Waste experts have settled the debate over which bin cling film belongs in, confirming it cannot be recycled through household collections.
According to Waste Zero Scotland, cling film should not be placed in household recycling bins. Most local authorities in Scotland do not accept plastic film in kerbside plastic waste collections, so it should go in the general waste bin instead.
The outer packaging and inner tubes of cling film, however, are made of cardboard and can be placed in the designated recycling bin.
What the viral binman says
The advice is backed by Ashley, known as The No.1 Binman on TikTok, who has outlined which household items can and cannot go in recycling bins.
He said: "What not to put in the recycling bin. Soft plastics and film - plastic films, wrappers, and cling film usually go to specialist drop-offs, not kerbside bins unless your council accepts."
Following the correct recycling rules matters because incorrect items can cause trucks to reject a whole load of recycling, delay collections and increase waste sent to landfills.
Supermarket drop-off points
Some supermarkets take soft plastics for their own recycling drop-offs, including cling film. Tesco and Co-Op both accept their own branded packaging, though Co-Op stresses that limitations may apply to the recycling of third-party packaging.
Tesco states: "Our stores have drop-off points for soft plastics, which are not widely recyclable at home. By collecting these soft plastics, we ensure they are disposed of responsibly and don't end up in landfill or the environment."
Before disposing of cling film, it is worth checking the facilities at your local supermarket so it can be recycled rather than sent to landfill.
