A binman has shared a common recycling mistake that could mean your bin is left unemptied
12:25, 04 Jan 2026Updated 13:16, 04 Jan 2026
One recycling mistake could mean your bins are not emptied(Image: Getty)
A binman has issued a warning that your recycling could be “rejected” and left uncollected if you mistakenly include a common item in the bin. Contrary to what many might assume, not all items can be thrown into the plastic recycling, even though it may seem sensible to group all such items together.
A popular bin collector, known on TikTok as The No1 Binman, has disclosed the one item you should exclude to prevent contamination of your recycling, reports the Manchester Evening News. He shared this crucial information in an online video, and his guidance may come as a surprise. It turns out, you’ve probably been recycling something incorrectly for years, and it could potentially cause problems if you make a mistake.
In the video, he explained: “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.
“Just like carrier bags, just like film, bubble wrap – all that stuff does not go in your recycling. Take it to the tip, they can sometimes dispose of it there differently, or take it to a supermarket.
“There’s loads of stuff. Polystyrene, plastic, but it doesn’t go in your recycling bin, because it takes up too much room and it costs too much money to recycle because there’s barely any plastic in it. It’s mainly air.
“Please check before you put it in your bin. Normally, it’s like tins and bottles. Easy things to put in the recycling. Please check before you do it because you don’t want your bin to be contaminated. Don’t be the person who gets their bin rejected when you want it to be emptied.”
What many people may not know is that crisp packets typically can’t be recycled alongside your standard household recycling waste. This is due to them being made from mixed metallised plastic film, rather than pure foil or plastic, which conventional facilities are unable to separate.
However, there’s no need for alarm, as you can recycle them through specialist collection programmes such as TerraCycle or at numerous supermarket drop-off locations for “soft plastics”. At these points, they’re collected alongside plastic bags so they can be processed correctly.
Can binmen refuse to collect your recycling?
Binmen have the ability to, and often do, refuse to collect people’s rubbish if it contains incorrect items. They may also decline to take waste that’s excessively heavy, or if there’s “side waste”, meaning additional bags or items placed beside the bin.
The reason for this is that contamination can ruin entire loads and cause damage to sorting facilities, potentially resulting in bins being left uncollected or marked for correction. This is precisely why it’s crucial to get it right; otherwise, you could find yourself stuck with a significant amount of unwanted rubbish.
Depositing non-recyclable items such as food waste, soft plastics, polystyrene or even oily pizza boxes into your recycling bin is a common reason for bins not being collected. Bins that are overfilled, too heavy or have the lid open are often left behind.
If you find yourself in this predicament, your local council will likely attach a sticker to the bin explaining why it wasn’t emptied. You’ll then need to remove the unsuitable items before the next collection day. It is recommended to check your local council guidelines to understand the specific rules applicable to your area.