsibly. Speak to one of our friendly team for a free quote for collection and recycling or to discuss your specific needs anywhere in the UK – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today.
Can you recycle crockery?
Recycling crockery is possible but it’s not the most straightforward process. This is because crockery refers to plates, dishes, cups, mugs, and other items often made from earthenware, China, or ceramics. These materials aren’t easily recycled but they can be recovered and reused alongside similar materials.
Old and broken crockery should be stored separately and recycled with rubble and hardcore waste. This involves it being cleaned, crushed, and screened to separate it into different sizes. It’s then sorted and converted into gravel and sand, which are used as aggregate and filler for construction projects.
Can you recycle ceramics?
Recycling ceramics is possible and follows a similar process to crockery. However, you can’t recycle ceramics like glass vases and jars, due to their different material makeup. And ceramics have a very high melting point, which is why most are recycled alongside rubble rather than turned into recycled ceramics.
Ceramics can be recycled alongside rubble and hardcore, just like with old crockery. They’re cleaned, crushed, and screened then separated into grain sizes for use as sand or gravel. This is then sorted based on type and size, then reused in construction work as coarse aggregate for concrete or as other fillers.
Recycling ceramics and crockery this way prevents such waste from going to landfill, where it takes up valuable space and adds to pollution levels. Chemicals from the ceramics can leach into the ground and contaminate it. Ceramics are biodegradable but it may take longer than a thousand years for them to break down too.
How to dispose of
old pots and pans
The best way to dispose of old pots and pans in decent condition is to donate them to local charities or community groups. Any pots and pans that are broken or no longer in usable condition might be recyclable. Many are made of a type of metal and can therefore be disposed of with metal recycling.
Check the material they’re made of and give each one a good clean before recycling with metal. If the main body is made of a type of metal but it has a wooden or plastic handle then it should still be ok to recycle with metal waste. The materials should be separated before the metal is recycled.
How to dispose of old cutlery
What to do with old cutlery depends on its condition and material. Any reusable cutlery should be donated for reuse where possible. If your restaurant or hotel is getting rid of broken, bent, and damaged cutlery then it should be recycled alongside other waste of the same material.
Ensure the old cutlery is clean and dry and then recycle with the relevant waste type:
- Metal recycling – traditional metal knives and forks can be recycled with other metal waste, as most are made from one type of metal. The old cutlery might be melted down and reformed to create other recycled metal products.
- Plastic recycling – depending on the type of plastic you may be able to recycle such cutlery with other plastic waste. Here it will be cleaned, shredded, and melted then formed into pellets, which are used to make new plastic products.
- Wood recycling – wooden cutlery can be recycled with other waste wood. It’s cleaned, chipped, and used to create garden paths or ground down smaller to produce garden mulch. Some wood may be recycled to form MDF boards and items.
Who needs to recycle
cutlery and crockery?
Any business that uses cutlery and crockery should recycle such items at the end of their life. This includes offices that provide cutlery and mugs for staff in their canteens to restaurants that use a wide range in their daily operations. Any that are broken or damaged beyond repair or reuse should be recycled.
Common businesses that require cutlery and crockery waste recycling and disposal services are:
- Restaurants – old knives and forks from dining tables and pots and pans from the kitchen.
- Cafes – broken mugs for tea and coffee, cutlery from tables, and pans in the kitchen.
- Commercial kitchens – all sorts of pots, pans, and cooking equipment past its best.
- Hotels – breakfast bowls, plates, cutlery, mugs, and more for guests to use.
- Pubs – damaged and old cutlery, plates, pots and pans from pubs that serve food.
Arrange old cutlery and crockery collections
Get a free quote for commercial waste collection of any old cutlery, crockery, and ceramics from your business anywhere in the UK. At Business Waste we can remove, recycle, and responsibly dispose of all such waste. We work with licensed waste carriers to collect and dispose of your waste safely and legally.
Speak to one of our friendly and expert team today about your needs. Let us know the rough volume of cutlery and crockery you want to get rid of, what it’s made of, where you’re based, and when you want it collected for a free bespoke quote. We can advise on the best solution.
We keep all waste away from landfill so work to recycle, recover, and reuse such waste. You’ll receive a free duty of care certificate that confirms the disposal method and location for your old cutlery and crockery. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today to get started.
Cutlery and crockery recycling FAQs
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Can you recycle mugs?
Many mugs aren’t recyclable if they’re ceramic. They can be disposed of with rubble and hardcore though, which turns the old mugs into aggregate for concrete and filler for other construction work. This is a form of recycling old mugs and prevents them from going to landfill.
You can recycle glass mugs with other glass recycling – and you might be able to recycle plastic mugs with other plastic waste, depending on the type. Any mugs in good condition should be reused or donated to reduce waste.
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What bin can I put plates in?
Disposable paper plates should be cleaned, dried, and put in a dry mixed recycling bin or household recycling bin. Check the material for any disposable plastic plates, as they may also be accepted. You should not put ceramic or earthenware plates in a recycling bin.
Instead, donate or give away plates in good condition. If you have broken plates then take them to your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC) and dispose of them with rubble and hardcore. Don’t put them in a general waste bin as they could end up in landfill.
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How do you dispose of broken plates in the UK?
To dispose of broken plates in the UK you should take them to your nearest HWRC. Here they can be disposed of responsibly in the hardcore and rubble skips. This should ensure they avoid going to landfill or for incineration and are instead used to create aggregate for concrete, filler, and other construction materials.
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Where can you donate crockery?
You can donate crockery in good condition to various places from your home or business:
- Charity shops
- Community groups
- Schools
- Local charities
- Food banks
Learn about more
waste types
Discover more ways to dispose of and recyle different types of waste.
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