A bin man has revealed that one mistake can lead to your rubbish going uncollected.
Refuse collector Ashley regularly shares his top tips and insider secrets with his 150,000 followers on TikTok.
In a recent clip, the self-described ‘bin-fluencer’, 37, offered advice on keeping your recycling bin uncontaminated.
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And there’s one very common item that is a regular offender.
“Crisp packets do not belong in your recycling bin,” Ashley, from South East England, told What’s The Jam.
“You’re meant to take them to the supermarket and recycle them there because it’s a different type of plastic.
“Just like carrier bags, just like film, bubble wrap, all that stuff does not go in your recycling.”
Instead, Ashley says people should “take it to the tip” or their local supermarket.
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He added that there are several other items people should avoid putting in their recycling bins.
Ashley said: “There’s loads of stuff – polystyrene, plastic – that doesn’t go in your plastic recycling bin because it takes up too much room and it costs too much money to recycle.”
The bin man implored people to check the rules for different items before putting them in their bins.
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He added: “Please check before you do it, because you don’t want your bin to be contaminated.
“Wrapping paper should be in a different bin – please check.
“Don’t be the person who gets their bin rejected when you want it to be emptied.
“This is your warning.”
Ashley also revealed some of the most common items he sees contaminating recycling bins.
He said: “For plastic recycling it’s carrier bags and hard plastic items, like toys.
“For paper recycling it is dirty takeaway bags, wrappers and pizza boxes.
“Also, for some reason you find a lot of polystyrene in the paper bin.
“Most councils don’t recycle it in any bin.”
His top tip for anyone confused about what can and cannot be recycled? Check your local council website.
He added: “Most councils have an A to Z recycling guide on their website, so check there first.
“Also, recycling is meant to be clean, so if it’s dirty, it’s no longer recyclable. “
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