A refuse collector has simplified recycling by naming four types of plastic households should concentrate on: bottles, pots, tubs, and trays. The advice comes as nearly nine in 10 Britons reportedly place the wrong items in their recycling bins, with only 9 percent feeling confident they recycle correctly.
The BPTT Acronym
Toye Ogunleye, recycling manager at North London Waste Authority, shared a handy acronym to help people determine which plastics to focus on. He told the i Paper: “Focus on BPTT: bottles, pots, tubs and trays. Don’t worry about anything outside of that or the four other categories.” He advised removing any film from these items, washing them, and then disposing of them in the recycling bin.
Ogunleye emphasized that sorting through non-recyclable waste costs the authority money, which ultimately falls on UK taxpayers. Recyclable materials include paper, plastics, glass, metals (including foil), and card.
Items to Avoid in Household Recycling
Items that do not fit into the BPTT categories cannot go in household recycling bins. These include cling film, crisp packets, broken glass, aerosols, wood, and ceramics. However, many can be taken to a recycling centre.
Gary Oshunrinde, environmental manager for Veolia Camden, warned about items that should never be placed in recycling bins. He said: “Batteries are still mistakenly thrown into recycling bins, where they can cause fires in vehicles and recycling centres. Veolia saw a fire occur at least once a day in its facilities and waste collection vehicles across the UK last year.” He also pointed to electricals and vapes, which can cause explosions when crushed, and advised against throwing paint away due to fumes.
Plastic Carrier Bags and Paper Bags
Confusion also surrounds plastic shopping bags. A TikTok user known as No1 Binman, with over 170,000 followers, confirmed that carrier bags are recyclable but cannot go in household bins as they jam machinery. The best options are to return them to supermarkets, put them in general waste, or reuse them.
As for paper bags, experts at Best Pac UK stated: “The great news for the environment is that yes, paper bags can be recycled, but only if they’re actually made from paper. Whilst most plastic bags are not recyclable, almost all types of paper bags can be recycled, helping to reduce plastic landfill and ocean pollution.”
