What happens if you put Polystyrene and foam packaging in the wrong bin?

Never put polystyrene in the kerbside recycling; it breaks into beads that contaminate every other stream. Never burn it — polystyrene burns with heavy sooty smoke and styrene fumes.

Where do Polystyrene and foam packaging go?

General waste almost everywhere. It is recyclable in principle and collected almost nowhere.

General waste bin

Expanded polystyrene is about 98% air, so a lorry-load of it weighs almost nothing and hauling it any distance costs more than the material is worth. That economics, not chemistry, is why kerbside schemes refuse it: densifying equipment exists but is concentrated at a small number of sites. A few household waste centres and some shops that sell large appliances accept clean EPS packaging, and that is worth a check locally. Foam food trays and takeaway boxes are further ruled out by food contamination, and go in general waste.

How to prepare it

Check whether a nearby household waste centre has an EPS bank — a minority do.
Break it down inside a bag; it sheds beads everywhere.

What not to do

Never put polystyrene in the kerbside recycling; it breaks into beads that contaminate every other stream.
Never burn it — polystyrene burns with heavy sooty smoke and styrene fumes.

Compiled from material recovery facility and drop-off scheme acceptance lists.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to general waste bin

Used cooking oil Let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it in general waste — or take it to an oil bank.
Incandescent and halogen bulbs General waste, wrapped. They are not recyclable glass and not electrical waste either.
Crisp packets and snack wrappers General waste, or a supermarket soft-plastics bin where one exists. Not the kerbside recycling.
Broken glass Wrap it thickly and put it in general waste, unless it is a broken bottle or jar — those can go in the glass bin.
Dried-out paint and empty tins Once the paint is solid, many councils take the tin in general waste or as scrap metal. Check yours, because this one genuinely varies.
Cling film General waste. It is excluded even from soft plastic collections almost everywhere.
Till receipts General waste. Thermal paper is coated, not printed, and it should not go in with paper or compost.
Wet wipes and makeup wipes General waste. Never the toilet, whatever the packet says about flushability.
Dog waste Bagged in general waste, or a dog waste bin. Not the food waste caddy, and not the compost heap.
Nappies General waste, bagged. There is no kerbside recycling route for them anywhere in ordinary use.
Cat litter General waste, bagged. Clay litter is not compostable, and cat faeces carry a parasite that keeps it out of the garden.
Medicine blister packs General waste in most places, or a pharmacy collection scheme where one exists.
Greetings cards with glitter or foil Tear off the plain card and recycle that; the glittery part goes in general waste.
Cigarette butts Put it out completely, then bin it. Filters are cellulose acetate plastic, and a live butt starts bin fires.

Common questions

Where do Polystyrene and foam packaging go?: General waste almost everywhere. It is recyclable in principle and collected almost nowhere.
What happens if you put Polystyrene and foam packaging in the wrong bin?: Never put polystyrene in the kerbside recycling; it breaks into beads that contaminate every other stream. Never burn it — polystyrene burns with heavy sooty smoke and styrene fumes.

Where do Used cooking oil go? Let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it in general waste — or take it to an oil bank.
Where do Incandescent and halogen bulbs go? General waste, wrapped. They are not recyclable glass and not electrical waste either.
Where do Crisp packets and snack wrappers go? General waste, or a supermarket soft-plastics bin where one exists. Not the kerbside recycling.
Where do Broken glass go? Wrap it thickly and put it in general waste, unless it is a broken bottle or jar — those can go in the glass bin.
Where do Dried-out paint and empty tins go? Once the paint is solid, many councils take the tin in general waste or as scrap metal. Check yours, because this one genuinely varies.
Where do Cling film go? General waste. It is excluded even from soft plastic collections almost everywhere.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste recycling centre

Sources

Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place

How these figures are compiled and checked