You might be surprised to learn that your food recycling bin can actually give you a black eye …. even without somebody using it to hit you in the face

Everybody knows the bins are a breeding ground for mould.

But it can also release thousands of tiny spores which are one of the most common causes of allergic reactions at this time of year?

Reporter Janet Hughes tells how she found out about the problem first hand.

These reactions can lead to what are known as “allergic shiners” dark shadowy pigments that resemble bruised black eyes and are caused by congestion of the nose and sinuses.

How do I know? Because I have one right now.

It may not exactly look as if I’ve gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson but even after trying to cover it with make up the swelling, redness and dark circles are still noticeable.

What’s more, I think it may well have been the food recycling bin that caused it.

Even with make-up the allergic shiner is noticeable

As councils urge us to separate our food waste from general rubbish, there are growing concerns about the organic matter being stored in our homes could be creating health problems such as fungal balls that fix themselves to the inside the lung.

German householders have already been warned to empty their bins more often and even wear face masks when dealing with the rotting material.

Indeed mould toxins can be so poisonous that in February this year a beloved a family pet Cockapoo dog died ten days after falling ill because he had been licking an empty recycling bin which had contained mouldy bread.

Dexter’s owner Sarah Dent, 42, was shocked to find bread mould and its residue can be highly toxic and could possibly kill cats, other wildlife or even a young child if consumed.

She added: "Not one person that contacted me out of thousands knew that their recycling caddies and this mould was a killer to their dogs.

“Every household should be told before they are asked to keep these toxins in their homes."

Dexter and owner Sarah Dent,

Looking back to when the runny nose, sore throat and itchy eyes appeared, it could well be down to my pretty vintage recycling caddy on the kitchen windowsill. Personally, I’m not partial to eating mouldy food but I did breathe in the fumes.

Nobody was more surprised than me when the chemist ordered an immediate eye examination with the local optician because she was worried about my peepers which were getting puffier, sorer and darker by the day.

An hour later the optician had diagnosed a definite allergic reaction saying the spots he could see could have been caused by pollen at this time of year but dogs, dust mites and mould were the likely culprits.

Seeing as all this started soon after I returned home from a long weekend away to find I’d forgotten to empty the food recycling bin, the mushy, mouldy, smelly damp mess that I had to clean out appears to be to blame for my shiner.

Young girl puts her banana skin intothe kitchen caddy to go out to the food recycling bin

I’m not making this up. Honest. As far back as 2008 Harald Morr, a leading pneumologist and then chairman of the German Lung Foundation, told the Guardian that studies showed that airborne mould spores from organic waste could lead to allergic reactions, asthma attacks, hayfever-like symptoms and itchy skin lesions.

"Even just opening the lid of a bin containing organic waste can cause mould spores to be stirred up which, if breathed in, can damage the lungs," said Morr. "The more spores breathed in, the worse the repercussions on one's health can be."

So if you develop dark circles with watery, red, itchy eyes, itchy throat or roof of the mouth, sneezing, nasal congestion, sinus pressure and runny nose then you could end up with an allergic shiner too.

But don't worry, it’s not all bad news. At least you have a good, excuse not to put out the bins from now on.

We all have to use these organic food waste caddies now

How to keep your bin clean

Empty frequently to stop the mould building up.

Squeeze tea bags and let them cool so you do not create a hot and steamy bin which leads to more water at the bottom and encourages fruit flies

Try a biodegradable food waste bag to keep it all enclosed.

Separate stinky steaks from other waste. Meat fish and bones can be chucked straight into the outside caddy to avoid smells in the kitchen but make sure you watch for maggots and catch them quick.

Close the lid of your food waste bin tightly will stop fruit flies and other winged friends from getting in to lay eggs, and odours from getting out.

Rinse out your food waste bucket once a week with hot water containing a slug of tea tree oil or lemon juice to kill germs and smells.

If the dark circles are caused by allergies, you’ll likely have other allergy symptoms such as watery, red, itchy eyes (allergic conjunctivitis) itchy throat or roof of the mouth, sneezing, nasal congestion, sinus pressure runny nose

People whose allergies affect their eyes are at a higher risk for allergic shiners. You may rub your eyes frequently, making your allergic shiners worse.

How to avoid allergies

Use a nasal saline mist twice a day to remove pollen from the nose and clear excess mucous

Rinse your nose with a neti pot (a container designed to flush out your nasal passages)

Try cooking or seasoning your food with turmeric, which can suppress allergic reactions

Eat local honey which may help with seasonal allergies

Drink plenty of fluid to stay hydrated.