What this calculator works out
This calculator multiplies the number of containers you get through each day by their average volume and the number of days, giving a total volume of recycling.
It measures the space recycling occupies, not its weight. For collection purposes space is what runs out first — recycling is bulky and light.
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Before you estimate
- Containers means bottles, cans, jars, cartons and tubs. Average volume is the container's own size, not how full it was.
- The figure is loose volume. Crushing bottles and flattening boxes reduces it substantially.
- Card and paper are usually the largest contributors by volume and the easiest to flatten.
- Kerbside collections vary enormously between councils. Check what yours accepts before assuming.
An uncrushed plastic bottle is mostly air. Crushing bottles and flattening cardboard can reduce the volume of household recycling by half or more, which is often the difference between a fortnightly collection being adequate and being overwhelmed. It costs nothing and takes seconds.
How this calculator works
Containers times volume times days:
Litres = containers per day × average volume × daysThe calculation gives loose volume with no allowance for crushing. Halving the result is a reasonable approximation for a household that flattens cardboard and crushes bottles.
Worked example: a fortnight
Using the default figures — 2 containers a day at 3 litres each, over 14 days:
- Loose volume: 84 litres
84 litres sits comfortably inside a 240 litre bin, which suggests capacity is not the problem. In practice most households find the recycling bin fills faster than that, because card and packaging are not counted as "containers" and dominate the volume. Adding a large cardboard box or two takes the same fortnight well past 200 litres uncrushed, and back under 100 flattened.
Common mistakes
- Counting only bottles and cans. Card and packaging usually dominate the volume.
- Not flattening. It can halve the total.
- Putting non-recyclable items in. Contamination can cause a whole load to be rejected.
- Assuming all councils accept the same materials. They differ substantially.
- Leaving food residue. A rinse is usually required and prevents contamination.
Frequently asked questions
What can I recycle at the kerbside?
It varies considerably by council. Paper, card, glass bottles and jars, metal cans and most rigid plastic bottles are widely accepted. Plastic film, pots, tubs and trays are accepted by some councils and not others. Your council's website lists exactly what your collection takes, and it is worth checking rather than guessing.
Does it matter if I put the wrong thing in?
Yes. Contamination can cause a load to be rejected and sent for disposal instead, which wastes everything else in it. The common offenders are food waste, plastic bags, textiles and nappies. Where you are unsure about an item, general waste is usually the safer choice than hopeful recycling.
Do I need to wash containers?
A rinse is generally required — enough to remove food residue, not a thorough wash. Residue contaminates paper and card in mixed collections and causes problems at sorting facilities. Using leftover washing-up water avoids using extra.
What about items the kerbside does not take?
Household waste recycling centres take a much wider range, including textiles, electricals, batteries, engine oil and rubble. Many supermarkets have collection points for soft plastics and batteries. Retailers selling electrical goods have obligations to take back old equipment.
Is what I enter stored?
No. Figures are processed in your browser and never transmitted or retained.
Related tools
References
- GOV.UK — recycling rules, collection duties and producer responsibility
- Met Office — climate context for waste and emissions
Sources are checked at publication and can change — how I choose and check references.