Warning that curbside recycling in Doncaster may not be collected if wrong items are put in bins

The blue tags that will be placed on recycling bins where the wrong items have been disposed of

The tags will ask people to remove items that cannot be recycled for their next collection.

The tags will list the items that can go in the blue recycling bin to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle better, waste and council bosses said.

Wrong items put in bins – known as contamination – can mean that the rest of the items in some instances cannot be recycled.

The three-stage scheme will work as such:

A blue tag is put on a blue recycling bin if the wrong items are in the bin and it won’t be collected. If the wrong items remain in the blue bin at the next collection, the resident will then receive a letter with more information and be asked to ensure they recycle right. If residents continue to put the wrong items in the blue bin, a recycling officer will visit the resident to give help and advice.

Recycling has a huge positive impact on the environment by reducing the amount of new material that is needed to create new products. Recycling is one of the easiest ways residents in Doncaster can make a real difference.

Bosses are urging people to put the right things in the right recycling containers. These are: plastic bottles; aerosols, cans, tins and foil; paper and cardboard in your blue bin. Glass bottles and jars should go in the green recycling box.

Coun Mark Houlbrook, cabinet member for sustainability and waste, said: “Doncaster Council is committed to ensuring Doncaster is as green and sustainable as it possibly can be, and that starts with making sure we are all recycling right.

“Putting the wrong thing in the wrong bin – known as contamination – has a far greater impact than many of us would realise, so we are urging all residents to double check that they are recycling right.”

Residents in Doncaster are being encouraged to play their part by making sure they recycling correctly and reduce impact on the environment to ‘safeguard the planet for us all and for future generations’.

Victoria Crabtree, contract manager at SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, said: “While we know residents in Doncaster want to do the right thing and recycle as much as they can, putting the wrong things in the wrong bin can mean that an entire batch of recycling is contaminated and cannot be recycled.

“Our advice would be to please use the right recycling bin for the right thing, and if in doubt – leave it out.”