Recycling efforts hit as wrong items are put in bins

A SENIOR councillor has warned that efforts to step up environmentallyfriendly schemes in a North Yorkshire district are being undermined after hundreds of tonnes of the wrong type of waste has contaminated recycling bins.

Latest figures released yesterday by Craven District Council revealed that 704 tonnes of nonrecyclable waste was found in the district’s bins over the past year.

On average, 10.8 per cent of all waste found in the Craven district’s recycling bins was not recyclable. In the worst month, February of this year, about 15 per cent of waste was contaminated.

The main contamination items are black bin bags, and clothing or other textiles.

Craven District Council’s lead member for greener Craven, Coun Carl Lis, said: “We’d like to thank Craven residents for continuing to recycle despite the challenges presented by the global Covid- 19 pandemic.

“However, if the amount of contaminated waste becomes too high, this is not only bad for the environment, but it also costs the council – and the council taxpayer – money.

“This is why it’s important that we ensure the correct materials are placed in the bin.”

Latest official figures from the Government have revealed a slight decrease in the amount of household waste that is being recycled.

The UK’s recycling rate for household waste was 45 per cent in 2018, down from 45.5 per cent in 2017. There is an EU target for the UK to recycle at least 50 per cent of household waste by 2020.

Residents in Craven are being urged to check the information on bin stickers and on the council’s website at www. cravendc. gov. uk/ recycling to ensure they are putting the correct items in their blue recycling bins.