Carmarthenshire residents are being urged to rinse and flatten their recycling as part of a new council campaign.
Carmarthenshire County Council is encouraging households to "Wash and Squash" recyclable items before putting them in blue recycling bags.
Residents are being asked to rinse items to remove leftover food or liquid, helping to reduce contamination.
They are also encouraged to squash or flatten items where possible, saving space in recycling bags and helping materials to be processed more effectively.
Items such as plastic bottles and cartons can be safely flattened. However, the council has said some items do not need to be squashed.
Tins and cans, for example, should be rinsed but should not be flattened.
Carmarthenshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services, Cllr Edward Thomas said: "Recycling is something we can all do every day, and small changes really do make a big difference.
"By taking a moment to rinse items and squashing what you can, you are helping to reduce contamination, save space in your recycling bags, and support high-quality recycling across Carmarthenshire."
Residents can find out more by visiting the council's A-Z Recycling Guide to check what items can go in blue bags.
