A council crackdown on rogue recyclers has been branded “heavy-handed” as refuse workers are snooping inside bins before deciding whether to empty them.

Householders across the Canterbury district have been warned blue and red-lidded recycling bins will not be collected if “contaminated” waste such as “festering food and dirty nappies” is found.

The move is in response to a number of bin trucks having their entire loads “incinerated” as residents mix household rubbish with recyclables, or even just paper and card with bottles and plastics.

But critics argue the move will see many people just choosing to dump all of their rubbish in bins for standard waste instead.

The scheme began this week in a bid to drive up recycling rates, with a tag left on contaminated bins explaining why they were not emptied.

A Canterbury City Council (CCC) spokesman said: “Crews will be lifting the lid on recycling bins – red and blue – to see if they can spot what is known as contamination – items ending up in the wrong bin.

“If they spot contamination, they will not empty the bin but leave some information behind in the form of a hanger to explain why.

“Once the resident has sorted the contamination, that bin will be emptied at the next scheduled collection - it will not count as a missed bin.”

The new rules have been met with a mixed reaction from residents, with many recognising the need to improve recycling, but arguing the crackdown will be counter-productive.

“Sadly flytipping will now increase again, making it even more difficult with bins and waste - then you'll all sit in the board room twiddling thumbs as to why this happened,” said Doug Hockley in response to the city council announcing the move.

Trevor Davies added: “So everything will go in the black bins then.”

Residents across Canterbury currently have the option of three wheelie bins with different coloured lids: black for household waste, blue for glass, plastics, cans and tin, and red for paper, card and cardboard.

The new policy applies to blue and red bins, which both carry recyclable waste. Any found to contain “wrong items” will not be emptied.

Residents in Canterbury city centre were divided on the scheme this week.

Tony Baker, who lives in a retirement community in Canterbury, told KentOnline he supports recycling but believes the new system is too strict.

“I’m all for recycling, it’s got to be done, but if they don’t collect my bin it would make me a little bit angry because anyone can make a mistake and put something in the wrong bin,” said the 74-year-old.

“They’re bound to get a bit contaminated, or someone could just walk past and put something in your bin.”

But another resident, Devvrat Singh, praised the new rules, emphasising the importance of considering human impact on the environment.

“It sounds like a good policy and it’s needed,” said the 24-year-old.

“Without strict measures like this, I think people will not get how important it is to recycle.

“It only takes a little bit of effort to put rubbish into the right bins and we have to do this as we look towards a greener future.”

CCC says it has worked extensively to educate residents about recycling, including delivering leaflets to homes, advertising in local publications, putting stickers on bins and writing directly to properties in areas of the district where contamination is at its worst.

Cllr Charlotte Cornell, the authority’s cabinet member responsible for recycling, said: “Our rates have been low when compared to our neighbouring councils and to the national average for several years now.

“They have all been rejecting contaminated bins for some time.

“Our biggest issue is paper and card finding its way into the blue bin, but also food waste too.

“As a mum in a very, very busy household I know everyone wants to recycle properly, not least to protect the planet for future generations but it can be confusing.

“So our publicity campaign will continue – the hangers we put on bins are not there to shame you but to give you more information and tips on what to do next time around.

“We are all working hard on this together so we’ll take a common-sense approach but this is an issue we really need to get on top of.”

Conservative opposition leader Rachel Carnac has criticised the council’s policy.

“I’ve never been very keen on this hanger scheme - I think it’s a bit heavy-handed,” she said.

“I know it’s a slow process, but the way to get people to recycle more is through education and encouragement.

“Personally, I think we need more carrot and less stick.”

The council came in for criticism last summer when bin men were filmed emptying recycling from blue and red bins into the same container.

Their actions were caught on camera on three separate occasions by people living in Elham Road near Wincheap.

One of the residents, Martin Johnson, told KentOnline it made a “mockery of our diligence in separating it all”.

In response to those arguing such instances make recycling pointless, Cllr Cornell said: “There is the rare occasion when crews get it wrong but our recycling trucks are ‘split body’, which means that recycling is separated into two different sides.

“Our crews have had lots of training and Canenco is just as serious about driving up recycling rates as I am.”