... but Britain’s still falling short of its recycling target

HOUSEHOLD recycling is flatlining as councils fail to tackle England’s rubbish mountain, official figures show.

Despite Government targets to recycle 50 per cent of household waste by 2020, England’s rate is just 44.9 per cent, with the rest sent to landfill or incinerated. Confusing waste collection rules, which can vary greatly between different council areas, and a lack of effort on their part to boost recycling have been blamed for the poor record.

Green groups also pointed the finger at manufacturers using increasing amounts of packaging that cannot be recycled. Some 22.8million tons of waste were collected from English households last year but only 10.2 tonnes recycled – an increase of just 0.7 per cent on 2015.

By contrast, the amount of rubbish incinerated jumped 10 per cent to 10.2million tonnes. Total household waste sent to landfill did fall to 4.1million tonnes from 5.1million, however.

England’s recycling rate compares unfavourably with Welsh councils, who are recycling 54 per cent of waste.

Julian Kirby, of Friends of the Earth, said English councils had done little to boost recycling since 2010 when the coalition government backed away from tougher targets. He said: ‘What we have seen since 2010 is councils giving up on their recycling ambition.

‘The reason councils aren’t doing more is because central government is giving up on the issue.’

Pulling down the national average is London, which had the lowest recycling rate in the country – with an overall rate of 33 per cent. At just 18 per cent, the worst-performing area was the East London borough of Newham.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Tim Farron said: ‘It’s worrying that recycling levels including of plastic waste are now flatlining. Now is the time for bold action to boost recycling and tackle plastic waste.’

Elena Polisano, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said: ‘If we’re going to save our oceans from plastic pollution, we need the manufacturers of plastic packaging to take responsibility for the waste they produce.’

A Defra spokesman said it was encouraged to see the recycling rate rising, but said it was looking at further ways to boost rates and avoid waste as part of its ‘waste strategy’.