TAXPAYERS had to shell out more than £170,000 to deal with waste wrongly placed in recycling bins in the city last year, figures suggest

Data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs shows 1,857 tonnes of waste collected by Brighton and Hove City Council were rejected at the point of sorting in the year to March – more than the 1,269 tonnes rejected the previous year.

Recycling charity Wrap, which works with governments and companies on sustainability, estimates that waste disposed of as recycling, which is then found not to be recyclable, costs councils around £93 per tonne to dispose of.

It would mean rejected waste cost taxpayers in Brighton and Hove an estimated £172,701 in 2020-21 alone.

Overall, the authority collected 111,776 tonnes of waste, up from 109,516 the year before.

The Local Government Association is calling for labelling on packaging to be made clearer, to avoid recyclable waste getting mixed-up with non-recyclable items – an issue estimated to have cost English councils around £60 million last year.

David Renard, environment spokesman for the LGA, which represents councils, pointed the finger at manufacturers who produce non-recyclable plastic packaging, which is then put in the recycling bin by people “in good faith”.

He said: “The burden then falls on councils to not only collect it and dispose of it, but to pay the extra cost of disposing of it.

“At a time when councils are working towards achieving net zero, they are doing so with one hand tied behind their back, courtesy of manufacturers who are littering our communities with plastic they know cannot be disposed of sustainably.”

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said they are also calling for packaging producers to be "more responsible in labelling their waste and in preventing the use of single-use plastics in the first place", and said they have been campaigning to reduce single use plastics at source.

He said: "We send out recycling leaflets every year with council tax bills, stating what can and can't be recycled. Our recycling wheelie bins are embossed with what can go in them and there are signs on recycling communal bins showing what can go in them.

"There are a number of items beyond what can go in wheelie bins and communal bins that can be recycled at out household waste recycling sites in Hove and Brighton, including clothes and shoes, garden waste, wood, carton and electrical items."

The spokesman also said the council is currently recruiting "circular economy champions", as part of a project to help residents reduce waste and recycle more.

He said: "These 'champions' will take part in a range of activities including speaking with their friends, family, neighbours and work colleagues, to promote ways to reduce waste, access local reuse and repair schemes and provide information on how to recycle".

Across England, 647,000 tonnes of recycling were rejected in the year to March, up from 525,000 tonnes the year before and the largest amount since records began in 2006-07.

Defra said a consultation had taken place on a proposal to force producers to label their packaging clearly, so that people would know if items are recyclable or not.

A spokeswoman said: “We want to make recycling easier and ensure there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England.

“Our landmark Environment Act will transform the way we deal with rubbish."

The act states food and garden waste should always be collected separately from dry recycling and residual waste.

“It means recyclable materials will have to be collected separately, while separate food waste collection will also help reduce contamination,” she added.

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