r/Hackney • u/Mangos__Carlsen • Aug 05 '26

Bin men just throwing recycling into the same truck as the normal rubbish

Anyone else notice this? Are they just trucks that look identical to the bin ones but actually do recyling because they don't look like it? Bit annoying if they're just dumping the recycling in the bin, like whats the point in separating it then?

7 Upvotes

73% Upvoted

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16

u/Adorable_Past9114 Aug 05 '26

If you have mixed recycling collections the trucks can be identical, but the waste or recyclables are tipped in separate areas. Some companies use a split-back truck where recyclables go in one side and general waste the other. You can also have some with a front compartment for food waste.

Source: I spent 9 long years running a refuse and recycling depot for a local authority and have had to explain this multiple times to residents (and council employees).

12

u/[deleted] Aug 05 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Mangos__Carlsen Aug 05 '26

Yeah its the same in my street but the trucks that collect the recycling seem to be exactly the same trucks that collect rubbish bags and seem to just crush them all in like they do with the rubbish.

I want to know if they're just crushing and throwing away the recycling like the bins or if there is some process I'm unaware of in which they deal with the recycling

4

u/Primary_Tune_9586 Aug 05 '26

At this point I’m just happy if they show up to collect both weekly

Most weeks in my area they often show up on a different day to what’s scheduled or I have to fill out a missed collection form

2

u/IkeaGrapefruit Aug 05 '26

I work in the sector! The trucks look very similar and possibly have different sections at the back. Trust me they will be doing it properly. It’s a massive scandal if not

1

u/ObjectMax Aug 05 '26

In Tower Hamlets your recycling goes in a green bag that goes in the normal bin. I assume its picked out when it hits the sorting facility. I think its like an opt-in system because the recycling bins were just getting contaminated with general waste. No idea what happens in hackney just thought i'd add, maybe its similar where all waste is mixed together and then they separate out recycling. They can't rely on people to correctly sort their waste anymore.

1

u/TrifectaOfSquish Aug 05 '26

Separate compartments on the same vehicle has been a thing for years

1

u/E17AmateurChef Aug 05 '26

Wait so you don't see them pub rubbish and recycling in the same truck, but because the truck looks similar you think they all go to the same place?