Overview
- The Simpler Recycling scheme, in force since the end of March, standardises collections into food and garden, paper and card, dry recyclables and residual waste.
- Under the rules, several pet items must go in general waste, including laminated pet food pouches, used bedding and sawdust, bulky plastic toys and crates, and disposable puppy pads.
- Local outlets also list garden waste exclusions for household green bins, such as plant pots, bricks, gravel, sand and oversized branches or trees.
- Councils can refuse to empty bins that contain non‑permitted items, and some reporting says rule‑breakers could face £80 fines.
- Officials cite processing limits as the reason for exclusions, since mixed‑layer pouches cannot be separated, animal‑soiled materials contaminate composting, and household plastic collections are restricted to packaging like bottles, pots, tubs and trays.