WHERE do you put shot gun cartridges, clock radios and knives once they are no longer needed?

Not in the recycling bin alongside everyday rubbish, one council has said as part of a campaign to warn residents about their recycling habits.

Over the past month the authority has repeatedly discovered eyebrow raising items in its recycling bins, including:

  • duvets
  • pillows
  • curtains
  • knives
  • pans
  • toilet seats
  • plastic bags
  • wellington boots
  • clock radios
  • taps
  • wood
  • butane bottles
  • saline drips
  • shot gun cartridges
  • soiled nappies
  • dog faeces

All have been removed from the recycling pile by staff working for Hambleton District Council.

Every wrong item placed in the bin means more expense for the council as it contaminates the entire load and must be hand sorted before being passed on for recycling.

Cllr Stephen Watson urged people to think about what they were throwing away after paying a visit to the authority’s Ward Recycling plant.

He said: “Our emphasis must be on quality as well as quantity.

“Most of our material is really good quality - especially paper - and that means it can be sold on for a good price, which in turn benefits the council and its residents.

“However when the wrong items go into the bin they are classed as contaminants and they reduce the end price we can get for the load.

“I spotted a lot of plastic bags plus some very random items at the recycling site - dirty nappies, gas canisters, clothing, shoes, hose pipes, bath mats - none of which should be put in to the recycling bin.

“We urge householders to think twice about what they put in the bins and keep the quality high – and if in doubt check.”