Why do we have to separate recycling when it all gets dumped together when collected?

17 comments

1. They use different trucks, that’s why the bins go out on different days. At least where I live.

2. What did your council say when you asked them?

3. They don’t. If it’s all in ine truck, it will have different compartments for different waste. Councils get fines if they can’t prove they recycle a certain percentage of their waste collections

4. It doesn’t. There’s different compartments in the back of the lorry.

5. Same lorry but different bins/sections in the back

6. Waste and recycling are local issues. You won’t get an accurate answer for what goes on in your local area by asking on a subreddit for the whole UK.

   I (Amber Valley) do not have to separate out my waste (except glass), it all goes in the same compartment in the back of the truck (except glass which has its own little bit). My mum has to separate hers out, it currently goes into a truck with separate compartments but previous contract holders for it have bunged it all in together for processing later (which is I believe what they do in the next council area over).

7. Depends where you are. My local authority collects mixed recyclables in one bin and sorts it later (commingled collection).

   This also leads to a higher collection rate than requiring sortation before collection (source-separated).

   ( example sources: [Hull CC](https://cmis.hullcc.gov.uk/CMIS/Document.ashx?czJKcaeAi5tUFL1DTL2UE4zNRBcoShgo=f9dsxuLoisle%2BIsWINr7ba2Qx%2FUbOUa6wyQGDpOmc4NQcxvtbUM7ig%3D%3D&rUzwRPf%2BZ3zd4E7Ikn8Lyw%3D%3D=pwRE6AGJFLDNlh225F5QMaQWCtPHwdhUfCZ%2FLUQzgA2uL5jNRG4jdQ%3D%3D&mCTIbCubSFfXsDGW9IXnlg%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&kCx1AnS9%2FpWZQ40DXFvdEw%3D%3D=hFflUdN3100%3D&uJovDxwdjMPoYv%2BAJvYtyA%3D%3D=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&FgPlIEJYlotS%2BYGoBi5olA%3D%3D=NHdURQburHA%3D&d9Qjj0ag1Pd993jsyOJqFvmyB7X0CSQK=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNR9xqBux0r1Q8Za60lavYmz=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA%3D) [Environment and Behavior journal](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249624295_Commingled_Versus_Separated_Curbside_RecyclingDoes_Sorting_Matter) )

8. You have one lorry collecting different bins?

   We have a schedule, mixed recycling (glass, metal and plastic), paper, food/garden waste and then general waste. Four separate bins, collected by separate vehicles.

9. Dude what you are seeing is mixed waste ….before it get all put on to an artic guys will do their best to separate but all that ca t be pulled out will be loaded and dumped at a landfill

10. We have one bin for all recyclables, not seperate

11. This massively depends where you live. So your issue is directly with whichever local authority collects your bins.

12. My council only collects half the recycling…the other half they distribute across the road and pavements

13. I was wondering the same thing today

14. Box ticking for LA.

15. In Coventry it all goes in together for some people. I live in a block of flats and there’s no home sorting.

    We just get a blue bin for all our recycling.

    I have the feeling my mum does have a separate bin for something specific, but I can’t remember what

16. We don’t have to seperate them here. The scandal around here was that a lot of our recycling was ending up in landfill anyway.

17. In Hastings, East Sussex, we have pink bag that takes everything, metal, cardboard, glass. Used to be that glass was seperate, but they scrapped that idea. I’m sure it all just gets shipped abroad, anyway, instead of being reclaimed.