Can you recycle plastic toys?

Toys are 'rigid mixed plastic' with metal, fabric and electronics mixed in, so they cannot go in kerbside recycling. Working toys should be donated to charity shops, toy banks, nurseries or offered on Olio/Freecycle. Broken non-electronic toys go in general waste; anything with lights, sound or motors is WEEE and goes to small-electricals recycling, with batteries removed to a battery point first.

Tips

• Charity shops need complete sets — bag pieces together
• Battery toys count as electricals — recycling centre, not bin
• Remove batteries before disposal, always

Which bin does it go in?

Donate if working; general waste if broken (remove batteries first)

Before throwing it away, see reuse, repair and donation routes.

Background: Plastic numbers 1–7 explained.

Also searched as: kids toys, action figures, lego, dolls.