A binman has warned UK households that waste collectors "won't take it" if they find polystyrene inside a recycling bin. The warning comes from Ashley, a binman known on TikTok as a 'binfluencer', who said the item "doesn't belong" in recycling.
Warning shared on BBC Morning Live
Ashley appeared on today's (November 12) episode of BBC Morning Live, where a clip showed him pulling a large piece of polystyrene out of a recycling bin while lip-syncing to "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister. The video caption reads: "When the residents keep putting polystyrene in the recycling bin".
On the programme, Kevin Duala also highlighted polystyrene as a common mistake, saying: "The really big [common mistake] is polystyrene. Now this one should go in your general waste." He added: "It may be accepted at some recycling centres, but check your local council."
Why polystyrene is not recyclable at home
Polystyrene cannot go in household recycling bins because it is lightweight, breaks apart easily, and lacks cost-effective collection infrastructure. It is over 95% air, making it too bulky to transport economically, and it crumbles into tiny beads that contaminate paper and cardboard and jam sorting machinery.
Food trays made of polystyrene absorb grease and require specialised commercial melting equipment that most councils lack, so they should go in the general rubbish bin. Clean packaging blocks can be reused for posting parcels or taken to a recycling centre for energy recovery.
Pizza boxes and grease
Kevin also discussed pizza boxes, explaining that empty takeaway boxes can usually be recycled, and even those with a little grease can go in recycling. However, boxes covered in grease or containing food should go in general waste, as the cold-water recycling process cannot remove grease effectively. The top of a pizza box may be recyclable if it is not greasy, so it can be ripped off and recycled, subject to local authority rules.
