Hull has been named as the best performing city council in England for its recycling rates.
Figures published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show that Hull has been ranked as the number one city for its recycling rates out of 32 city councils across the country.
The city also came fourth in Yorkshire and the Humber for recycling, with a rate of 49.5 per cent, nearly six per cent above the national average.
Councillor Alan Clark, portfolio holder with responsibility for waste, said:
We are delighted with the progress we have made and I would like to commend those residents who take the time to recycle.
We provide a well-used range of services in Hull including three Household Waste and Recycling Centres, and every household is entitled to one free bulky item collection a year of up to five items.
Despite this, contamination of blue bins is costing the authority £500,000 a year, and in order to help reduce this cost; blue bins containing bagged items are no longer being collected.
In October 2017 a campaign was launched to help reduce contamination in blue bins by asking residents to stop placing their recycling in bags, and instead, keep the items loose.
Councillor Alan Clark, said:
The amount of incorrect materials going into the blue bins is still a huge concern for us.
Currently, a number of residents are choosing to place items such as nappies, dog waste, and feminine hygiene products within plastic bags in the blue bins. Clearly, that these items are not recyclable.
Too many of the wrong materials in people’s blue bins increases the cost and can potentially render the entire load collected on that round unsuitable for recycling. This wastes the efforts of everyone else and also contributes to the excessive costs the council has to face. Being more selective on the bins we empty and no longer emptying bins that contain bagged items is a necessary part of the improvement process.
The correct mixed dry recyclables for the blue bin include paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, tubs and trays, and tins. These items should be left loose.
The message is simple, do not put bagged items in your blue bin keep it loose.
For a breakdown of the figures please visit – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-collected-waste-management-annual-results