In February 2024, the council introduced an “enhanced contamination enforcement process” after seeing high levels of contamination within the borough’s brown recycling bins – with almost a quarter of all material collected at the kerbside for recycling not able to be processed as recycling.
A cabinet meeting on 18 October 2023 led to members agreeing to the implementation of the enhanced process. It features further education and engagement which incorporates letters, home visits and the option to serve legal notice on persistent offenders of kerbside recycling contamination.
Councillor Chris Morgan, cabinet member for waste, leisure and green spaces, said: “Whilst fining our residents for not recycling correctly is not a step that we as a Council wanted to take, it is something we felt was necessary in the few cases where residents are persistently contaminating their recycling by putting things in the wrong bins despite further engagement and education directly with them.
“It is important to note that fixed penalty notices are issued as a last resort, to residents who have been contacted multiple times with regards to the content of their bins.
“We are hopeful that this new process will work as a deterrent to residents who are knowingly using their recycling bins incorrectly and diminishing the work of those residents who are consistently doing the right thing.”
The council encourages its residents to find out more information here.
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