There are some things you can’t recycle at home (Image: Kinga Krzeminska via Getty Images)
Despite years of public awareness initiatives around recycling, England’s household recycling rate has flatlined at 43.7%, with recyclable goods continuing to find their way into landfill sites because of contamination and common mistakes. Many ordinary household items may look recyclable but should actually go straight into your general waste bin, experts warn.
Waste management specialists are urging families to think twice about what goes into their recycling bins following the introduction of new bin rules this year, hoping to improve recycling figures and reduce contamination levels. From shop receipts to food containers, here are 10 everyday household items you’re probably putting in the incorrect bin – and where they should really go.
Crisp packets cannot be recycled at home (Image: Getty)
1. Receipts
Graham Flynn, waste management expert and managing director of Anenta, said: “Many people assume receipts can be recycled with other paper, but most till receipts are printed on thermal paper, which contains chemicals that make them unsuitable for standard paper recycling.”
Pop them in your general waste instead. As a rule of thumb, receipts with a glossy finish are usually thermal paper, reports the Liverpool Echo.
2. Pringles tubes
While they may look like cardboard, Pringles tubes are actually made from several layers of cardboard, plastic, and metal which cannot easily be separated during recycling. The expert explained: “Check whether your local authority accepts them or whether there is a specialist recycling scheme in your area. Otherwise, they should go in your general waste. In some areas, you may be able to recycle the lids, so it’s worth checking this as well.”
3. Wrapping paper
Not all wrapping paper is recyclable, especially types with glitter, foil finishes and metallic coatings. A handy test involves scrunching the paper into a ball – if it maintains its shape, it’s more likely to be recyclable.
Foil, glitter and laminated paper belong in your general waste bin.
4. Disposable coffee cups
The expert noted: “Despite looking like paper cups, most takeaway coffee cups contain a plastic lining that prevents them from being recycled through standard household collections.
“Use dedicated coffee cup recycling points where available or switch to a reusable cup.”
5. Black plastic food trays
Black plastic food trays used for ready meals and takeaways can still prove challenging for some recycling facilities to detect using “optical sorting equipment”, the expert warned. This means they aren’t accepted everywhere.
Verify your local council’s guidance before putting them in your recycling bin.
6. Crisp packets
The waste management specialist explained: “Crisp packets and sweet wrappers are made from layers of plastic and foil that cannot usually be recycled through household collections. Take them to supermarket soft plastic recycling points where they are accepted.”
7. Toothpaste tubes
Most toothpaste tubes are composed of a mixture of plastic and aluminium, making them difficult to recycle through kerbside collections. Instead, look for specialist collection points at shops or dental practices, or choose brands offering recyclable packaging.
8. Tea bags
While they seem to be constructed from paper, some tea bags contain small quantities of plastic used to seal the bag together, making them unsuitable for composting. It’s advisable to check whether your chosen tea bag brand uses plastic-free options.
Plastic-free versions can typically be composted along with the tea leaves.
9. Garden hoses
The specialist noted: “Garden hoses may be made from plastic, but they are not suitable for household recycling because they are manufactured from durable mixed plastics that cannot be processed alongside everyday plastic packaging.”
If your hose is still working, consider donating it or discovering another purpose for it in the garden. If it’s come to the end of its lifespan, verify whether your local household recycling centre will take it, or dispose of it through your general waste if no recycling alternative exists.
10. Wet wipes
The expert explained: “Many people assume wet wipes can be recycled because they look and feel like paper. In reality, the vast majority contain plastic fibres, meaning they cannot be recycled and should never be placed in your recycling bin.
“As well as contaminating recycling collections, wet wipes are one of the biggest causes of sewer blockages when they are flushed down the toilet, even if they are labelled as flushable.”
Instead of flushing them or putting them in the recycling bin, used wet wipes should always be thrown into your general waste.
