A binman has urged people not to be hard on themselves if they’ve made this common UK recycling mistake, but if you do make the error, it may not be collected as it’s dangerous
14:18, 19 May 2026Updated 14:18, 19 May 2026
Ashley shared that there’s something that cannot be put in the recycling bins(Image: Jam Press/@theno1.binman)
It’s incredibly aggravating when you dutifully put your bins out, only to find your rubbish left untouched by the refuse collectors. More often than not, however, when your bins aren’t emptied, it’s down to an inadvertent mistake on your part. It’s a case of live and learn, though it’s never pleasant finding out the hard way.
One binman has urged homeowners not to “be so hard on yourself” if you’ve been guilty of placing this frequently mishandled item in your recycling, as it’s a blunder countless homeowners regularly make. Ashley, who shares content on social media under the handle @theno1.binman, posted a light-hearted clip clarifying that carrier bags should under no circumstances be placed in your recycling bin.
He captioned his video with: “When the binmen try and tell the pupil that carrier bags are not recyclable in your household recycling bin”.
Playing in the background was the track Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself by Jess Glynne, with the lyrics: “But I was right, and you were wrong, been telling myself all along. Don’t be so hard on yourself, no, learn to forgive, learn to let go”.
His intention appeared to be to nudge people towards acknowledging their errors and correcting them going forward, rather than grumbling about refuse collectors leaving their bins unemptied.
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In the comments section, one user simply responded “noooooo,” suggesting they had likely been guilty of the very same mistake themselves.
Plastic carrier bags and other ‘soft’ plastics, such as bread bags, cling film and bubble wrap, are typically not accepted in kerbside recycling collections due to the substantial technical and operational challenges they create at recycling plants.
These items must be taken to designated recycling points, which are frequently located at supermarkets, or alternatively can simply be reused multiple times.
According to the London Borough of Hounslow: “They tangle in the machinery and cause costly delays,” which accurately describes the problem.
The lightweight, pliable characteristics of plastic bags mean they become entangled around rotating screens, conveyor belts and sorting wheels at Materials Recovery Facilities.
This frequently requires staff to halt operations to manually remove the bags using sharp implements, creating health and safety risks and disruptions that prove financially burdensome.
Additionally, conventional recycling facilities are engineered to process rigid materials such as bottles, containers and jars, meaning plastic bags are too lightweight and flimsy to be correctly separated by this machinery.
Furthermore, when bags are combined with other recyclable materials, they spoil paper and cardboard bales, rendering them commercially worthless.