A binman has shared what must be done with polystyrene once you've used it, to ensure that your bins actually get taken and the product isn't strewn all over the road09:28, 23 Jun 2026Updated 09:28, 23 Jun 2026A binman has shared that there's one item that should never go in your recycling, even though it's plastic. If you decide to flout this advice, then there could be serious consequences, such as your bin being completely ignored by refuse collectors.‌Ashley, who has more than 13 years of experience in the waste collection industry, often shares advice with his followers to help them better understand what's acceptable when it comes to binning things, and what's not.‌He addressed what the correct thing to do with one item following a comment on social media, which read: "What's wrong with polystyrene being in a bin? Where else is it supposed to go?"‌Polystyrene is a widely used synthetic thermoplastic made from styrene monomers. It exists in two main forms: a rigid, transparent plastic used for consumer goods like CD cases and disposable cutlery, and an expanded foam (often called Styrofoam) prized for its lightweight, shock-absorbing properties.Ashley, aka @theno1.binman, said, simply: "There's nothing wrong with polystyrene going in the bin, as long as it's the correct bin."Content cannot be displayed without consent‌He said that just because it's plastic, it doesn't mean it should go in the plastic bin because "it's not recyclable plastic" and therefore will be dealt with in a different way than things that can be recycled.He said that some people even put it in the paper bin, because "it comes with cardboard, so it must go in the paper bin". But this isn't true."No, it doesn't," Ashley fumed, saying: "You can put it in your general waste bin. That is the correct bin to put it in. Some councils let you put it in a bag next to the general waste bin, but check with your council, because not all councils allow that. Some of them used to, and then changed over."‌But he did say that it can go in the general waste bin, and if your council is different, let him know.Ashley concluded his video by reiterating: "Otherwise, you have to go to a hardware store, and some of them take polystyrene there, but yes, [put it in your] general waste bin only for most councils."In the comments, someone wrote: "To be fair, it has to be bagged up in the normal waste bin otherwise it just gets thrown all over the street when it’s emptied."Article continues belowAnother added: "In a black bin bag and in the normal bin at the bottom."A woman wrote: "Where I am, we can't even put it in our general waste, we have to get rid of it ourselves." She didn't specify where she was from.So it's best, like Ashley said, to check with your council before you dispose of any polystyrene.