Many people think items such as plastic bags and coffee cups can be recycled when they can’t. Here are the do’s and don’ts

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

British consumers are increasingly willing to recycle their household waste but are failing to grasp the basics, according to the latest research by the British Science Association. Failure to get it right means that a lot of recyclable waste is going to landfill, the BSA says.

The issue is further complicated by inconsistency among councils, which make their own rules and funding decisions on recycling collections.

Common mistakes include putting tissue boxes in the recycling bin without first removing the plastic insert. On the flipside, people often wrongly think that empty deodorant aerosols cannot be recycled.

To help UK households get it right, the industry has compiled a list of some of the most common misconceptions about what can and cannot be recycled.



Top items that people wrongly think can be recycled

Hand soap pump dispenser tops

Kitchen roll

Non-paper gift wrap

Coffee cups

Plastic bags

Tissues

Wine glasses

Glass cookware

Window glass

Straws



Greasy takeaway pizza boxes

Soft plastic/laminated foil packaging such as pet food and baby food pouches

Photo paper

Nail varnish bottles

Crisp packets

Post-it notes

Shampoo bottles and food containers that have not been rinsed

Tissue boxes where the plastic insert has not been removed

Plastic toys

Mirrors

Cutlery

Pots and pans

Top items that people do not know they can recycle