The Recycling Rules You’re Probably Breaking (And Why It Matters)
A binman’s warning about common recycling mistakes has resurfaced, highlighting how easily good intentions can lead to contaminated loads and rejected collections. It’s a simple task, but many households still inadvertently fall foul of putting the wrong items in their recycling bins. Avoiding these four common errors can significantly improve recycling rates and streamline the process for refuse collectors.
The Four Items That Can Ruin Your Recycling
According to Ashley, a refuse collector, certain items consistently cause problems. If found in recycling bins, they can lead to entire loads being rejected. Here’s what to avoid:
1. Pizza Boxes: A Greasy Problem
Pizza boxes are a frequent offender. While cardboard is generally recyclable, grease and food residue contaminate the process. “Pizza boxes should not be in the recycling bin. They should be in your general waste bin,” Ashley explains. If a pizza box is heavily soiled, it’s best to discard it with general waste. However, the clean cardboard lid can be recycled.
Contamination from food and grease stops cardboard fibres from bonding during pulping, rendering the material unusable for recycling.
2. Crisp Packets: Beyond the Bin
Those tempting crisp packets don’t belong in your recycling bin. “Crisp packets do not belong in your recycling bin. You’re meant to take them to the supermarket and recycle them there, because it’s a different type of plastic,” Ashley stated. Like carrier bags and bubble wrap, they require specialized recycling processes often available at supermarkets or dedicated recycling points.
Polystyrene is another plastic that doesn’t belong in household recycling due to its low density and high air content, making it costly and inefficient to process.
3. Wrapping Paper: The Scrunch Test
Gift-giving season often leads to confusion about wrapping paper. The recyclability depends on the type of paper and any embellishments. Ashley suggests a simple “scrunch test”: “If you have actual wrapping paper paper, what Try to be able to do with it is screw it into a ball – and if it stays in the ball, it’s just paper, and that can go in your paper recycling bin.”
Remove any Sellotape or labels before recycling. If the paper easily expands back out when scrunched, it likely contains plastic film and should go in general waste.
4. Condoms: A Matter of Hygiene and Material
Condoms should always be disposed of in the general waste bin. They are made from materials like latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene, which are not compatible with standard recycling processes. These materials don’t break down in recycling facilities and can damage equipment. They are considered single-use personal hygiene products and may contain bodily fluids, classifying them as medical waste.
The Future of Recycling: Tackling Contamination
The issue of contamination isn’t latest, but it’s becoming increasingly critical as recycling infrastructure struggles to keep pace with waste volumes. Advanced sorting technologies, like optical scanners and artificial intelligence, are being implemented at Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to improve the identification and removal of contaminants. However, these technologies aren’t foolproof, and rely on initial correct sorting by households.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are also gaining traction. These schemes place the responsibility for the end-of-life management of products on the producers themselves, incentivizing them to design packaging that is more easily recyclable.
Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) for beverage containers are being rolled out in more regions, offering financial incentives for consumers to return bottles and cans for recycling. These schemes have proven highly effective in increasing collection rates and reducing litter.
Beyond the Bin: Reducing Waste at the Source
While proper recycling is essential, reducing waste generation in the first place is even more impactful. This includes choosing products with minimal packaging, opting for reusable alternatives, and repairing items instead of replacing them. Supporting businesses committed to sustainable practices and advocating for policies that promote waste reduction are also crucial steps.
Did you know?
Contamination rates can be as high as 30% in some areas, meaning nearly a third of collected recycling ends up in landfill.
FAQ: Your Recycling Questions Answered
- What happens if my recycling bin is contaminated? Your entire bin may be rejected and sent to landfill.
- Can I recycle plastic bags? No, plastic bags should be taken to dedicated collection points at supermarkets.
- Is all cardboard recyclable? No, cardboard contaminated with food or grease is not recyclable.
- What about cartons (milk, juice)? These are often recyclable, but check your local council’s guidelines.
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