David Colakovic: 7 Common Recycling Myths—Debunked

Recycling is one of those everyday habits people take pride in, but it’s easy to get wrong. Misconceptions can lead to contamination, wasted effort, or materials going to landfill despite good intentions. Tackling these myths isn’t about pointing out mistakes; it’s about making recycling simpler, cleaner, and more effective.

Much of the confusion comes from a patchwork of local rules. What’s accepted in one area may be rejected in another, and guidance changes as technology improves. Many myths sound logical on the surface—like assuming all plastics are recyclable or that a bit of food residue won’t matter—but they can cause problems in practice.

If you want to go beyond the basics, David Colakovik’s guide to 5 Everyday Items You Didn’t Know Could Be Recycled looks at mattresses, tyres and other bulky items that too often end up in landfill. First, here are seven common myths that quietly undermine recycling.

1. “All plastics are recyclable”

It’s tempting to believe every piece of plastic can be recycled, especially when so many products carry a recycling logo. The reality is messier. PET drinks bottles and HDPE milk jugs are widely accepted, while flexible films, black plastics, and multi‑layered packaging are often excluded from kerbside collections because they’re hard to sort or have weak end markets.

The picture is reflected in national performance: DEFRA’s latest provisional figure puts England’s household recycling rate at 44.6% in 2023—evidence that a large share of what we use still isn’t being captured or can’t be processed locally. That number covers all household waste, not just plastics, but it shows how far there is to go.

Resin identification codes add to the confusion. They say what a plastic is made from, not whether your local facility can handle it. The quickest fix is also the simplest: check your council’s list of accepted plastics. That one step cuts contamination and boosts the share of material that actually gets recycled.

2. “You don’t need to clean recyclables”

Food residue is one of the main reasons loads are rejected at sorting plants. Grease or leftover food spreads across paper and cardboard, making whole bales worthless. An unwashed takeaway container might feel trivial, but it can ruin hundreds of clean items on the line.

You don’t need to scrub everything spotless. A brief rinse to remove visible residue is usually enough. Some councils even advise against excessive rinsing to avoid needless water use.

Think of it like rinsing a dish before loading the dishwasher: a small step that makes the whole system work better.

“When contamination is high, entire loads can end up as waste instead of being recycled,” says Colakovic, founder of Eco-Power Group, a UK-based environmental services company. “The effort people make at home directly affects whether materials stay in circulation or get lost to landfill.”

3. “Recycling is the same everywhere”

Rules vary—sometimes even between neighbouring districts. That’s not dysfunction; it’s infrastructure. Councils contract with different material recovery facilities, each with its own equipment and buyers. One plant might handle yoghurt pots and margarine tubs easily, while another can’t process them at all.

This variation is frustrating, but it’s practical. The best way to navigate it is to bookmark your council’s recycling guide. Many update theirs each year to reflect new contracts or capabilities. Spending five minutes with that document prevents accidental contamination and avoids wishcycling.

Ultimately, it’s a reminder that recycling is delivered locally, even if the goal—wasting less—is shared nationally.

4. “Broken glass can be recycled with bottles”

Glass is endlessly recyclable, but not all glass belongs together. Bottles and jars are fine; mirrors, window panes, ceramics and ovenproof glass aren’t. Their different melting points can weaken entire batches.

Broken glass is another issue. Sharp fragments harm workers and damage sorting equipment—especially when they end up mixed with paper and plastics. Many councils ask residents to wrap sharp glass or take it to a site with a dedicated container.

The safest habit: put intact bottles and jars in the right bin, and take everything else to a recycling centre that’s set up to handle it.

5. “If it’s recyclable, it doesn’t matter where you put it”

Recyclables only stay recyclable when they’re in the right place. In general waste, they’re almost always lost. In the wrong recycling stream, they can contaminate otherwise clean material and hike up processing costs.

Textiles, batteries and electronics are frequent offenders. They belong in specialist routes—batteries and vapes can even trigger fires at sorting plants. A little care at the bin stage prevents bigger problems down the line.

Sorting isn’t about being perfect; it’s about making sure the effort you put in actually pays off.

“What goes into the wrong bin often can’t be recovered at all,” says Colakovic. “A small decision at home determines whether that material gets reused or becomes waste forever.”

6. “Recycling uses more energy than it saves”

The data is clear: recycling saves energy. Producing aluminium from recycled cans uses around 95% less energy than making it from raw bauxite, according to the International Aluminium Institute. Similar savings exist for steel, paper and glass, because recycling avoids the most energy‑intensive steps—mining, refining and pulping.

Yes, collection and sorting consume energy. But those inputs are far smaller than the savings at the manufacturing stage. That’s why councils and businesses continue to invest in recycling systems even when budgets are tight: the long‑term environmental and resource benefits are unambiguous.

Colakovik points out that recycling isn’t a cure‑all, but as an energy and carbon reduction measure, it’s one of the most straightforward tools we have.

7. “Bulky items can’t be recycled”

Mattresses, white goods and tyres are often written off as non‑recyclable because they don’t fit the kerbside model. In practice, specialist operators can recover a lot of value: mattress springs become new steel, foams are shredded into padding or insulation, and the remainder can be used to produce alternative fuels.

Progress is real but uneven. The National Bed Federation reports that about 24% of UK mattresses are collected for recycling, but only 14% are fully recycled after processing—evidence of both improvement and headroom. Awareness and access are the sticking points: many households don’t realise what can be collected by prior arrangement, or what retailers will take back when delivering new products.

Eco‑Power Group’s facilities in South Yorkshire and Humberside are designed to separate what’s recoverable and convert suitable residuals into SRF and RDF. It’s one way to keep bulky items out of landfill when traditional routes fall short.

A better way forward

Recycling works best when everyone—households, councils and operators—pulls in the same direction. Myths muddy that effort, but they’re easy to correct with accurate information and a few practical habits.

Rinse what you can. Check local rules. Use the right route for tricky items. None of that is dramatic, but together it’s the difference between a system that looks good on paper and one that delivers in practice.