UK households with wheelie bins risk £400 fine for breaking little-known rule

UK households are unknowingly risking fines of up to £400 due to little-known wheelie bin rules.

Each local council has different guidance on how you use your bins, so it is important to be aware of the rules in your area. If you don't follow waste collection rules, your local authority has the power to issue fixed penalties.

The fines do vary, but typically range from between £60 to £400. This can escalate further if you don't pay the fine, or if the issue ends up going to court.

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For example, you could end up being fined if you repeatedly put non-recyclables in recycling bins. This can include placing recyclable items into the general waste bin but also placing non-recyclable items into the recycling.

A new study by David Wilson Homes found over a quarter (28%) of Brits admit they don’t always check an item is recyclable before adding it to their home recycling.

Leaving a bin overflowing or with the lid ajar can also be considered a breach of waste disposal rules in many areas. The study found a third (31%) of Brits are guilty of overfilling the bin so that the lid won’t close. Not all councils

Using a neighbour's bin or “bin stuffing” could also be seen as an offence. The data found 14% of Brits have put their rubbish in a neighbour's bin previously.

Other penalties come from if the your bin causes an obstruction on the pavement, or not putting a bin out for collection at the correct time.

The study found one-in-five (19%) are also guilty of leaving their bin out for several days after the collection, which can result in a fine.

A spokesperson from David Wilson Homes said: "At-home recycling is something we can all do to live more sustainably. However, from our new study of 2,000 UK homeowners, we’ve found that one in six (16%) still do not actively recycle – that’s over 4.5 million households.

"And that’s not all, as a further 28% revealed they do not check whether an item is recyclable before adding it to the bin they assume it should go in. That means 8 million households could be contaminating their recycling.

"In this state-of-the-nation report, we have explored the UK’s recycling habits, the rise of ‘wishcyling’, why recycling contamination is stunting the nation’s sustainability goals, and taken a deep dive into the UK’s bad bin etiquette."