A bin man has revealed what item you should never put in the recycling bin.
We're probably all guilty of sometimes sticking the wrong thing in the wrong bin. And instead of actually checking, the reminder comes when the bin man refuses to empty it and conveniently leaves it on your drive.
That's why a guy known as the The No1. Binman has warned us to stop putting polystyrene in for recycling.
In a video posted on TikTok, he said he has no other choice but to 'leave the bin' to the disappointment of people in the comments.
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According to Recycle Now, 'polystyrene is a type of plastic which is not commonly recycled and should be placed in the waste bin'.
"Expanded polystyrene is sometimes used for take-away food containers and to package white goods like microwaves," they explain.
"Polystyrene is also sometimes used for other food packaging like multi-pack yoghurts."
Polystyrene is actually recyclable
Greenbank Recycling Solutions explains that although polystyrene is recyclable, 'the process can be more complex than with other materials'.
"Recycling polystyrene typically involves compressing or densifying the material to reduce its volume, making transportation and processing more economical," they explain.
"Once compacted, the polystyrene is shredded, melted down, and reformed into pellets, which can be used to manufacture a variety of new products, such as insulation, picture frames, and new packaging materials.
"However, due to the specialised nature of the process, not all recycling facilities are equipped to handle polystyrene, which is why businesses often face challenges in recycling it."
Stop recycling crisp packets
In another video, the part-time content creator also explained why 'crisp packets do not belong in your recycling bin' because they are made from a complex mix of plastics and aluminium.
"You're meant to take them to the supermarket and recycle them there, because it's a different type of plastic," he said.
"Just like carrier bags, just like film, bubble wrap - all that stuff does not go in your recycling.
"Take it to the tip, they can sometimes dispose of it there differently, or take it to a supermarket.
"There's loads of stuff. Polystyrene, plastic, but it doesn't go in your recycling bin, because it takes up too much room and it costs too much money to recycle because there's barely any plastic in it. It's mainly air."
Issuing another warning to people watching at home, he said: "Please check before you put it in your bin. Normally, it's like tins and bottles, easy things to put in the recycling.
"Please check before you do it because you don't want your bin to be contaminated. Don't be the person who gets their bin rejected when you want it to be emptied."
Anish Vij