A binman has warned people their recycling may not be collected if a common piece of packaging is spotted inside. It turns out, not everything can be tossed into the bin
08:09, 16 Jan 2026Updated 08:09, 16 Jan 2026
Binmen can refuse to take recycling waste (stock image)(Image: Getty Images)
We are often told how important it is to recycle, but not everything belongs in the recycling bin. A binman has recently opened up about how they can refuse to take away your waste if certain items are spotted inside, and including a common piece of packaging is considered a major no-no.
The expert, known as The No1 Binman on TikTok, drew attention to the matter in a recent video shared online, and it’s taken some people by surprise. While it may have been playful, it drew attention to something pretty important about how people across the UK should be handling and disposing of their recycling waste.
It’s not the first piece of advice to come from binmen either. A few weeks ago, it was revealed there’s another reason your waste may be rejected.
In a candid video, he was seen looking in a bin and, in the caption, he wrote: “When you see dirty pizza boxes in the recycling bin.” You then see him pretending to sing a song, which includes the lyrics “I wish something mattered to you.”
He later pushes the bin away, and leaves it behind to show this can happen if binmen manage to spot the packaging in recycling waste. There’s a key reason why he would do this too.
Little you may know, binmen can refuse to take away rubbish if certain items are contained inside bins. Not everything, no matter how confusing it can be, can be recycled.
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One person replied to the post, saying: “Serious question, is any trace of grease too dirty to recycle?” Another wrote: “Oops, I just did this.”
A third commented: “I washed a pizza box once and it went to mush.” Meanwhile, a fourth also asked: “You seriously look in all the bins?”
Can binmen refuse to take away your recycling waste?
While you can recycle pizza boxes, you can only do so if they are clean and dry. To do it properly, you need to tear off and discard any greasy food or stained parts, such as the bottom.
If too dirty, it should be placed into the general waste bin or used for compost. Meanwhile, the clean cardboard top can be placed in the paper/card recycling bin.
Grease contaminates the paper fibres, making them unrecyclable. Separating the clean parts is key to avoiding contamination, so you need to ensure you do this.
If you didn’t know, binmen in the UK can reject an entire recycling bin if it is contaminated with items that are not recyclable, such as dirty or greasy pizza boxes. This is because food and grease prevent the cardboard fibres from binding together during the pulping process which, in turn, makes the material unusable for recycling.
A single contaminated item can lead to the entire batch being spoiled. It can even hinder an entire vehicle load of otherwise clean recycling.
Generally, you should follow a few simple rules. Remove all food, and put this in your food waste bin. Then, rid any sections that are stained with grease or oil.
Recycle the clean, grease-free sections of the box in your recycling bin. You can also flatten parts that are clean to help save some space.
There are a few items you shouldn’t recycle at home, and these are often detailed on council websites. Check your local council’s guidelines to see if any further rules apply to you.