Talking Rubbish - Recycled Content

When it comes to recycling cardboard with tape attached, the adhesive itself is the main issue, particularly for flexible plastic recyclers, who generally don’t want it. The best practice, if you want to be extra conscientious, is to remove the tape and place it in general waste, which makes things easier for paper recyclers. That said, paper recycling facilities can usually handle tape during pro...

This episode tackles a common question; are sandwich packs actually recyclable? The discussion breaks down how mixed-material packaging works, whether plastic windows need to be removed, and why food contamination can make recycling more difficult. A practical, light-hearted look at the small recycling decisions people make every day and the confusion around what can really go in the bin. This epi...

Do we actually need bin liners at all? Some people put loose rubbish straight into the wheelie bin to avoid adding more plastic to the waste stream, and found many councils don’t require bags. But in Cornwall, residents are told all waste must be contained in a sack before collection. So why the difference? And as mandatory food waste collections expand, could we one day stop selling bin liners al...

This episode explores whether cocktail sticks, toothpicks and wooden skewers can actually be recycled. Although they’re usually made from birch wood, their small size means they are unlikely to be accepted in household recycling collections and can easily fall through sorting equipment. We look at why home composting is often the best option, whether they can be taken to wood recycling at the tip,...

Do you need to remove security tags and anti-theft stickers from packaging before recycling? After a visit to Bristol Waste’s new materials recycling facility, we got the answer directly from the sorting line, and the good news is that these metal security labels are usually fine to leave on, as they are removed during the recycling process.  This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Quest...

This episode looks at the growing waste problem created by Ozempic and other injectable medication pens. With millions of pens potentially ending up in landfill or incineration each year, we explore why these devices are classed as sharps waste, what the rules are for safe disposal, and whether recycling schemes like PenCycle are part of the solution. We also discuss the confusion many people have...

This episode revisits the use of ocean bound plastics in reusable water bottles and other food-contact items. We take a closer look at the Food Standards Agency guidance and the UK regulations covering materials that come into contact with food and drink. From refillable bottles to plastic cutlery, we explore why traceability and chemical safety standards matter, and why the FSA believes environme...

Disposable BBQs might seem convenient for festivals and summer gatherings, but they can be dangerous and difficult to recycle. In this episode, we look at why they should never go straight in the bin while still warm, how they can cause fires hours later, and what to do with the ash and aluminium tray once everything has fully cooled. We also explore whether any part of a disposable BBQ can actual...

This episode explores what happens to construction waste after it leaves a skip, following the journey through a modern waste sorting facility. It looks at how different materials are separated, recycled, reused, or disposed of, and highlights the scale and complexity of managing household building waste. Along the way, it examines the environmental impact of renovations and offers an encouraging...

Pens turn out to be far more difficult to recycle, with their mix of plastics, metals, springs and ink making them unsuitable for kerbside recycling and extremely hard to process at end of life. Looking into the world’s best-selling Bic pen revealed a patchy picture of sustainability claims, discontinued take-back schemes and limited recycling options. This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rub...

Is recycled plastic worse for us than virgin plastic, especially in drinking bottles, and does it release more microplastics? There is some truth behind the concern, recycled plastics can contain a mix of chemicals from their previous uses. However, food-grade plastics like PET drink bottles are heavily regulated, with strict EU limits on chemical migration into food and drink. The bigger concern...

Can you recycle a jigsaw puzzle? They’re mostly cardboard, so technically yes, but generally the pieces are too small to be processed properly. Still, if you really wanted to try, putting all the pieces back in the box and taping the lid shut might work. Although honestly, why throw one away at all? People love second-hand puzzles, even incomplete ones, as long as you warn them first. Derbyshire C...

Do cans really contain plastic? Yes, most food and drink cans are lined with a thin plastic coating called an epoxy resin. Like paper straws and coffee cups, cans need a lining to stop the material reacting with food and drink. Without it, fizzy or acidic drinks could corrode the metal and affect the taste. The lining is removed during the recycling process. This episode of Recycled Content, is th...

Staples are one of those tiny recycling dilemmas, they’re usually made of steel, but their small size makes people wonder what to do with them. The good news is you can generally leave them in paper when recycling, as the pulping process turns paper into slurry and screens easily remove small contaminants like staples. If you want to go the extra mile, you could collect staples in something like a...

Those little holes in produce or meat bags might seem pointless, especially when you try to reuse them as compost caddy liners, but they’re there for a reason. They help with ventilation to reduce moisture and mould, allow the contents to compress without the bag bursting, and were historically thought to help prevent suffocation. In reality, for home delivery where you’re not transporting loose p...

Most butter wrappers feel like paper, so it’s surprising when they say “don’t recycle”, but the reality is more complicated. Many are actually made from a mix of paper, plastic, and sometimes aluminium, with added coatings to stop grease leaking through, which makes them hard to recycle. Some simpler versions, like plain greaseproof paper, might go in food waste depending on your local council, so...

This episode explains what happens when mobile phones are recycled, starting with securely removing personal data through steps like hard resets and restoring factory settings. Devices are then pre-sorted, working phones may be resold, while newer ones can be stripped for parts. The remaining phones are shredded to ensure data security, and advanced processes using magnets and other techniques sep...

This episode looks at how old mobile phones are collected. It covers options like selling or trading in devices for cash, as well as the importance of securely wiping personal data before passing them on. The episode also highlights community initiatives that collect working smartphones, provided they’re undamaged and hold charge, and redistribute them to people in need, showing how both commercia...

Do dissolvable dishwasher and laundry pods leave behind microplastics? These products use a water-soluble plastic called polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), designed to break down during use. While it can biodegrade into harmless substances in well-managed wastewater systems, questions remain about what happens when conditions aren’t ideal. With conflicting claims from industry and environmental studies, we...

Stickers are a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to recycling. The sticker itself is usually fine, but because it’s small and lightweight, it often needs to be stuck onto a larger piece of paper or card to actually make it through a Materials Recovery Facility, or MRF. The bigger issue is the backing paper, this is typically coated with silicone, which makes it non-recyclable in standard paper stre...

On the face of it, coffee cups and ice cream tubs are basically the same thing, so why are they labelled so differently? The answer lies less in the material itself and more in the sheer volume of waste they create. Single-use coffee cups are everywhere, used in huge numbers every day and often thrown away on the go, making them a major source of litter and contamination in recycling systems. Beca...

Cotton buds are usually not recyclable, they’re too small and may be contaminated after use. The best advice is to check your local council guidelines, choose reusable alternatives where possible, and avoid flushing cotton buds down the toilet, as they can cause blockages and pollute waterways. This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish or Not' from episode 41 of Talking Rubbish, which firs...

In this episode, we take a closer look at what happens after used ink cartridges are collected for recycling. Once they arrive at specialist facilities, cartridges are sorted by type and condition. Some are cleaned, repaired, and refilled so they can be reused, while damaged ones are carefully dismantled. Materials such as plastic, metal, and leftover ink are separated and processed so they can be...

How are ink cartridges collected? Every year, millions of ink cartridges are thrown away, even though many can be refilled, remanufactured, or broken down into materials that can be recycled. We’ll look at how collection programs work, from drop-off points in shops to postal schemes. This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Process' from episode 41 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on...

How much recycled plastic is used to make a milk bottle? In this episode, we look at how milk bottles are made, how manufacturers use recycled materials, and why it matters for the environment. We explore what percentage of a bottle can come from recycled plastic and the challenges of creating more sustainable packaging. This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 39 o...