Hygiene Waste

Register for the new absorbent hygiene waste collection trial in Barry

From 19 October 2026, we're running a trial in Barry to find the best way to collect and recycle absorbent hygiene products, such as nappies, nappy bags & wipes, as well as adult incontinence products.

We’re inviting homes in Barry to take part in the trial, before looking to expand the service to the rest of the county. Please note that flats are not included in this trial.

Our offtakers, NappiCycle will recover and recycle elements of the absorbent hygiene products residents put out as part of the trial and use them to make new products.

What items should I put in my red bags?

Please put the following items in your bags for hygiene waste:

Nappies, nappy bags and wipes
Incontinence pads
Bed and chair pads
Empty disposable bed pans and liners
Empty colostomy and stoma bags
Empty catheter bags and urine bottles
Plastic gloves and disposable aprons

Please continue to put the following items in your black bags or hygiene caddies for non-recyclable waste:

Sanitary waste, such as panty liners, tampons and sanitary towels
Clinical waste, such as dressings or bandages contaminated with blood; needles, syringes and other sharp products and objects.

If you live in Barry and someone in your home uses absorbent hygiene products, you can register now to trial our new FREE collections service to recieve weekly collections from Monday 16 November.

Residents in the trial area can register for the trial at any point during the trial period.

If you have been unable to register, have chosen not to take part, or aren't eligible for the trial, please continue to put these items in your hygiene caddies or black bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do?

Once registered for the trial, we’ll deliver a roll of red bags to your home within five working days.
Fill your red bag with the approved items.
From 16 November, place your filled red bag(s) out with the rest of your recycling at the kerbside on your usual recycling collection day. You can put your tied bag(s) at the kerbside on its own, or you can place them inside a hygiene caddy.

Please note that this is an additional free weekly collection service in the trail area only. Residents have the option to continue using black bags and hygiene caddies to dispose of your hygiene waste every three weeks.

What items should I put in my red bags?

Please put the following items in your bags for hygiene waste:

Nappies, nappy bags and wipes
Incontinence pads
Bed and chair pads
Empty disposable bed pans and liners
Empty colostomy and stoma bags
Empty catheter bags and urine bottles
Plastic gloves and disposable aprons

Please continue to put the following items in your black bags or hygiene caddies for non-recyclable waste:

Sanitary waste, such as panty liners, tampons and sanitary towels
Clinical waste, such as dressings or bandages contaminated with blood; needles, syringes and other sharp products and objects.

FAQs

Can I register someone else for the trial?

Yes, you can register a family member or friend, as long as they live in Barry and someone in their home uses absorbent hygiene products.

When registering, please provide their address.
I live in Barry and look after my grandchildren who use nappies. Can I register for the trial?

No, you can’t register for the trial if you live in Barry but only look after your grandchildren who use nappies. The trial is only for homes where the people living there use nappies or other absorbent hygiene products.

If your grandchildren’s parents or guardians live in Barry, they can register for the trial. You would need to give them the used nappies so they can put them in their own trial bags at home.

If your grandchildren’s parents or guardians don’t live in Barry, you should put used nappies in your hygiene caddies or black bags.
I live in Barry and i am a registered childminder / own a nursery. Can I register for the trial?

No, businesses must arrange a separate commercial waste collection for their used absorbent hygiene products.
I currently receive an 'assisted waste collection'. Will this continue if I register for the trial?

Yes, if you already receive ‘assisted waste collections’, this will continue. We’ll collect your filled bags from the same collection point as your other recycling containers.
If it’s windy, how can I stop my bags from blowing away on my collection day?

If possible, wedge your bags between your other recycling containers on your usual collection day.

Please also remember to tie your bags securely with a double knot to prevent their contents from escaping.
Can I get more bags?

Trial participants will receive roll of 56 bags. Later on in the trial period, participants will get the opportunity to order more bags.
Why are you trialling a new collection for absorbent hygiene products?

Almost 7% of what goes in black bags in the Vale of Glamorgan is absorbent hygiene products, such as nappies, nappy bags and wipes, as well as adult incontinence products.
We’ll recycle the absorbent hygiene products residents put out as part of the trial and use them to make new products, such as fibreboards and acoustic panels for floors and walls, and as an engineering material used in road surfaces.

Recycling these items instead of putting them in black bags will:

• Help you recycle more of your waste from home
• Create more space in your black bags for your non-recyclable waste
• Support Wales in meeting its carbon reduction and recycling targets
• Keep Wales among the world’s best recycling nations

The trial will allow us to understand how absorbent hygiene products can be included in existing recycling collections.
Why are you starting this service with only a small number of homes?

We’re trialling the service with up to 23,000 homes in Barry. The area has different types of homes, which will help us understand how the service works for different residents.

This trial will help us find out whether we can run the service using our existing vehicles. It will also help us understand how many absorbent hygiene products residents put out for collection and the different types of items we need to collect.
What should I do if you don’t collect my red sack?

If we don’t collect your red sack, it might be because:

• It may contain the wrong items

• The bag isn’t tied securely

• It has liquids inside

Please check the list above to make sure you’re only putting the correct items in your sack.

Please remove any items that don’t belong and make sure your sack is securely tied with a double knot.

If any items contain liquids, empty and rinse them, then put your sack out again on your next collection day.
Can I get help with sorting what I can and can’t recycle?

We have a team of Recycling Officers that can give you advice and guidance about all our recycling and non-recyclable waste services.

Please see our Support with Waste and Recycling page.

If my home isn’t taking part in the trial, what should I do with my absorbent hygiene products?

If you have been unable to register, have chosen not to take part, or aren't eligible for the trial, please continue to put your absorbent hygiene products in your hygiene caddies or black bags.
If the trial is successful, will you start collecting absorbent hygiene products from all homes in the vale?

Whilst we hope the trial is successful and shows us the best way to collect and recycle your absorbent hygiene products, we won’t be able to confirm when and how we introduce an ongoing, permanent collections service for these items until after the trial ends.

We’ll work with specialists to analyse the trial’s insights and consider the recommendations and next steps in making it as easy as possible for residents to recycle as much of their waste from home.

Please visit this webpage for the latest information about the trial and what to do with your absorbent hygiene products.