Can you recycle pump dispenser tops?

Lotion and soap pump mechanisms mix plastics with a metal spring and can't be recycled kerbside, so unscrew them and put them in general waste — the bottle itself is recyclable. Better: keep the pump and buy refills or pump-free bottles. Some beauty take-back schemes (Boots Recycle at Boots, Maybelline in Superdrug/Tesco) accept whole pump bottles.

Tips

• Keep one pump per sink and buy refills
• Beauty take-back schemes accept hard-to-recycle bathroom plastics

Which bin does it go in?

General waste — or reuse on the next bottle

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

Background: Plastic numbers 1–7 explained.

Also searched as: lotion pumps, soap dispilers, dispenser tops.