Council bans bin workers from collecting McDonald’s boxes for recycling

A COUNCIL has banned its refuse workers from collecting recycling containing McDonald’s litter.

Workers have been told to rummage through rubbish and not pick up bins with the fast food giant’s boxes.

Anyone flouting the new rules are shamed with a notice.

Lincolnshire council has also banned boxes and wrappers of other fast food outlets, such as Domino’s and Burger King.

Officials say the cardboard containers will be rejected by recyclers as they are too greasy.

But one angry dad, whose bin was left behind as it had Happy Meal boxes in it, said: “It’s ridiculous. Why is our county the only one that can’t manage to recycle cardboard?

"It’s embarrassing. We’ve been told to recycle for years, but now we’re actually doing it, the jobsworths are telling us we’re doing it wrong.

“How can you have the wrong sort of rubbish? It makes you wonder what we’re actually paying our council tax for?”

McDonald’s says all main meal and side salad containers are recyclable and McFlurries no longer have plastic lids.

The chain also uses paper straws. Domino’s says its pizza boxes are 100 per cent recyclable.

Council chiefs insisted the scheme was not aimed at “punishing” or “shaming” residents, but to boost recycling rates.

Cllr Daniel McNally said: “We ask residents to put cardboard takeaway containers in their general waste so that they can be turned into electricity.”