Can I Be Forced To Recycle?

[sunny-dave]

An interesting scenario developing chez sunny-dave.

I know that I must not contaminate my assorted (three at the last count) recycling bins with 'incorrect' contents - I'm punctilious about sorting/separating correctly.

But I've always assumed that it is entirely up to me to decide what I put in my 'black bin' - for residual rubbish.

I've just a a stroppy "stop it or we'll stop collecting" sticker on said black bin, saying that I had incorrectly put recyclable items in there and (although they've taken them this time) next time it will be left for me to sort out properly.

The stuff in question was a big pile of (moderately) sensitive paperwork - nothing that would actually pose a threat to my identity/security, but equally not things I'd want being picked over by the recycling sorters.

In my previous house I'd just have bunged the lot into the woodburner - but that's not an option here.

My black bin goes straight into a waste-to-power plant & so that seemed a good enough solution.

I know what I'll do next time (double bag the offending items in opaque bin bags) - but I'm a bit huffy about the warning.

Can they do that? Should they do that?

SDx

[ethandron]

I don't know but I would think it reasonable to expect that they can.
We've always put our general waste into bags before it goes in the general waste bin, even before recycling was invented, so no one actually knows what we actually put in...unless they rip open the bags. Which they never have.

[bhg481]

We just shred anything we're not happy with other people seeing. It has to go in the black bin then as our council (West Berks) don't want shredded paper in the green bin.

[Elina]

I reckon they can. If your council has specific recycling bins for paper, then it should go in the paper bin. Can you shred your sensitive waste?

[Mamyalynne]

Can they do it, probably yes.

Should they do it, that's debatable - more and more we are being asked to do their jobs for them. Often it makes sense sometimes less so.

I could list the ways you could have disposed but won't as you know them already.

[sunny-dave]

I also shred the confidential stuff, bhg, but this was a huge tranche of docs relating to my house purchase - nothing really secret and it would have probably caused my shredder to expire in a heap ...

[Bazile]

Put it in next door's bin next time

[woofgang]

I’d be huffy too....have been having a similar silent tussle with my bin men. I put out a toaster oven, very small. I wasn’t sure if it was recycling or not so i jest left it out as it was (we don’t have wheelies here, we have black and clear bags or you can put recyclables out in cardboard boxes which also get recycled) anyway it got left. The next week i put it in a cardboard box with newspapers and card and the collectors when all through the box, took everything else but left the toaster oven again. this week I put it in a black sack and its gone. Take a look on your council’s website and see what it says....

[sunny-dave]

I like my neighbours, Baz - and anyway their bin is already full ... not that I checked you understand ... :-)

[bookbinder]

I suspect that councils who adopt the attitude that dave has come across are not simply being awkward; they are bound by rules (probably from the EU) that dictate to them what should be tipped on landfill and what should be recycled. If they don't toe the line, they get a fine slapped on them.

[dave50]

The sooner we leave the EU the sooner we can ignore all the *** about recycling and rules surrounding so called climate change. In fact we should fire up all the coal and gas fired power stations that are currently being decommissioned.

[gness]

Difficult one, Dave......they want you to put it in the red bin.....but if you shred it and put it in the red bin you'll get another sticker telling you off.....so you have to put it in the black bin.....which is where it started off.....because you wanted it incinerated......
They'll be giving your bins close inspection for a few weeks now.....so put it in a neighbour's bin......or mine if you want to haul it across town......and I only charge one bottle of red per bag......

And don't forget ...... you're in Northants now......you can only put food that has been peeled in the kitchen in the grey bin......if you peel your satsuma in the sitting room you have to put the peel in the...???...oh I forget....just eat the peel....it's easier......and give the binmen a nice Christmas tip.....I do and they're lovely all year......☺

[jourdain2]

You have my sympathy. OH is rubbish at ....well, sorting rubbish. I have 3 small inside bins which I empty into the wheelies once I have checked the contents (I keep telling him about crisp packets). Yes, councils can be nasty about this.

[Bazile]

Anyway - your binmen checks through your bin contents ?

Our binmen don't appear to have time for that sort of distraction

[gness]

Not thoroughly, Baz....but they do have a rootle around....often see bits left beside bins when they've collected and removed stuff.........x

[fiction-factory]

If the item is too bulky to shred you can avoid confidentiality issues by soaking the docs in water then making them into a paper mache ball

[sunny-dave]

I could mould it into a gnome and mail it to Ab_Ed :)

[sunny-dave]

gness is right - our local binmen (sorry 'refuse disposal operatives') always flip the lids open for a quick shufti before attaching the bin to the truck.

[gness]

Be a devil, Dave.......next collection hide in your bin and pop out with a roar when they lift the lid.......☺

[sunny-dave]

Knowing my luck I'd doze off & then wake up in a bale of paper en route to North Korea ...

[gness]

Well.....it's a holiday......☺