A refuse collector has warned that putting items like glittery or painted birthday cards in the recycling bin can 'contaminate everything', rendering the entire load unrecyclable. Ashley, known as 'The No1 Bin Man' on TikTok with over 173,400 followers, shared the advice in a recent video.
He explained that while standard paper cards can go in the paper recycling bin, cards with glitter, paint, or musical mechanisms must be placed in general waste. 'If it starts to have glitter or someone's drawn you a picture or painted a picture for you, then it cannot go in your paper recycling bin,' he said.
According to RecycleNow, non-recyclable items in recycling can cause machinery damage, delays, and higher costs for councils and taxpayers. If collectors spot contamination, they may reject the bin, and repeated violations can lead to warning notices or fines.
Ashley suggested avoiding cards altogether and sending a message instead, or opting for a scratch card. 'Otherwise, it's pointless bits of paper being wasted,' he added.
