DEAD pets, dirty nappies and even a python are some of the things people are chucking into their green bin.

Disgusted staff have to remove the corpses or smelly nappies which contaminate the load and unfortunately lead to everything being taken to the incinerator.

Worcester News visited Envirosort in Norton just as it is about to embark on its busiest period with Christmas and New Year just around the corner.

Councillor Tony Miller, cabinet member with responsibility for environment said: "Unfortunately there have been occasions that a dead pet, a dog or a cat, has been put in the green bin.

"We've had a dead python but some of the most nasty things are people put bags of dog poo or dirty babies' nappies.

"For the people sorting it is not very nice at all.

"It contaminates the load then they have to go to the waste plant in Hartlebury where it is turned into energy."

On average 300 tonnes of potential recycling comes in a day of which around 12 per cent is rejected and taken to Hartlebury.

Around 220 bales are created and taken elsewhere to be turned into anything from new glass bottles and aluminium cans to car bumpers and newspapers.

Everything has to be audited so they know where the recycling ends up.

After Christmas, there will be an extra 300 tonnes of glass and 600 tonnes of paper with staff working on Saturdays to keep up with the backlog.

It is an incredible process for the materials to get sorted using puffs of air, magnets, optical sorters, glass crushers and ballistic separators as well as people checking through the load by hand.

Textiles, foil and electrical items are some of the main items being thrown into the green bin mistakenly.

And items should be washed and cleaned - no half full tins of beans - while cardboard should be flattened and cans and plastic containers kept whole.

"If in doubt, put it in the black bin," advises Cllr Miller.

At the EnviRecover plant in Hartlebury, not only is the waste turned into energy but ash, which contains glass, ceramics and stones, can be recycled and used by the construction industry.

Christmas poses its own problems with well intentioned people throwing the wrong kind of items into their green bins.

Cllr Miller continued: "With Christmas paper people think it can be recycled but if it is plastic-y and doesn't scrunch up that would go into the black bins."

What can be recycled?

  • Tins and cans
  • Paper and cardboard
  • Glass
  • Mixed plastics
  • TetraPak