Council has made some changes at its satellite recycling sites, aimed at reducing contamination and encouraging good recycling habits.

Metal bars have been fixed to the large recycling bins at Mt Somers, Willowby, Pendarves, Hinds and Methven, so that the lids only open a small distance. This should stop people putting large bags of rubbish into the recycling and contaminating it.

It should also encourage those who bag up cans or plastics for recycling, to take them out of the bags before recycling and flatten any cardboard. Items in bags can’t be processed by the recycling sorting machines.

Infrastructure and Open Spaces Group Manager Neil McCann said Council operated 13 satellite sites in rural areas, where people can drop off their recycling and glass in bulk bins.

“We have found that some people are dumping large non- recyclable items or large bags of waste into the recycling containers, which contaminates everything in the container. Ultimately it means that load of recycling will be rejected at the plant and ratepayers have to pay to take it to landfill.”