Misplaced recycling in household rubbish drops by 80% following council bin checks

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The amount of recyclable waste thrown into general rubbish bins across Caerphilly County Borough fell by more than 80% following a targeted council monitoring drive.

Inspection teams checked 5,723 general waste bins over a 12-week period across Machen, Trethomas, Phillipstown, Rhymney, Oakdale, Maesycwmmer, Hengoed, Cefn Hengoed, and the Pontygwindy area of Caerphilly.

At the start of the campaign, inspectors found 799 general waste bins contained materials that should have been recycled. By the end of the 12 weeks, that figure had dropped to 154.

Food waste was the most commonly misplaced item, spotted in 1,758 general bins during the checks. Cans were reported 733 times and plastic bottles 687 times.

Recycling advisors carried out more than 1,600 home visits to offer guidance to residents. While the council focused on advice, persistent non-compliance led to 23 legal notices being served, with two cases resulting in fixed penalty notices.

Councillor Chris Morgan, cabinet member for waste, said: “These results are extremely encouraging and show that residents are responding positively to the support and guidance being provided.

“The reduction in recyclable materials found in residual waste bins demonstrates that education works. Every item that is recycled correctly helps us reduce waste, improve recycling performance and make better use of valuable resources.

“We would like to thank residents for their continued cooperation and support throughout the process. Together, we are helping create cleaner communities and a greener, more sustainable Caerphilly County Borough.”

The council has now launched the next phase of the scheme, targeting another 5,696 properties. Inspectors will be checking bins in Ystrad Mynach, Penallta, Bargoed, Newbridge, Blackwood, Cefn Fforest, and Castle View, Caerphilly, over the coming weeks.