Rubbish revelations: collectors combine recycling and garbage in some Sydney streets

The long-running practice of mixing red-bin and yellow-bin waste in some parts of south-west Sydney resulted from concerns over trucks in narrow streets. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP

A south-west Sydney mayor has called for a full review of his council’s waste operations after revelations rubbish collectors had been mixing yellow-bin recycling with red-bin garbage for more than a decade.

Residents said they had not been informed of the long-running practice, which resulted from “public safety” concerns over backing large trucks down narrow streets.