OPRL Don't Recycle
General wasteThis can't go in your recycling bin. General waste.
Which bin?
Put in your general waste bin.
What does it mean?
When the label says "Don't Recycle," fewer than 50% of UK councils collect this material. Putting it in your recycling bin risks contaminating everything else in the load. It goes in your general waste bin. Common on: crisp packets, some plastic films, non-recyclable trays, and composite materials.
What councils’ own lists say
Counted from the lists and containers of the 182 councils we have checked. The councils on the smaller side are named, each linked to its page. See every material compared.
Crisp packets: 1 of the 52 councils whose lists say either way take them.
Take them: Solihull.
Plastic film: 18 of the 102 councils whose lists say either way take it.
Take it: Blaby, Braintree, Charnwood, Chelmsford, Glasgow, Hastings, Hinckley and Bosworth, Leeds, Mid Suffolk, North Somerset, North Warwickshire, Nottingham and 6 more.
Black plastic: 2 of the 26 councils whose lists say either way take it.
Take it: Chelmsford and North Lanarkshire.
Frequently asked questions
What does the OPRL Don't Recycle symbol mean?
This can't go in your recycling bin. General waste.
Which bin do items with this symbol go in?
Put in your general waste bin.