@Helen3
I do think it varies from council to council in the UK. For example, from the items that you mention you can recycle 'from home', where I live (Borough of Lambeth), you cannot recycle:
- Soft plastics: Only hard plastic 'tubs and trays' can go into the recycling bin, e.g. plastic bottles, yoghurt pots. Unfortunately, any thin or soft plastics, you have to put in the bin or deal with yourself. I try to reuse what I can.
- Foil: of any kind cannot go in the recycling, but you can put in tin cans.
- Batteries: nope, but you can take them to a local supermarket for recycling.
- Clothing/shoes: nope, again, but there is a nearby charity donation bin where I can take them.
Food waste is an easy one though as the Council do provide a bin and weekly waste collection service for this. You just have to buy the biodegradable bags. Pretty much any kind of food waste can go in this.
@Mark116 I find that most of my guests are pretty good with this. Actually, they are better with it than the other recycling, maybe because they find it more straightforward. I have, however, noticed that American guests are by far the most wasteful with food, including the most recent one who worked for an environmental organisation. It actually astonishes me how much they throw away.