UK: Recycling material 'being dumped as landfill'

Thousands of tons of material put out to be recycled by environmentally conscious Britons secretly ends up at landfill, it has emerged.

Around 240,000 tons of paper, glass and plastic is either dumped or burned after being collected in green bins and bags by local council staff, according to the Local Government Association, which represents town halls across the country.However, the true amount could be much higher as only around half of local authorities submitted their data.

Environmentalists and Tory MPs said the figures showed the Government was not giving councils enough help in recycling effectively.

Dr Michael Warhurst, is an Environmental Chemist and senior recycling campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said: "It is a vast amount and it shows that the way many councils are approaching recycling is just not working.

"The UK Government needs to be much clearer on how councils can recycle effectively and take charge of a worrying situation.

"Everything that householders put out to be recycled should actually be recycled."

Eric Pickles, the Shadow Local Government Secretary, said it made a mockery of people's efforts to separate cans, bottles and paper at home.

He said: "I think families across the country will be shocked to learn that the cans and bottles they dutifully put out for recycling are being secretly dumped....

“Since 1997, local people, businesses and councils have worked tirelessly to boost recycling rates from seven per cent to 30 per cent.

However, there is still far more that needs to be done if the taxpayer is going to be able to avoid the landfill fines that the EU and central government will impose in the coming years.

“Britain is the dustbin of Europe with more rubbish being thrown into landfill than any other country on the continent.

For decades people have been used to being able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days are now over.”.….

Our message for local government is simple - if you care about the climate, get your recycling (including composting and anaerobic digestion, of course) up amongst the best, don't just follow the Government's targets. ….