A binman has issued a stark warning to homeowners about the items they put in their recycling bins – urging them to educate themselves on the “dos and don’ts” of recycling
Paige Freshwater Social Newsdesk Writer
03:03, 13 Mar 2026
Binmen can refuse to take your rubbish (stock image)(Image: Photos by R A Kearton via Getty Images)
While it’s important to do your bit by recycling, it’s also vital to educate yourself on the dos and don’ts – otherwise you could be wasting your time. That’s exactly what prompted one binman to share the three items he’s sick of seeing in recycling bins, stressing they should go in general waste instead.
In a TikTok video, the man – known as @binman_b on social media – begs people to stop putting tissues in their recycling bins. A statement from Recycle Now reads: “Although tissues are made of paper, they are made of very short fibres which are not high enough quality to be recycled and therefore should be placed in the waste bin.”
Secondly, he says you should keep crisp packets away from your recycling bin too. However, they can be disposed of at certain recycling points.
A Recycle Now statement adds: “Crisp packets are not currently recyclable in home recycling collections but can be recycled along with plastic bags and wrapping at selected retailers.”
Finally, pointing out one item he says he “always sees”, the binman stressed that dog poo should never be disposed of in the recycling bin.
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He added: “Stop putting it in there because it’s not recyclable and it absolutely stinks. Look after your binmen.”
Speaking about this, Recycle Now also states: “Pet waste such as cat litter should be bagged and put in the general waste bin. It should never be put in your home recycling.”
Commenting on his post, one fellow binman said: “If bins are contaminated with other stuff we aren’t allowed to lift it. I don’t know if that’s the same for you mate down south.”
Another binman added: “We get mad ones here bro – try to hide batteries in the bins. Had a few truck fires because of it.”
However, not everyone agreed with the advice.
One homeowner commented: “Don’t actually care. I’ll continue to put what I want in there – usually put grass cuttings in.”
A final user said: “These binmen are too fussy these days.”
Commonly missed household items that can be recycled
According to Recycle Now, many people try their best to recycle but often miss common items simply because they don’t realise they can be recycled.
These include:
FoilAerosolsClear plastic traysPlastic pots and tubsToiletry and cleaning product bottles
A statement reads: “You’re already doing plenty of recycling, so why bother recycling even more? The simple answer is that the more we all recycle, the more we keep valuable materials in use.
“This reduces the need to extract new raw materials and resources, helping to save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.
“Local council recycling collection services can vary, but you can always check what you can recycle in your area with our handy Recycling Locator. Individual efforts add up to a big difference when we all do it, so let’s see how much we can save from the bin.”