A refuse collector has issued important advice to all UK households, urging people to make one change to their recycling bins or risk losing them. Self-proclaimed 'binfluencer' Ashley turned to TikTok to explain how you can avoid frustration by doing a simple task.
"Don't come moaning to me when your bin hasn't been returned to outside your house," he exclaimed in a video. "If you don't have a number on your bin, how are we going to know [where to put it]?"
Where to Place the Number
Ashley elaborated, advising that the best place to position your house number on the bin is on its lid rather than the sides, which can easily be missed. "If we're pushing or pulling it, we can't see the front or see the back," he pointed out. "We can sometimes see the sides, but if we're holding more bins then we won't be able to see there as well."
Ashley closed: "This is why - if you put it on the lid - we can see it no matter what angle we're looking at it from. So get them now and you can stop moaning at me about not getting your bin back. Problem solved."
Public Reaction
In response, one TikTok user wrote, "You just reminded me I need to get some. Thanks!" However, a second person still wasn't happy, adding: "Could you please teach other councils' bin men that my number is on my lid and all four sides and still they leave it four doors down."
Standard Recycling Bin Guide
In the UK, most councils follow a standard colour-coded system. However, check your local council's specific waste guidelines to learn which bin to use as it might vary by area. Here is a standard bin guide:
- Mixed recycling (usually blue or green bins): Accepts cardboard, newspapers, magazines, empty plastic bottles, food/drink cans, and glass bottles or jars. It won't accept crisp packets, soft plastic film, or polystyrene.
- Food waste (usually brown bins or kitchen caddy): Accepts fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, bones, teabags, and eggshells.
- Garden waste (Usually Brown or Green Bins): Accepts grass cuttings, weeds, flowers, and small branches.
