The council don't run it anymore. They have been contracted out to operators for ages. Many of the rules are still consistent with council requirements but I would not poke the council for that specific issue.
A naughty person could indeed divert the staff using Elf & Safety as there are many rules which will make them quite focused. If there is smoke coming out of the metal bin they have to react quickly in case of batteries or chemical issues I believe. Reporting a whiff of smoke and a crackling noise might mean you have a few minutes to be naughty. It is called a recycling centre after all.
