Do you know how to recycle?

Do you know how to recycle?

Most people have good intentions when they recycle, but if you put the wrong items in, it can ruin the whole load.

“When a recycling bin is contaminated with food waste, soft plastics or glass in the wrong stream, councils often have no choice but to send it to general waste – and the costs are passed back to residents.

“Councils are under pressure to meet recycling targets, and contamination makes that much harder. That’s why enforcement is becoming more common, especially where contamination is repeated or deliberate.”

These are some recycling mistakes that could see you hit with a hefty fine:

Putting plastic bags or film in mixed recycling.
Leaving food residue on containers
Recycling greasy cardboard (like takeaway boxes)
Including broken glass in the wrong bin
Mixing batteries or electronics with general recyclables

Some councils, such as those in Bristol, Reading and Cardiff, have issued fines between £100 and £400 for repeat contamination, especially where residents have been warned but continue to misuse their bins. CWAC have not yet reached this point, but it makes sense to be aware of the right way to recycle and what the impact of “lazy recycling” does.

As recycling costs and contamination levels rise, some councils have started using bin tags, CCTV, and waste inspectors to crack down on households that continually get it wrong.

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