HOUSEHOLDERS are being asked to be careful what they put into recycling - to avoid the 'contamination' of blue bins and fines for the district council.

Waste collection crews have been an increase in recent months of the number of households putting tins, glass and other recyclables in black bin liners, before putting them into the blue bins, says Craven District Council

It can mean a full lorry of waste can be contaminated.

The council is working to improve the quality of the recycling collected and to ensure that non-recyclable items are not placed in recycling bins.

Paul Ellis, the council's director of services, urged people to check what can - and can not - be put into recycling.

“All your recyclable items – including tins/cans, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, glass, must not be bagged, unless in clear sacks provided by the council.

"This is extremely important because if recycling is dirty or in a black bag, it can contaminate a whole lorry full of collections, which means none of it can be recycled. Blue bins will not be collected where they contain black bags."

He added: “Any large cardboard boxes must be flat-packed and placed in the blue bin If you need to dispose of cardboard boxes larger than 4ft by 2ft, they will also need to be broken down otherwise they will get rejected.

"Wet or soaked cardboard is considered a contaminant, therefore, cardboard should not be left outside of a bin for collection.

" Any wet cardboard needs to be placed in the green bin. Polystyrene is another major problem – we cannot recycle this so it needs to be placed in the green bin, as well as any textile items."

Hed added: “By ensuring you are recycling properly you are helping to create a more sustainable environment for everyone in the district.”

People are also warned about the dangers of disposing of electric cigarettes, vapes and other battery-operated appliances in their household waste bins, which could lead to fires.

Instead, they are asked to take them to their local household waste recycling centre for safe disposal.

Mr Ellis added: “Fires that involve batteries can prove very challenging and difficult to extinguish and have a detrimental effect on the environment. I would remind people to dispose of battery powered appliances responsibly, and not amongst your general household waste or recycling."

You can find out about what you can and cannot recycle by clicking here: https://www.cravendc.gov.uk/waste-recycling/blue-bin-recycling/