- Aug 13
- 3 min read

This is a quick guide on recycling harder-to-recycle items in the Southfields and Wimbledon Park Grid area.
Before you try to recycle an item – see if it works / in good condition. If it is - try to give it away on the Olio app. Olio also accepts opened items – such as opened shampoos or creams. If it's faulty - see if you can fix it at the regular Southfields Mend, Fix and Repair Cafe, which takes place at St Barnabas Church around 4 times a year.
Then check what your local waste and recycling centres accept: Wandsworth - Western Riverside Waste Authority - (aka Smugglers Way tip - SW18 1JS), Merton - Garth Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre (SM4 4AX)
Kerbside recycling: check what is accepted at kerbside Wandsworth Council Website and Merton Council Website.
See a separate list of what we collect weekly at Recycle More Southfields. We specialise in hard-to-recycle items and have a weekly schedule of the items we collect at two collection points on Sutherland Grove and on Trentham St.
Below is a list of other places you can recycle your harder-to-recycle items.
Popular Items: Where can I recycle these?
Batteries – pretty much everywhere including Boots Southfields (SW18 5LT), Co-op Wimbledon Park (SW19 8AE), Sainsbury’s Durnsford Rd (SW19 8DZ), Sainsbury’s Wandsworth (SW18 4AD), Sainsbury’s Wimbledon (SW19 4DD).
Beauty packaging – all bottles – can go to Merton and Wandsworth kerbside recycling. Tubes and jars – Recycle More Southfields (Week 3 collection), Boots Wimbledon Quarter (SW19 8YE), Boots Putney High Street (SW15 1SS).
Bedding – Including pillows and duvets. Dunelm Store (SW19 2PP)
Coffee cups (single use) – Southside Centre special coffee cups bins – all brands. Including lids (SW18 4TF), Wylie’s Coffee – only their own cups (SW18 5LR).
Contact lenses – Recycle More Southfields (Week 1 collection), Specsavers Southside (SW18 4TQ).
Dental – toothpaste tubes can be recycled at Boots Wimbledon Quarter (SW19 8YE), Boots Putney High Street (SW15 1SS). Everything else (including toothpaste tubes, manual plastic toothbrushes and plastic toothbrush heads, interdental, floss packaging) is accepted by recycle More Southfields (Week 1 collection).
Fridges and freezers– and other white goods – If they work – donate them to charity. If faulty: Wandsworth residents can book two free bulky items collections a year, which include all white goods (apart from American fridge-freezers and side-by-side fridges). Merton residents can book a paid for bulky items collection, including white goods. It is important to dispose fridges and freezers properly – because they release harmful ozone-depleting refrigerants and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere when thrown away.
Glasses (spectacles) - Specsavers Southside (SW18 4TQ), Garth Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre – Merton (SM4 4AX), Western Riverside Waste Authority - Wandsworth (Smugglers Way tip - SW18 1JS), Wheeler and Kirk Opticians (SW18 5LT)
Hard plastics – such as garden tables and chairs, washing up bowls, plastic toys with no electrical components, etc - Western Riverside Waste Authority – Wandsworth (Smugglers Way tip - SW18 1JS).
Hazardous waste– such as paints, solvents (white spirit, petrol, diesel, antifreeze), acids, pesticides, alkalis (i.e. Bleach, Hydroxide Solutions, Ammonia), old rat poison – see the full list here. Hazardous waste is collected free of charge from the residents and businesses of both Wandsworth and Merton boroughs by the City of London Hazardous Waste Collection. You will need to have your Council Tax number and fill a simple form to book a free pick up. All information and an online booking form are here.
Inhalers – most pharmacies will accept them.
Light Bulbs - B&Q - New Malden (KT3 4PT), Currys - Colliers Wood (SW19 2PP), Garth Road Household Reuse and Recycling Centre – Merton (SM4 4AX), Western Riverside Waste Authority - Wandsworth (Smugglers Way tip - SW18 1JS).
Make up packaging - Recycle More Southfields (Week 3 collection), Boots Wimbledon Quarter (SW19 8YE), Boots Putney High Street (SW15 1SS).
Medicine blister packs – Recycle More Southfields (Week 1 collection), Boots Southside Centre (SW18 4TG), Boots Putney High Street (SW15 1SS), Superdrug Wimbledon Quarter (SW19 8ND).
Razors – are no longer recycled. Except Bulldog razors. Bulldog razors (only!) can be recycled through Bulldog recycling scheme. https://bulldogskincare.com/pages/first-mile-recycling.
Shoes – The Village Cobbler Southfields (SW18 5LR).
Small electricals – Southfields Library (SW19 6NL) and Earlsfield Library (SW18 3NY) pink boxes, Western Riverside Waste Authority (Smugglers Way tip - SW18 1JS).
Soft plastics – such as crisps and snacks packets, fruit punnet lids, shrink-wrap, bubble wrap, etc - Co-op Wimbledon Park (SW19 8AE), Sainsbury’s Wandsworth (SW18 4AD), Sainsbury’s Wimbledon (SW19 4DD).
Stationery - Recycle More Southfields (Week 1 collection)
Toothbrushes - Recycle More Southfields (Week 1 collection)
Vaping refills - Sainsbury’s Wandsworth (SW18 4AD)