Have you ever wheeled your bin out to the kerb, feeling slightly smug about your recycling efforts, only to find a bright yellow tag attached the next morning?

If so, you’re not alone! Many Aussies are being called out for a surprisingly common mistake when it comes to what we toss in our recycling bins—and chances are, you might be making it too.

A Canberra resident recently discovered this the hard way when he found a note on his recycling bin, courtesy of a new ACT Government initiative.

The tag pointed out two items incorrectly placed in the recycling: soft plastics and receipts.

While it’s easy to assume that anything paper-like belongs in the recycling, receipts are actually a big no-no.

Yellow tags are being placed on recycling bins across Canberra as part of an education program, with common mistakes like soft plastics and receipts highlighted. Credit: Facebook

Most are coated with chemicals (like BPA or BPS) that make them unsuitable for recycling, despite their innocent appearance.

But receipts aren’t the only culprits. Disposable coffee cups, used paper towels, and even those biodegradable plastic bags that seem so eco-friendly are all commonly mistaken for recyclables.

In reality, these items should go straight into your general waste bin. It’s a classic case of 'wish-cycling'—putting something in the recycling bin in the hope that it’ll be recycled, even if it shouldn’t be there.

So, what’s behind this new wave of bin inspections? The ACT Government, in partnership with Envirocom Australia, has ramped up its educational program to help residents get their recycling right.

Waste educators inspect around 600 recycling bins and 500 green waste or FOGO (Food Organics and Garden Organics) bins across different suburbs each week.

The aim isn’t to shame anyone or hand out fines—inspectors are there to help us all do better.

How does it work? On bin collection day, inspectors check the contents of bins left out on the kerb.

They only look at the top layer (so don’t worry, they’re not digging through your week-old leftovers), and if they spot something that shouldn’t be there, they’ll leave a tag with feedback.

If you’re ever unsure about someone poking around your bin, rest assured: inspectors carry official government authorisation.

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But it’s not just the human inspectors keeping an eye on things. Rubbish trucks in the ACT are now fitted with cameras, allowing drivers to spot contamination as bins are emptied.
If they see something hazardous or a bin that’s chock-full of the wrong stuff, they can tag it too.

In rare cases, if a bin is dangerously contaminated, the driver might refuse to empty it altogether.

Sometimes, a tag simply means your bin is damaged and needs a repair or replacement—so not all tags are about what’s inside.

While some people appreciate the feedback, others feel a bit 'bin shamed'. One Melbourne mum, Kali, shared that she felt embarrassed after being tagged for putting reusable shopping bags in her recycling.

'I thought it was funny that I got bin shamed. I’m sure we’re all guilty of recycling incorrectly—it’s an easy mistake,' she said.

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And she’s right! A 2024 survey by Veolia found that 40 per cent of Aussies are unsure which bin to use for certain items, and a whopping 77 per cent don’t know that disposable coffee cups belong in the red (general waste) bin.

Other items that trip people up include bamboo and wood cutlery (63 per cent thought they were recyclable—they’re not!) and biodegradable plastic bags (58 per cent put them in the wrong bin). Both should go in the general waste.

If you’re ever in doubt, there’s help at hand. The Recycle Mate app is a handy tool that lets you search for any product and tells you exactly which bin it belongs in, tailored to your local council’s rules.

It’s a great way to avoid those yellow tags and do your bit for the environment.

Why does all this matter? Proper recycling reduces contamination, improves resource recovery, and protects our recycling and composting systems.

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When we get it wrong, whole truckloads of recycling can end up in landfills, undoing all our good intentions.

So, next time you’re about to toss something in the recycling, take a second look. Is it really recyclable? If you’re not sure, check the app or your local council’s website. And remember, you’re not alone—most of us have made a bin blunder or two!

