What types of waste are non-recyclable?

Non-recyclable waste is anything the sorting plant cannot turn back into a material: food-soiled packaging, greasy cardboard, plastic film and carrier bags, crisp packets and sweet wrappers, polystyrene, coffee cups with a plastic lining, tissues and paper towels, nappies and sanitary waste, broken crockery and drinking glasses, textiles that are too worn to reuse, and anything wet or mixed. Some of it is recyclable in theory but not in a mixed bin, which is why film, batteries and electricals need their own collection. In a business this is the general waste stream, and under Simpler Recycling it has to be kept apart from the dry recyclables and the food waste. Ours goes to a licensed disposal partner for energy recovery.