Poor recycling could be adding to the price of bin charges, a waste industry body has claimed.
Repak, a body which promotes recycling of packaging, claims €2.7m is being lost every year due to bad recycling.
The money is being lost through extra landfill charges, due to people putting the wrong items in their recycling or failing to wash out food containers before putting them in the bin.
Repak spokesperson Darrell Crowe said a survey carried out for them discovered that many people are putting inappropriate items in their recycling bins.
"About a third of people openly admitted to … incorrect systems," he said.
"Food waste, garden waste, used batteries, old shoes - by accident or on purpose into their green or blue bin systems. And these are materials that should not be going into those."