UK residents dispose of billions of crisp packets in recycling incorrectly

Many UK residents are putting crisp packets in their recycling bins, but this is causing problems for recycling collections. Crisp packets are made from plastic and aluminium mixed together. Standard recycling machines cannot separate these materials, so the packets cannot be recycled at home.

When crisp packets enter a recycling bin, they can contaminate the whole collection. This means other materials that could be recycled become lower quality and harder to use.

The numbers are striking. UK residents eat between six and eight billion crisp packets every year. That is around 150 packets per person. Experts say people should check whether packaging is suitable before putting it in the recycling bin. Incorrect disposal on such a large scale seriously damages recycling efforts across the country.