Recycling in North Ayrshire

Please check individual sites to see any arrangements in place, as well as opening hours.

The following items can be recycled in:

Plastic recycling stores

Recycle plastic bags, soft plastic wraps, and liners in the following stores:

• Asda, Rivergate Shopping Centre, Irvine, KA12 8EH
• Co-op stores
• Morrisons stores
• Tesco (Superstores and Extras)

The above list may change, please check with your local supermarket.

Difficult to dispose of items

When recycling, some items can be more difficult to dispose of than others. Refer to this guidance if you are unsure.

Furniture recycling and mattress reuse

We work with Cunninghame Furniture Recycling Company (CFRC) to:

• reduce the number of household items and textiles going for final disposal
• increase the number of items which can be reused

CRFC may collect your household items free of charge if they are:

• reusable
• clean
• in good working condition

Mattress reuse project

The Council and CFRC secured funding through the Scottish Government Recycling Improvement Fund. Suitable mattresses are collected, cleaned and sanitised for reuse.

CFRC will collect mattresses for reuse if the following standards are met. The mattress must:

• have a fire label that has the BS7177 noted
• be free from rips or tears
• not have been left outside
• not be wet
• not have signs of infestation
• not have a strong odour or smell

Complete the online form to:

or call CFRC on 0800 221 8083.

We accept mattresses which meet the above standards for reuse at our Household Waste Recycling Centres. Mattresses will be reused locally and nationally. Find out how to buy a reuse mattress.

CFRC may be able to collect mattresses that are not in reusable condition. This may incur a charge. These mattresses are broken down into parts for recycling. Mattresses must not be left outside or be wet.

Mattresses not suitable for reuse may be disposed of at your local HWRC or arrange a bulky waste collection.

Disposing of upholstered furniture

We have changed the way Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating (WUDS) are collected and disposed of. Due to Scottish Environment Protection Agency guidance, we must ensure that waste upholstered seating is collected and stored separately from other waste preventing the contamination of other wastes or the potential release of pollutants. Upholstered waste must only be separately sent to a waste energy recovery facility. This ensures the chemicals are safely destroyed so they cannot be released into the wider environment when these items become waste. This process increases the costs of managing this type of waste.

Upholstered furniture includes:

• settees, sofas, sofa beds
• armchairs, including electric reclining chairs
• home office chairs, upholstered kitchen and dining chairs
• futons and pouffes
• upholstered stools and footstools
• beanbags
• floor and sofa cushions

This list includes any parts made of, or containing:

• leather
• synthetic leather
• other fabric, or foam

If an item is in good condition and still usable, and therefore not a waste item, consider donating to Cunninghame Furniture Recycling Company. This can be done at the reuse containers located at any of the council's Household Waste Recycling Centres. Household furniture and furnishings in good condition may also be collected if they meet the following guidelines:

• no rips or tears
• fire safety label displayed
• no missing/broken parts
• no deep set stains/soiling
• item hasn't been reupholstered or left out in inclement weather conditions

This service is subject to advance booking and resource availability.

Some retailers also offer a take back scheme when you buy new. Contact them to find out.

Upholstered furniture cannot be disposed of in bins, or at the kerbside. It should be kept separate from all other waste.

Items may be disposed of as follows:

• Household Waste Recycling Centres - Where possible, keep the item in one piece. Cover and wrap any ripped, torn or exposed areas to reduce the risk of potential pollutants entering the environment. It must be kept separate from other types of waste. We have introduced skips for these items. Please place items in the appropriate collection skip. If you aren’t sure, ask one of our attendants.
• Bulky waste collection - Damaged upholstered furniture should be covered when presented for bulky waste collection. Use sheeting or tarpaulin. This will be non-returnable.

Disposing of upholstered furniture

Waste will be sent for energy recovery in line with legislative guidance. Any waste containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) will be safely incinerated to generate energy. This ensures chemicals are destroyed or irreversibly transformed. This is to stop it being released into the wider environment.

More about upholstered furniture

Household waste upholstered seating has fire retardants applied to meet Fire Safety Standards and the legislation and guidance is concerned with the potential negative impact that the pollutants within the fire retardants may have on animals, humans and the environment, when these items become waste and are broken down. If this type of waste is not managed responsibly, the chemicals can remain in the environment for a long time.

Although soft furnishing bought as new since 2019 should not contain these fire-retardants with persistent organic pollutants within, SEPA guidance notes that we must now ensure that all waste upholstered seating should be treated under these new guidelines.

The risk to human health from handling these types of undamaged waste upholstered seating is minimal and people are not required to needlessly get rid of upholstered household furniture items.