In a statement yesterday (14 August), the council explained that dirty nappies, black sacks and plastic bags are the most common items incorrectly placed in recycling bins.
The council has now asked every household to take care when they throw away their rubbish to make sure they do not contaminate their green recycling bins with the wrong materials.
Responsibility
Cllr Patrik Garten, cabinet member for environmental services at Maidstone borough council said: “It is everyone’s responsibility to avoid contamination of our recycling.”
He added: “If our refuse collectors can see that the wrong materials have been put into the green recycling bins, they will not empty them and will also place a sticker on the bin to say it is contaminated. They do not have enough time to let each resident know what contaminated their individual bin, as each crew visit between 800 to 1,000 homes each day. However, to help people understand what can and cannot be recycled we will be hanging bin hangers on green recycling bins in Maidstone over the next four weeks.
“We are really grateful that the majority of our residents do recycle correctly as we have one of the best recycling rates in Kent at 50%, which is higher than the national average of 44%. So, I would like to say a massive thank you to those residents who are helping us to maintain this.”
Contract
Maidstone borough council serves around 150,000 residents and recorded a 52.7% recycling rate in 2021/22.
Collections in the area are currently carried out by Biffa, but will transfer to Suez in March 2024, after it bagged a £152 million deal from Biffa in January 2023 (see letsrecycle.com story).
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