This page pulls together information about recycling in the two-dales area. If you know of any recycling options that aren’t listed here, then please contact us and we’ll get them added.

Why recycle?

Every object that we use – be it a drinks can, a sofa or a car – takes energy to produce. Often, this is substantial – for example, that drinks can is made from aluminium, which requires large amounts of energy for mining, purification, smelting and transport – this energy results in the emission of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

Recycling reduces the requirement for raw materials, and allows us to skip some of those high-energy steps in production, thus reducing the global warming impact.

There are other benefits too. An object that is recycled does not end up getting incinerated, which contributes to air pollution, or in landfill, which can contribute to water pollution. Nor is it discarded as litter, ending up in our countryside or seas.

Consumables

Where to recycle?

Most household consumables can be recycled at one of the 5 council-run recycling banks in the two-dales area. The sites are:

  • The Dales Centre at Reeth (by the craft shops)
  • The YHA at Grinton
  • The YHA at Keld
  • The carpark at Muker
  • The carpark at Langthwaite in Arkengarthdale

The Richmondshire DC website recycling page has further details about these sites.

What will they take?

All of these recycling sites will take:

  • Plastic bottles
  • Metal food tins, drinks cans, foil
  • Tetrapak
  • Mixed glass
  • Mixed paper and card

The Muker site additionally takes textiles & clothes.

See the Richmondshire DC ‘what can I recycle?’ page for details of exactly what can go into the recycling bins.

If you have any bulky household waste to recycle (e.g. lots of cardboard) then additional large recycling bags can be requested from the National Park centre at Hudson House, in Reeth, or from the recycling lorry as it does its rounds.

Other household waste

There are council-run tips at Leyburn and Brompton-on-Swale, that will recycle a wider range of household waste, including batteries and waste electrical items – see details on the North Yorks CC recycling page.

Resale and charities

Everything has a value to someone! Consider either passing used items of furniture, electrical items or other bric-a-brac on for free, or donating them to charity.

Websites

  • Facebook Swaledale & Arkengarthdale buy/sell/swap: this is a useful local page for buy/sell/swap. Given Facebook’s popularity, this is a good place to ensure your item is seen! Free to use.
  • Facebook Marketplace: this is another Facebook page where you can put used items up for sale, or giveaway, based on local area.
  • Freecycle: the original giveaway site. There is a Richmondshire Freecycle group (don’t be put off by the site suggesting US localities!). Free to use.
  • Gumtree: online market place based on locality or postcode. Free to use (unless you make your advertisement ‘featured’).
  • Ebay: auction site that gets huge numbers of people viewing. Good for selling higher-value items, but you do have to pay a fee.

Local charities

‘Frade‘ is a local-ish charity (based in the Tees Valley) who collect secondhand furniture, electrical items and other household goods, and sell them on (with a substantial discount to customers who are on benefits).

They are unlikely to offer collection as far as Reeth, but may collect from the Richmond area, especially if there are multiple items. Try contacting them through their website, or by telephone on 01642 608791.

Other recycling

Inhalers

GSK, the drug company, run a recycling scheme for inhalers (as used by asthmatics and others). You can drop used inhalers off at participating pharmacies – find your nearest one on their ‘Complete the cycle’ website.