A binman has advised all UK residents to follow pieces of advice regarding food waste caddies, explaining how following his guidance will ‘keep everyone happy’…
Alan Johnson Social News Reporter
13:53, 31 May 2026
A binman has issued advice to all food waste caddy owners (stock)(Image: richard johnson via Getty Images)
Many households across the country have recently been issued with food waste caddies under the government’s Simpler Recycling initiative, which are collected by bin crews every week.
Now, a self-proclaimed ‘binfluencer’ on social media has called on all UK householders to consider carefully where they position the caddy on collection day. In a TikTok video, Ashley pleaded: “Please stop putting your food waste caddies directly in the sun the whole time. If it’s outside your house, put it in the shade… because they cook the food inside them again and you open it up and there’s flies, maggots and everything.”
He proceeded to offer a second recommendation regarding the caddy.
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“If you’re going to put food waste in there, then please bag it up,” Ashley urged. “Put it in a bag, even a newspaper is perfectly fine – anything like that.”
The refuse collector warned that leaving food waste loose would cause the caddy to “stink forever”.
He concluded: “Please just put it in sunlight and bag it up, that’s all you have to do and everyone is happy.” He added: “The smell goes when we empty it.”
In the comments section, dozens of people confessed they would be disregarding Ashley’s guidance.
One individual remarked: “Mine’s in the sun most of the day. I’m not moving it around to the shade all day. It wasn’t our idea to have caddies of rotting food lying about in our garden and kitchen.”
A second person added: “Food caddy goes on my drive, sunny or not, it’s already a lottery on whether it’s collected so no way am I worrying about whether it’s in sun or not, it just goes in plain view, so the binmen can see it.”
While a third slammed: “What are we supposed to do, keep running out and putting it in the shade? Did you know the sun moves? Should have left it how is was.”
The Government has outlined its Simpler Recycling policy. It stated: “Local authorities are already legally required to deliver waste collection services to all households in their area. We have gone further by mandating weekly food waste collections under the Environment Act 2021.”
It continued: “Through Simpler Recycling, all householders will receive a comprehensive and consistent set of waste and recycling services.”
The policy further explained: “This will enable householders to recycle as much waste as possible and to frequently dispose of bad-smelling food waste, which will be collected from all households at least weekly.”