A binman has warned if you put certain things into the recycling bin, then it won’t be collected, and it’s likely you’ve fallen foul of popping these 4 items in in the past
08:02, 28 Feb 2026Updated 08:16, 28 Feb 2026
He shared that there are things you should never put in the recycling bin (Stock Image)(Image: Getty Images)
If you want your bin to be taken without any drama, then there are 4 items you should avoid putting in your recycling. It’s a simple task, but many still get it wrong, and, of course, nobody is perfect, although householders should try to get it right to make the lives of refuse collectors’ simpler.
One refuse collector, Ashley, known as The No1 Binman, has amassed thousands of followers thanks to his handy tips and bin-related life hacks, along with his no-nonsense attitude towards people who complain about trash. His expert guidance is certainly worth listening to, as it’ll save you a visit to the tip!
According to Ashley, binmen can decline to collect your rubbish if particular items are found in the incorrect bins, and these include the following items…
1. Pizza boxes
Make sure that your pizza boxes aren’t greasy (Stock Image)(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “Pizza boxes should not be in the recycling bin. They should be in your general waste bin, whatever colour that will be. You are told to put all cardboard in the blue bin. I don’t know what your blue bin is, I don’t know.
“Let’s just make this clear, pizza boxes – general waste bin, not recycling bin. That’s all I needed to say. It doesn’t matter what colour your bin is, it goes in your general waste.”
While some pizza boxes can be recycled, this should only be done if they’re clean and dry. To handle this correctly, you must remove and dispose of any greasy food remnants or stained sections, particularly the base.
If the item is excessively soiled, it should go into the general waste bin or be used for composting. The clean cardboard lid, however, can go in the paper and card recycling bin.
You may not be aware that refuse collectors can reject a complete recycling bin if it contains non-recyclable, contaminated items, such as soiled or greasy pizza boxes. This occurs because food and grease stop the cardboard fibres from bonding during the pulping process, making the material unsuitable for recycling.
2. Crisp packets
The No1 Binman shared: “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 is 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.”
3. Wrapping paper
You should check whether your wrapping paper can be recycled (Stock Image)(Image: Getty)
When it’s someone’s birthday or a special celebration and lot of gifts have been given, it’s really important to check whether the paper gift-givers have opted for is actually recyclable. It can be confusing to know which elements you can recycle.
He said: “It depends on the wrapping paper. So if you have actual wrapping paper paper, what you should be able to do with it is screw it into a ball – and if it stays in the ball, it’s just paper, and that can go in your paper recycling bin.
“If it’s got lots of Sellotape or labels all over it, then take them off and then just put it in the paper bin. Save some room in your general waste.
“But if you screw into a ball and it starts expanding back out again, that’s got mainly plastic in it, and that should not go in your paper bin. It’s not paper, it’s mainly plastic, and it’s got a film over it – that one would go in your general waste.”
Even though local councils can have differing regulations, he uses the scrunch test as a general rule of thumb. Ashley added: “If it expands, it’s plastic – if it stays as it is, it’s paper.”
It only takes two seconds to scrunch the wrapping to see if it’s suitable for recycling, so be sure to do it before chucking it away.
4. Condoms
Ashley shared that condoms should always be placed in the general waste bin. Never even attempt to recycle them at any time.
This is because they are made from materials like latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene, which are not compatible with standard recycling processes. These materials do not break down in recycling facilities and can actually damage recycling equipment.
Additionally, condoms are considered single-use personal hygiene products, which means they may contain bodily fluids and are classified as medical waste.
This makes them unsuitable for recycling due to health and safety concerns. For these reasons, condoms should be disposed of in the regular trash rather than being placed in recycling bins.
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