Bottle Tops

It is difficult to recover loose bottle tops from mixed kerbside recycling with sorting technology currently used in Materials Recycling Facilities. Technology is always improving, however, and we may be able to sort bottle tops more efficiently in the future.

At this time, plastic bottle tops should not be placed in recycling bins but steel and aluminium bottle tops can be recycled if you follow the directions below.

Bottle tops are too small to get collected in the sorting process, but if placed in a can of the same metal type they will get collected for melting with the appropriate material. To present these bottle tops for recycling you need to:
(1)  wash the bottle tops to remove any food residue;
(2)  place the clean bottle  tops inside a can of similar material;
(3)  squeeze the can to close it so the bottle tops don't fall out; and
(4)  put the can in the correct recycling bin.

The steel and aluminium from bottle tops can be turned into street signs, car parts and new bottle tops.

Will SITA Environmental Solutions accept my bottle tops?

Steel, aluminium and other metals can be dropped off free of charge. Follow steps (1), (2) and (3) listed above to present steel and aluminium bottle tops for recycling at our sites.

What else can I do with my bottle tops?

Most councils will accept steel and aluminium bottle tops in kerbside recycling bins. Follow the four steps listed above to recycle these bottle tops through kerbside collection.

Always remove plastic bottle tops and dispose of them with your usual household waste. This is important because it means the plastic bottle can be prepared for reprocessing more effectively and it keeps non-recyclable material out of the recyclable waste stream.