Information sign
Recycling signs
Clear labels are what make a recycling point work: people put the right thing in the right bin when the bin tells them what it takes. These printable recycling signs name the material in large type beside the familiar looping-arrows symbol, from a general recycling sign to separate paper and card, plastic bottles, glass, cans and tins, and food waste. There is a general waste sign too, so nobody has to guess what is left over. Print on A4 for bins or A3 for a collection point, in portrait or landscape.
Recycling sign
Sign text: "Recycling". PDF, 14 KB. A5, A4 or A3, portrait or landscape.
Buy a durable version
Rigid plastic, aluminium or self-adhesive recycling signs, ready to put up. The pictures are our own free designs, not the Amazon products.
Self-adhesive recycling bin labels
View on Amazon - Self-adhesive recycling bin labels (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Rigid plastic recycling signs
View on Amazon - Rigid plastic recycling signs (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Wall-mounted recycling bin station
View on Amazon - Wall-mounted recycling bin station (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Also useful: A4 laminating pouches (to protect a printed sign) on Amazon (affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Some links are affiliate links - we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How affiliate links work
Choose your wording
10 versions. Each one downloads as a PDF in A5, A4 or A3, portrait or landscape.
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Recycle here
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Mixed recycling
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Paper and card
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Plastic bottles
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Cans and tins
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Food waste
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General waste
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Recycling symbol (no text)
Download all 10 signs
Every wording, size and orientation in one ZIP file, 776 KB.
Print tips
- Print at "actual size" or 100%, not "fit to page", so the margins stay even.
- Use thicker paper or card (160gsm or more) if the sign will be handled.
- For outdoor or long-term use, laminate it or buy a rigid version.
Where to use it
- Office kitchens and print rooms, above or on the front of each bin
- School corridors and canteens
- Shop back rooms, staff rooms and customer return points
- Village halls, clubs and event sites where bins are borrowed or hired
- Home garages and utility rooms, to settle who puts what where
Questions
Which wording should I use for my bins?
Use the wording your waste collector or council uses for each stream, because what counts as 'mixed recycling' or 'plastic bottles' varies. If your collector accepts more plastics than bottles, say so on your own label or ask us for a wording change.
Do the sign colours have to match the bin colours?
No. The signs are for labelling, and bin colours differ between councils and waste contractors. Pick the sign for the material and stick it where people will see it when they lift the lid.
Can I print a black and white version?
Yes. The symbol and text are high contrast, so they print well on a mono printer. The general waste sign is already black on white.
Will a paper sign last on a bin?
Not outdoors or on a wet bin. Laminate it, put it in a plastic sleeve or buy a rigid or self-adhesive sign for outdoor bins.
Related signs
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Hazardous Substance Signs
Cleaning SignsInformation class. Plain information signs tell people where things are. All construction signs