England's household recycling rate has remained static at 43.7%, with recyclable materials continuing to end up in landfill sites due to contamination and widespread recycling mistakes. Waste management professionals are urging households to reconsider what they put in their recycling bins under England's bin regulations, in an effort to improve recycling rates and reduce contamination. From till receipts to food packaging, here are 10 common household items you're likely placing in the wrong bin - and what you should be doing instead.
Receipts, Pringles Tubes, and Wrapping Paper
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." Instead, throw them away in your general waste bin. If you're unsure, receipts with a shiny coating are generally thermal paper, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Despite their cardboard exterior, Pringles tubes are made up of several layers of cardboard, plastic, and metal that prove difficult to separate throughout the recycling process. The expert said: "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."
Not all wrapping paper can be recycled, especially types with glitter, foil finishes and metallic coatings. A handy test is to scrunch the paper into a ball - if it maintains its shape, it's more likely to be appropriate for recycling. Foil, glitter and laminated paper should be put in your general waste bin.
Coffee Cups, Black Plastic Trays, and Crisp Packets
The expert said: "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."
Black plastic food trays used for ready meals and takeaways can still prove challenging for some recycling facilities to detect using "optical sorting equipment", according to the expert. This means they aren't accepted everywhere. Check your local council's guidance before putting them in your recycling bin.
The waste management expert said: "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."
Toothpaste Tubes, Tea Bags, and Garden Hoses
Most toothpaste tubes consist of a mixture of plastic and aluminium, which makes them difficult to recycle through kerbside collections. Instead, look for specialist collection points at shops or dental practices, or choose brands that offer recyclable packaging.
While they appear to be constructed from paper, some tea bags contain small amounts 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.
The expert said: "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 working life, check whether your local household recycling centre will take it, or dispose of it through your general waste if no recycling alternative exists.
Wet Wipes
The expert said: "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 away in your general waste.
