Like bins? You could be in seventh heaven with these plans (Picture: Metro.co.uk/Getty)
New plans for home and business recycling could see households juggling as many as seven bins for different kinds of waste.
The measures are set to be announced next month, potentially requiring all councils to collect paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, glass, garden waste, and food waste separately.
But local council bosses have described the proposals as ‘unworkable’, warning it could cost them a fortune.
Bob Blackman, Tory MP and member of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities parliamentary committee, also criticised the ideas.
‘It would be of great concern if we end up with huge numbers of types of bins,’ he told the Telegraph.
‘That would be madness. In urban environments, people already have four sets of bins and to go beyond that would be absolutely crazy.’
Households already use multiple bins to collect rubbish (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)
It’s hoped a more consistent waste service across the UK could reduce the disparity in recycling rates across different local authorities.
However, individual town halls can try to opt out of nationwide plans if they prove they’re ‘not technically or economically viable’.
Despite people spending hours sorting their rubbish and putting bins out each week, in some parts of London, as little as 20% of recyclable waste is processed as intended.
CPRE London found the boroughs with the highest recycling rates in 2021-22 were Bromley, Kingston, Ealing, Sutton and Bexley, while the lowest rates were in Tower Hamlets, Westminster, Wandsworth, Kensington & Chelsea and Newham.
Alice Roberts of CPRE London said: ‘London languishes at the bottom of the English regions with just 33% of waste sent for recycling, compared to top-of-the-table region, the South West, at 49%. We’ve seen no improvement for ten years.
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is due to release her plans for recycling services next month (Picture: PA)
‘We are the dustbin of the country. This isn’t just an environmental disaster, it’s a huge waste of taxpayers’ money. It’s embarrassing and it’s time for action.’
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey was due to publish the Government’s response to a 2021 consultation on waste consistency today, but this was cancelled.
A Defra spokesman said: ‘We want to make recycling easier and ensure that there is a comprehensive, consistent service across England. This will help increase recycled material in the products we buy and boost a growing UK recycling industry.
‘We have held a public consultation on the proposed changes and will announce further details shortly.’
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But individual councils can try to opt-out of the nationwide plans by saying the plans are ‘not technically or economically viable’