Key Takeaways

• Many Canberrans are getting yellow tags on their recycling bins as part of an ACT government education program, highlighting common mistakes like putting soft plastics and receipts (which can’t be recycled) into recycling bins.
• The bin inspection program aims to help residents learn what’s appropriate for recycling, composting and waste, with no fines or penalties issued—unless hazardous material is found.
• Coffee cups, used paper towels, bamboo cutlery and biodegradable plastic bags are often wrongly placed in recycling but actually belong in the general waste (red) bin.
• A 2024 survey found a large proportion of Aussies are still confused about which items go in which bins, but the free Recycle Mate app can help you work out where things should go based on your address and local council rules.

Have you ever been 'bin shamed' or found a mysterious tag on your bin? What’s the most confusing item you’ve come across when sorting your rubbish? Share your stories, tips, and questions in the comments below.

Read more: Experts warn: stop using this $6 Coles trick for waste disposal, big risk involved!

 

[Charlotte59]

So this therefore means that we are policed with pretty much everything we do.

 

[Punkywinner]

So if these BPA or BPS(s) are so toxic that God forbid it accidentally goes into the wrong bin... WHY in heaven's name are our food and drinks in them???

 

[Marvin Kombi]

OMG!!!! THATS IT!!! From now on I’m just going to put everything in the red bin!!
Way to go, councils!!!!
The 3 bins are a great initiative, but don’t start placing ridiculous restrictions on it and then fine us for not following your stupid, petty rules. There are tens of thousands of unemployed people out there on the dole, make them work for the dole by sorting recycling waste into usable and non usable.
What the hell will this stupid world come at next?????

 

[SSCElderberry]

So if these BPA or BPS(s) are so toxic that God forbid it accidentally goes into the wrong bin... WHY in heaven's name are our food and drinks in them???

And toxic BPAs or BPSs coating receipts!!! Make sure you wash your hands after handling receipts!!

 

[HelenB55]

If residents can’t get it right with all the rubbish & recycling, then maybe they should give us bins that we just put everything into, & let “the experts” sort it out.
Councils pay workers to go around & inspect bins, then they should get them to do the sorting.
For God’s sake…. they keep coming up with stupid ideas of giving households more bins, making the residents read every package or piece of rubbish to see which bin it goes into, then ridicule the residents if they get it wrong.
They are “the experts” so let them do it !!!

 

[meighLeigh]

I really cannot understand why people 'don't know' what belongs in a recycling bin - all I've seen have been clearly marked what is and what isn't. And one thing that's been pushed since they first appeared is NO PLASTIC BAGS. If a plastic bag is 'reusable' to me it is obvious - you can use it again and again at the supermarket, or repurpose it for other things. Reuseable DOES NOT mean recyclable!

 

[lynstacker]

OMG!!!! THATS IT!!! From now on I’m just going to put everything in the red bin!!
Way to go, councils!!!!
The 3 bins are a great initiative, but don’t start placing ridiculous restrictions on it and then fine us for not following your stupid, petty rules. There are tens of thousands of unemployed people out there on the dole, make them work for the dole by sorting recycling waste into usable and non usable.
What the hell will this stupid world come at next?????

Only 3 bins? My council has now lumped me with a purple bin for bottles & glass jars. No extra charge......yet

 

[meighLeigh]

OMG!!!! THATS IT!!! From now on I’m just going to put everything in the red bin!!
Way to go, councils!!!!
The 3 bins are a great initiative, but don’t start placing ridiculous restrictions on it and then fine us for not following your stupid, petty rules. There are tens of thousands of unemployed people out there on the dole, make them work for the dole by sorting recycling waste into usable and non usable.
What the hell will this stupid world come at next?????

I approve of 'work for the dole' - but to me, that's to teach people who prefer to live on the dole the satisfaction of 'a good job well done'. Having them scrounge through stinking rubbish isn't going to do them any good.
But maybe it should be a task for chronic lawbreakers of all description - a community service that can be avoided by NOT driving under the influence of alcohol or any other drug, by NOT regularly brawling in public, by NOT speeding or driving to the public danger. Penalising criminals while providing a public service kills two birds with one payout!

