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Most of us have probably got a handful of supermarket carrier bags stuffed in a cupboard somewhere at home. Far sturdier than they used to be, these 'bags for life' are built to be used again and again.

However, if your collection has grown out of control or your bags have simply seen better days, you might be wondering how to get rid of them responsibly. Recycling rules changed earlier this year with the introduction of the Simpler Recycling regulations in England. With growing confusion over what can and cannot be recycled at home, one binman on social media has stepped up to tackle your questions.

'Binfluencer' No1 Binman on TikTok has built a following of more than 170,000 people thanks to his practical advice on navigating bin day. One follower recently quizzed him about Tesco bags and whether they are suitable for recycling.

They said: "Can someone settle a debate for me. Tesco bags, are they recyclable? Says on them they are, but it doesn't feel right."

In short, the binman confirms that carrier bags are indeed recyclable - though it's not quite as straightforward as it sounds. He says that they must not be placed in any of your household recycling bins.

Instead, you can return them to your local supermarket, where they should be able to recycle them appropriately.

The reason they shouldn't go in your bins at home is that they risk jamming the machinery at the recycling centre, which he warns 'won't make them very happy'.

The most sensible way to dispose of them is to place them in your general waste bin, or continue reusing them, as they were originally intended.

The rules differ slightly when it comes to paper carrier bags. Experts at Best Pac UK stated: "The great news for the environment is that yes, paper bags can be recycled, but only if they're actually made from paper.

"Whilst most plastic bags, for example, are not recyclable, almost all types of paper bags can be recycled, helping to reduce the amount of plastic landfill sitting on the earth and polluting our oceans."

The exception is laminated paper bags, which have an additional layer of plastic film bonded to the paper and are commonly used to line bags carrying food and perishable goods.

This lamination makes them impossible to recycle.