How can I reuse or recycle milk bottle tops?

Milk bottle foil topWe’ve had another email from Lyndall, asking:

i was wondering if you knew what i could do with the foil top of milk bottles?

I remember a Blue Peter fundraising appeal from circa 1985 that involved us collecting them for charity but now charities – like Southampton’s Gift of Sight appeal – seem to collect plastic ones instead.

Since they’re just foil, they can be recycled along with other foil products – we can include it in our doorstep recycling.

But what about reuses?

(Photo by LHMike)

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17 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle milk bottle tops?”


  1. When I was growing up, we used to thread them onto strings to act as bird-scarers for the vegetable patch.

  2. Nicole says:

    Enough of them could make a garland for Christmas because of the colours.

  3. Sahika says:

    we collect plastic caps, lids, taps for charity. we will sell them and donate money to Lions to build a school for disability children.

      • paula jones says:

        we would love to donate plastic bottle tops we are over run with them at our school, parents and children started collecting them with a charity for wheelchairs and it turned out a not to be true

        please can we have you address
        thank you

        paula jones hilton lane primary school

    • georgina farmer says:

      hello, we have loads of plastic tops and would like them to be put to good use. my little girl is disabled and i can’t think of a better charity to give them too. please e mail me as to where i can forward these onto. many thanks.

    • Aileen Air says:

      Our school needs an outlet for plastic bottle tops which the parents and children collect. Does anyone know where I can send them?
      We are based in Dundee, Scotland.

  4. Ian says:

    Tights make very good ties for tying up garden palnts – particularly climbing roses. They contain without hatming the plants!

  5. Noreen says:

    Coat hangers are always in demand at your local Charity shops

  6. Noreen says:

    Random bits of crockery are what many people use for mosaic work; maybe a local college or school would be glad of them?

  7. denise brown says:

    Hi Im looking for a couple of thousand foil milk bottle tops for my daughter she is making a dress for eco friendly its part of miss charity work

    • denise brown says:

      denise brown wrote:

      Hi Im looking for a couple of thousand foil milk bottle tops for my daughter she is making a dress for eco friendly its part of miss charity work

      can any one help?

  8. lyn parsons says:

    I have bags of washed milk bottle tops. Please let me know of a charity/organization that can make use of these to make themselves some funds. Many thanks.

  9. Along the Way says:

    Cut the cover with scissors into many pieces to make then sharper.



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