Council sees 'depressing' overspend on recycling

A tonne of plastic that would have sold for £168 in 2024/25 is now only fetching £80 for the council

A council has been left with a "deeply depressing" overspend on waste recycling.

Unlike black bin rubbish, which local authorities have to pay to dispose of, materials from kerbside recycling collections and household waste recycling centres can be sold as a source of income.

But North Somerset Council said this year, reduced prices and increased costs have hugely impacted this income stream.

Mickey Green, the council's director of environment, assets, and travel, said: "We are collecting more recycling but due to global […] pressures, it's all worth less."

Mr Green said that recycling still generates millions to offset waste services at the council, although less than last year.

The price of plastic in particular has dropped by half since last year, according to the Local Democracy Service.

A tonne of plastic that would have sold for £168 in 2024/25 is now only fetching £80. As a result, the council earned £260,000 less this year.

To help with recycling costs, a government spokesperson said £69bn had been available this year for councils to deliver public services, including a 6.4% increase in funding for North Somerset Council compared to 2024.

Despite this additional government support, more than 20 plastics facilities have shut down in the country in the past two years.

A report which went before the meeting of the North Somerset Council corporate, assets, transport, and environmental services scrutiny committee (CATE) said the market was starting to improve, but it could take more than a year.

The council is estimated to lose out on another £100,000 because the off-takers used to dispose of wood have relocated from Newport to Barry in Wales.

Steve Bridger, chair of the CATE committee, said it was "deeply depressing" that the money lost due to market fluctuations was more than the council was set to save from its planned cuts to library services, which are "highly likely" to close three local libraries.

North Somerset Council is currently facing a £25m black hole in its budget for the next financial year, largely driven by a rapidly increasing demand for and cost of social care.

The council's top finance officers have warned that the council will not be able to balance its budget without "exceptional financial support" from the government.