Households in England risk having their recycling bins left uncollected if they use black bin bags, according to a refuse collector. Ashley, who runs the No.1 Binman account, said that black bags prevent collectors from seeing the contents, leading to assumptions of contamination.
“Black bin bags, we can't see through them and we're not going to open them and rummage through them,” Ashley explained. “We can't see it, so it is contaminated. We have no idea what's in your bin.” He advised placing items loosely in recycling bins instead.
The warning comes as new Simpler Recycling reforms take effect across England. Since March, all local authorities must collect food waste weekly from kerbsides, though some councils have delayed the rollout. The government scheme aims to boost recycling rates and reduce waste sent to landfill or incineration.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “We are ending the bin collections postcode lottery and making it easier for people to recycle wherever they live. Simplifying these rules will cut out carbon, clean up our streets, and help bring pride back into our communities.”
