The Council must do more to improve its recycling rates

When the Liberal Democrats took over the leadership of the Council in 2006, the domestic recycling rate was 14%. When we left control in 2011 it had increased to 43% and we had climbed nearly 200 places in the local authority league table. Much of this was due to the blue bins we are proud to have introduced. At the last Council meeting I asked why the rate had only increased to 44% in 2018/19.

In answer I was told this figure had increased to 47.5% in 2019/20. I welcome this but it is still not good enough at a time when there is much more concern about our environment. I realise the market has changed and many countries in the Far East are refusing to accept our waste any more but these are not acceptable excuses.

A recent nation-wide study of 2000 Britons found that nearly half felt ashamed that they didn't recycle enough. Another poll supported by TV presenter Ben Fogle found that nine out of ten people want clearer information from councils on what can be recycled. Eight out of ten wanted councils to make more effort to recycle a wider range of household items. Three quarters find recycling symbols on packaging confusing.

We call on the Council to do more to improve the clarity of information that is given to residents so that the recycling rate in Warrington can substantially increase in the next few years.