Recycling landfilled during peak of virus

Contaminated material, home clearances and staff illness forced councils to combine rubbish disposal

Hundreds of thousands of households could have been pointlessly separating recycling at the height of lockdown after councils sent it all to landfill or burnt it. A Freedom of Information survey by The Daily Telegraph found that five local authorities took “drastic” steps as the pandemic raged. Some councils were forced to act because staff fell ill with coronavirus, while others shifted the blame onto homeowners for trying to mix their recycling with other waste.

‘During lockdown, many authorities were stretched to breaking point maintaining front line services’

Christopher Hope

Max Stephens

HUNDREDS of thousands of households could have been pointlessly separating recycling at the height of the pandemic after councils responsible for handling the material sent it all to landfill or burnt it, a Daily Telegraph investigation can reveal.

A Freedom of Information survey by this newspaper found that five local authorities – covering nearly 400,000 households – took “drastic” steps as people in lockdown cleared out their homes. Some councils were forced to act because staff fell ill with coronavirus, while others shifted the blame onto homeowners for trying to mix other waste with their recycled plastic, paper and glass. Last night, campaigners urged councils to come clean in future so that consumers were not wasting their time sorting their rubbish.

The Telegraph asked 243 councils across England whether any kerbside recycling had been sent to either landfill or for incineration since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

West Oxfordshire district council, responsible for 104,800 people and 43,200 households, said that since June, while most recycling was being collected as normal, there was a “significant increase in contamination” and that “some mixed material has had to go for incineration”.

A spokesman for the council said that a quarter of recycled waste was contaminated with waste “such as used nappies, dog faeces and general waste which cannot be recycled”, adding: “The council would normally expect to see 5-10 per cent contamination.”

North East Derbyshire district council said that it had to divert all of its kerbside recycling to landfill or an incinerator from March 23 to 28 “due to our contractor having operational problems following Covid-19 staff absences”.

The council manages more than 21,000 households with an estimated population of 79,238. In Cheshire, Warrington

borough council, managing a population of 209,500 and 96,030 households, warned that “capacity issues within the recycling industry created by the pandemic may result in a proportion of the material being diverted away from recycling”.

“We do not currently have detail on the scale of this potential issue,” the council added.

Chesterfield borough council, in Derbyshire, with a population of 104,400 and 46,796 households as of 2011, said that for four weeks to the beginning of May “mixed dry recycling (containing paper/cardboard, plastics, cans) was sent for disposal”.

The council claimed this was a direct result of its recycling sorting facility being “badly affected” by Covid-19 and left unable to process or accept material for recycling. It admitted sending 574 tons in total, as a “temporary measure”, and that recycling services are now back to normal.

A spokesman said they had not publicly informed residents.

Richard Mcilwain, deputy CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, said: “During the national lockdown many local authorities were stretched to breaking point maintaining front line services with a reduced workforce. We’re aware a number had to make tough choices and prioritise emptying bins over recycling.

However, this was only a short-term issue and all local authorities should now be working hard to maintain effective communication with residents about the reason for the changes during the pandemic and that normal service has now resumed.”

Waste Resource Action Group, the environmental charity, said: “If councils do need to make changes to services, it is always good practice to let people know so we can continue to recycle effectively.”

A Defra spokesman said: “While the coronavirus pandemic has presented a number of challenges it’s important that local authorities recycle appropriately.”