THE WORST councils in the West Midlands for the amount of recycling being rejected have been revealed, writes James Reid.
Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) place many of the county’s local authorities in the list with some of the highest recycling rejection rates across the region.
Redditch Borough Council stands at third in the table with 18.48 per cent of its recycling being rejected.
Out of 7,420 tonnes of waste sent to be recycled, 1,371 tonnes were rejected.
Worcester City Council is not far behind in fourth with a rejection rate of 16.05 per cent, and Wyre Forest District Council is in fifth with 14.74 per cent.
The Malvern Hills, Bromsgrove and Wychavon District Councils come in at seventh, eighth and ninth respectively with rejection rates standing at 13.67 per cent, 12.16 per cent and 12.01 per cent.
Topping the table in the region is Coventry City Council where recycling rejection rates stand at 27.99 per cent – in the city, 10,236 out of 36,567 tonnes are turned away from Energy-from-
Waste plants, potentially reaching landfill instead.
Regionally, the West Midlands holds the fourth highest rate.
Last year, the Government proposed a change in policy to simplify recycling across England which would see dedicated containers for residual (non-recyclable) waste, food waste (mixed with garden waste if appropriate), paper and card, and all other dry recyclable materials (plastic, metal and glass).
This new legislation is set to come into effect in 2026.
Mark Hall, waste management expert at Birmingham-based BusinessWaste.co.uk which carried out the research, said: “There is a certain onus on households to ensure they are recycling correctly to reduce contamination.
“However, we’d encourage local councils to dedicate resources to educating the public on how best they can avoid recycling rejection with guidance on what can and can’t be recycled, alongside tips for cleaning materials.
“Local councils could also consider imposing fines more frequently to those who regularly disregard recycling rules as a deterrent.”
Recycling is rejected when incorrect items are placed in containers that are unable to be recycled.
Councils’ response
A Redditch Borough Council spokesperson said: “We recognise the importance of reducing recycling rejection rates and are actively working to support residents in recycling correctly.
“Every household receives annual guidance on what can and cannot be placed in recycling bins as well as a reminder of their responsibilities regarding use of our services.
“We’re also planning to expand our education and engagement efforts next year, supported by funding from Extended Producer Responsibility payments.”
A spokesperson for Bromsgrove District Council said: “We are committed to improving recycling outcomes and reducing contamination both from households and litter bins.
“In Bromsgrove town centre, we’ve recently identified issues such as fast-food grease and broken glass affecting recycling quality from recycling litter bins.
“In response, we’ve commissioned new bins with improved recycling options to help prevent cross-contamination.
“Alongside this, we’ve issued detailed guidance to all households regarding their domestic recycling collections and are increasing messaging around bin use, especially during our current bin replacement programme.
“We’re also preparing to launch more proactive education campaigns next year, funded by Extended Producer Responsibility payments.”
Residents can visit: bromsgrove.gov.uk/residents/my-place/bins-and-recycling/ or: redditchbc.gov.uk/residents/my-place/bins-and-recycling/ and click on ‘What can I put in my bins? to find out more.
