A binman has told people their rubbish may not be taken away if a simple item is found in their recycling bins. It’s a vital piece of information people need to know
07:22, 12 Jan 2026Updated 10:08, 12 Jan 2026
Binmen may not take away your waste (stock image)(Image: VictorHuang via Getty Images)
Putting the bins out seems an easy task, but it may not be as simple as you think, as binmen can sometimes reject it and refuse to take it away. Leaving items in your recycling waste that shouldn’t be there can lead to a few problems, like rubbish being left outside your property.
To help people out, a binman, known as The No1 Binman on TikTok, has shared some advice that is sure to help a lot of people. Little you may know, leaving a few items in your household waste could cause you a big problem, as they can refuse to take it away if you don’t follow a few simple rules.
It’s not the only item you need to avoid putting in your recycling waste either. Just a few weeks ago, he also said you need to avoid placing another item in the trash.
In a recent clip shared online, he said: “Plastic, not all plastic is the same. Ok, so you have thin plastics, you have soft plastics, you have hard plastics, and it depends on the council which they actually take.
“Most of them just take normal bottles, or tins and stuff like that in your plastic bin. [They are] the only things they’ll take. They won’t take anything like carrier bags, black bags, they also won’t take any films.
“All that sort of stuff, it ruins the machines they send the stuff to. Every recycling centre is different, so they get told what they can take and what they can’t take, and they’re the ones who make the rules. Not the binmen.
“It’s not our choice. We just get told. So, if there are any plastics that you’re unsure about, maybe ask your council website or maybe you can ask the binmen. They might know.”
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Little you may know, there are some items you should never place in your recycling waste, and carrier bags is one of them. There is a major reason why this rule is enforced.
Can binmen reject your rubbish?
You may not realise it, but binmen can actually refuse to collect your waste. The main reasons they’ll do this is if your recycling is contaminated, when it’s considered excessive (too heavy or bags beside the bin) or if the bin isn’t presented correctly.
However, they generally must collect household waste unless there’s a valid reason not to. Councils are obligated to provide the service.
If they refuse to collect, the reasons often relate to safety, contamination or not following council rules. For example, leaving “side waste” can be an issue.
Little you may know, you also shouldn’t place carrier bags in your home recycling waste. While they can be recycled, you need to take them to special collection points, which are usually found at larger supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Waitrose.
Such stores offer in-store drop-off bins for “soft plastics” like bread bags, films and pouches. If they’re spotted in your recycling waste, there’s a chance it won’t be taken away, as it can contaminate the load.
For further information, ensure you check your council’s website to view the rules for your area. Sometimes regulations can differ between councils.