‘Bin-fluencer’ issues warning on what one item should NOT be thrown away with general rubbish

Last updated: 2026/04/17 at 1:13 PM

Elle James

3 Min Read

A bin man has issued a stark warning to anyone throwing away one common item.

Refuse collector Ashley regularly shares his top tips and insider secrets with his 168,000 followers on TikTok.

In a recent clip, the self-described “bin-fluencer” offered advice on the one item you should never put in the bin due to the danger attached.

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According to the 37-year-old, people should avoid putting electric toothbrushes in their general waste or recycling bins.

“You do not put them in your general waste bin and you do not put them in your recycling bins because they have a rechargeable battery inside them,” Ashley, from south-east England, told What’s The Jam.

A bin man has warned people to never throw one common bathroom item in the bin. Electric toothbrushes have batteries that can cause fires when crushed in the back of lorries. — Ashley with his bin lorry. (Jam Press/@theno1.binman)

“I know it’s a faff, you have to then take them to a shop like Boots or Currys, or anything like that which sells small electricals.

“They sometimes have a bin outside; you can put them in that.

“You could alternatively take them to the tip, they have a small electrical bin or bay, you can put them there.

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“Sometimes you just have to return stuff to where you got it from.

Ashley went on to share the reason behind his advice – it’s to avoid fires and damage to property.

He added: “It’s not our fault we don’t take them, we don’t take everything.

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(Jam Press/@theno1.binman)

“It’s just to stop fires and stuff in the back of the lorries – because [when] the blade comes down, if it bursts the battery inside it, then that’s how the fire starts.

“It’s the same when we get to the tip and they crush it, they’re not expecting electrical devices to be in there – that’s the reason why.”

Users flocked to the comments section beneath the video, which racked up more than 4,000 views.

Tash said: “My council lets us put small electricals in a carrier bag and leave by our general waste bin and the bin men take them.”

Social media comment on the post of A bin man has warned people to never throw one common bathroom item in the bin. Electric toothbrushes have batteries that can cause fires when crushed in the back of lorries. — Social media comment on the post. (Picture: Jam Press)

Paul wrote: “Council should provide something to put empty small AA + AAA batteries in.”

Another viewer added: “My council provide kerbside collections for batteries and small electrical items such as microwaves, toasters and gaming controllers.

“Also we take leads but they go in a separate plastic clear bag that shows they’re in there.”