 

[meighLeigh]

So if these BPA or BPS(s) are so toxic that God forbid it accidentally goes into the wrong bin... WHY in heaven's name are our food and drinks in them???

Good point!

 

[Veggiepatch]

Dump your general waste, recycling, green waste, purple waste, pink waste and soiled nappies on the steps of your council chambers in protest!

 

[meighLeigh]

And, to hammer a point, why is it such an impost to recycle whatever can be recycled? Try going out to your local dump and see the 'smokey mountain' of rubbish accumulating there - a lot of it could be repurposed, recycled instead of providing a nest for rats and seagulls. Nature can deal with all the pollution we throw at her (and we do throw a lot!) but Nature isn't in a hurry. It's the future of the human race - your children and grandchildren and beyond - that is going to suffer from the pollution we generate now. So why not try to reduce it, to give your descendants a chance? Is it so hard to sort what you throw out BEFORE you throw it out?
It's my extreme regret that there is no recycling (except the 10c return on bottles and cans) here in Tumby Bay. But that doesn't stop me from putting the compost in a compost bin (or feeding it to the chooks), using cardboard as weed matting, shredding paper for compost 'dry matter' and putting the 10c return bottles and cans (including those dropped by people too lazy to walk an extra few yards to a rubbish bin) in a big wheelie bin to take, when full, to the depot.
My sister calls the human race "the Filthy Monkey", and reading some of your comments above, I am inclined to add "Lazy" to the above description.
It's your world, and your descendants future, you're rubbishing.

 

[Greentrees]

And, to hammer a point, why is it such an impost to recycle whatever can be recycled? Try going out to your local dump and see the 'smokey mountain' of rubbish accumulating there - a lot of it could be repurposed, recycled instead of providing a nest for rats and seagulls. Nature can deal with all the pollution we throw at her (and we do throw a lot!) but Nature isn't in a hurry. It's the future of the human race - your children and grandchildren and beyond - that is going to suffer from the pollution we generate now. So why not try to reduce it, to give your descendants a chance? Is it so hard to sort what you throw out BEFORE you throw it out?
It's my extreme regret that there is no recycling (except the 10c return on bottles and cans) here in Tumby Bay. But that doesn't stop me from putting the compost in a compost bin (or feeding it to the chooks), using cardboard as weed matting, shredding paper for compost 'dry matter' and putting the 10c return bottles and cans (including those dropped by people too lazy to walk an extra few yards to a rubbish bin) in a big wheelie bin to take, when full, to the depot.
My sister calls the human race "the Filthy Monkey", and reading some of your comments above, I am inclined to add "Lazy" to the above description.
It's your world, and your descendants future, you're rubbishing.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Can someone tell me where all this collected "recycled" rubbish goes to?

I know.

 

[Greentrees]

I support your comments to the letter. LAZY is the word to use. Language barriers, frustrating. We are supplied with three whibins & in some cases four. It can’t be that hard to do the right thing to keep our planet healthy. It’s the only one we have. There is no excuse for a smelly bin - keep perishables in the freezer until bin collection day & just rinse out your bin after collection.

 

[Isis]

It is a puzzle, I use the old saying. When in doubt, don’t and into the rubbish it goes.

 

[zacca]

Our young son mowed the lawn some how he thought the clippings were recyclable. We ended up with a note on the bin.

 

[Old timer]

OMG!!!! THATS IT!!! From now on I’m just going to put everything in the red bin!!
Way to go, councils!!!!
The 3 bins are a great initiative, but don’t start placing ridiculous restrictions on it and then fine us for not following your stupid, petty rules. There are tens of thousands of unemployed people out there on the dole, make them work for the dole by sorting recycling waste into usable and non usable.
What the hell will this stupid world come at next?????

It has been explained to us that if we put the wrong item in the yellow bin the whole thing is then dumped into landfill, so there has to be restrictions so we know how to do the right thing, good on this council.

 

[Hieme]

What do I do with plastic bags that are made from recycled material? Are they no longer recyclable because they have been recycled?