A waste management expert has identified four types of plastic that households should concentrate on when recycling, offering a straightforward acronym to cut through the confusion. Toye Ogunleye, recycling manager at the North London Waste Authority, highlighted that nearly nine in ten Britons place incorrect items in their recycling bins, and only 9% feel confident they are recycling correctly.
Ogunleye emphasised that sorting through non-recyclable waste costs the authority money, a burden ultimately borne by UK taxpayers. To simplify the process, he introduced the acronym BPTT: bottles, pots, tubs, and trays. 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, cleaning them, and then disposing of them in the recycling bin.
Items to Avoid in Household Recycling
Items that do not fall into these categories—such as cling film, crisp packets, broken glass, aerosols, wood, and ceramics—cannot go in household recycling bins, though 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, particularly batteries, which can cause fires. He stated: "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."
Oshunrinde also pointed out that electricals and vapes cannot be put in household bins, as explosions can occur when other items make contact with or crush them. Additionally, paint should not be thrown away in this manner due to harmful fumes.
Plastic Bags and Paper Bags
This guidance follows advice from a binman on TikTok, known as No1 Binman with over 170,000 followers, who clarified that plastic shopping bags are recyclable but not through household bins. He explained that carrier bags can jam machinery at recycling plants and should be taken back to supermarkets, put in regular rubbish bins, or reused. As for paper bags, experts at Best Pac UK confirmed they are recyclable if made from paper, helping reduce plastic landfill and ocean pollution.
