Monsters on the loose

There are contamination monsters causing havoc across Brent, trampling through recycling bins, contaminating recycling and costing Brent taxpayers thousands of pounds.

We all know it is important to recycle, yet we still see food waste, clothing, black bin bags and even dirty nappies in Brent recycling bins, which leads to recycling being incinerated instead of recycled, every month.

Last year, Brent Council spent more than half a million pounds redirecting contaminated recycling to general waste, because items were placed in the incorrect bins.

The main monsters often found contaminating Brent blue-lidded recycling bins are:

Food waste monster – Food waste should go into your green food waste caddy which will be turned into compost whilst creating energy to power the community. Find out more about your food caddy.

Textiles monster – Textiles cannot be recycled in your blue-lidded recycling bin as they get caught in and damage machines at the recycling facility. Use the council’s free small items collection service or simply drop unwanted clothes and textiles in Traid clothing bins across the borough.

Black bin bag monster – black bin bags should only be used in your general waste bin. All recyclables should be placed loose and dry in your recycling bins.

Nappy monster – All used and new nappies go in your black general waste bin. Don’t let them stink out your recycled waste.

Garden waste monster – Garden waste cannot go into your blue-lidded recycling bin. Instead, sign up for the council’s garden waste service for £65 a year or take it to Abbey Road Waste Facility for free.

Electrical items monster – Electricals and batteries cannot go in your blue-lidded recycling bin. Not only do they lead to rejected recycling, they also cause fires. To recycle your small electricals and batteries, use the council’s free small items collection service.

Councillor Krupa Sheth, Cabinet Member for Environment and Enforcement, said: “We know how much time and effort residents put into recycling and doing their bit for the planet. It might seem like a bit of a horror to hear that some recycling doesn’t end up being recycled because of these contamination monsters.

“Don’t get caught out with a monster in your bin. Remind yourself what goes where to prevent this nightmare.”

To find out more on what goes in which bin, visit: Brent Recycleopedia or download the app.