England
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles carry a 20p deposit you can reclaim at shops.
England-wide guidance, checked 26 Sep 2026. View the source
Plastic drinks bottle
Also called: water bottle, fizzy drink bottle, soda bottle, coke bottle, PET bottle, juice bottle
Recycle at home
National rules. Choose your council to see its answer.
Your council's answer
The answer can differ by council. Choose your council to see its rules for this item.
How to prepare it
- Empty and give it a quick rinse
- Check whether your council wants the lid on or off
From 1 October 2027
Drinks containers like this carry a 20p deposit. Return it to a collection point to get the money back.
Where to take it
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Snap a photo instead of typing, and get a reminder the evening before bin day.
National rules
The answer isn't the same in every UK nation. Choose your council to see the one that applies to you.
Scotland
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles are due to carry a 20p deposit you can reclaim at shops.
Scotland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
Wales
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 Wales's deposit return scheme will also let you return drinks bottles at shops.
Wales-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
Northern Ireland
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles will carry a deposit you can reclaim at shops.
Northern Ireland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
Rules in the rest of the UK
England
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles carry a 20p deposit you can reclaim at shops.
England-wide guidance, checked 26 Sep 2026. View the source
Scotland
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles are due to carry a 20p deposit you can reclaim at shops.
Scotland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
Wales
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 Wales's deposit return scheme will also let you return drinks bottles at shops.
Wales-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
Northern Ireland
Recycle at home
Yes. Put it in your recycling bin.
Empty, rinse and put the lid back on; from October 2027 drinks bottles will carry a deposit you can reclaim at shops.
Northern Ireland-wide guidance, checked 27 Sep 2026. View the source
How to recycle it
National schemes anyone in the UK can use.
National scheme
Deposit return scheme for drinks containers
20p deposit per container, refunded in full on return. Only containers sold from 1 October 2027 carry a deposit. · Return in store
From 1 October 2027, single-use plastic (PET) drinks bottles and aluminium or steel drinks cans (150ml to 3L) carry a 20p deposit, refunded when you return the empty container. Glass bottles are not included in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland. In Wales, glass bottles are included but carry no deposit until October 2031.
- Keep the container whole and its barcode label on: don't crush it
- Return it to a return point of your choice: either a shop counter or a reverse vending machine
- The machine gives you a voucher to redeem; at a counter, staff refund you
- Small shops in urban areas are exempt from taking returns, so use another return point nearby
Source: exchangeforchange.co.uk, checked 10 Oct 2026.
Recycle This isn't run by or endorsed by any council or the government. Councils change their services, so check anything important with your council.