Recycling contamination concerning, says firm

Disposable vapes were one of the items which had been recycled

A recycling company contracted by the States of Guernsey has said it is concerned off-island firms may reject the island's waste if people do not separate their rubbish properly.

Nappies, knives, vapes, batteries, lawnmowers and sanitary wear had all been found in blue recycling bags, which are meant for plastic, tins and cartons, Mayside Recycling said.

Michael Grime, the managing director of the firm, said his team had seen an increase in "material appearing [in recycling] that shouldn't be".

Mr Grime warned companies who take processed recycling from the island could "give very severe financial penalties" which may "hurt recycling rates".

Michael Grime, managing director of Mayside Recycling, said unsanitary waste had an impact on staff

Mr Grime said: "We're not at that stage, we don't need to be at that stage, we just need people to play their part as the majority of the public do."

He said the island "always had an excellent reputation for quality" of recycling.

"If the trajectory were to continue, it would be a source of concern," he said.

Items such as knives, lithium batteries and lawnmowers have been dumped in blue recycling bags meant for plastic, tins and cartons

Mr Grime said unsanitary waste such as used nappies and sanitary towels had an impact on staff who sort the recyclables.

"From a health and safety point of view, and even from a morale point of view, it's awful when those items start to come through and increasingly so," he said.