Contamination Policy FAQ's

What is contamination?

Contamination is any item present in each of your recycling bins which shouldn't be there, or items which haven't been rinsed, or contain food or liquids. If in doubt - leave it out.

Why is contamination a problem?

Contamination in recycling bins is a significant issue that has both financial and environmental implications for the council. As well as meaning valuable resources cannot be processed into new items, sending waste to residual waste treatment and landfill is more costly than recycling it.

Why has the Council introduced this policy?

Contamination of recycling bins is a significant problem for Glasgow City Council as it increases the budget requirements for processing and disposal of contaminated loads and reduces recycling performance.  Applying a contamination policy is also a requirement of the Code of Practice, which supports the Charter for Household Recycling.  The council signed up the Charter in February 2019.

How should I prepare my items correctly before recycling them?

Please make sure all plastics, metals and cartons are empty and rinsed. Paper, card, and cardboard must be clean, dry, and flattened. Please do not place your recycling in plastic bags - these should be placed loose, separately in your grey bin.

What happens if I contaminate my bin?

Before each of your recycling bins are emptied our collection crews will check to make sure they don't contain any wrong items. If your recycling bin contains wrong items, it will not be emptied - we will tag it and you will be asked to remove the wrong items before putting it out again on your next collection day.

If you continue to put the wrong items in your recycling bin it will not be emptied, the bin will be tagged, and you may receive a letter explaining what can be recycled. A Council Officer may also visit your property to provide further advice on how to recycle correctly.

If you continue to put the wrong items in your recycling bin it may be removed.

When will the new contamination policy start?

For approximately 4 weeks after your new grey recycling bin is delivered, we will empty your recycling bins even if they contain the wrong items. We will tag your bin as a reminder that it is contaminated but will empty it on this occasion. Any bins that are contaminated after this amnesty period will be tagged by our collection crews and will not be emptied.