Fury as binmen leave bag over plastic row

Binmen refused to take a white recycling bag from a Wolverhampton home – because the owner had "contaminated" it with the wrong type of plastic.

Hospital worker Lynn Hutchings had filled her controversial recycling sack with two weeks' worth of cardboard and plastics.

But binmen refused to collect any of it because the 60-year-old had also put a plastic tray used to carry pears inside.

Bosses at Wolverhampton City Council today admitted workers had made a blunder and said all recycling staff had now been reminded of the correct procedures. Hospital worker Mrs Hutchings said she could not understand why workers did not simply remove the tray.

The New Cross Hospital worker said: "What a waste of time. After filling our white bag with cardboard and plastic for a fortnight, the binmen decided they wouldn't empty it because we had contaminated it with a plastic tray and bag that had contained pears from M&S.

"The bag was full with all the correct things but because those who empty them could see these items on top, they decided they couldn't take it. Why couldn't they have just removed the tray and took the rest?

"I was fuming and went running down the road after them but they still wouldn't take it and couldn't care less."

Mrs Hutchings, from Jeffcock Road, Penn Fields, said she originally vowed to stop recycling following the incident.

Alistair Merrick, council chief officer for commercial services and public realm, said: "The recycling operatives should have collected the recyclable waste, left the non-recyclable plastics with Mrs Hutchings and contacted her to advise her.

"Unfortunately, this did not happen. This has been dealt with by the management team and the correct process has been reiterated to all plastic and card recycling crews."