West Lindsey District Council criticised over recycling 'reminder' tags

West Lindsey District Council has issued tags on bins that have the incorrect waste inside

A new scheme aimed at helping people to sort their household waste correctly has been criticised on social media.

West Lindsey Council has begun placing tags on residents' bins when incorrect waste, such as non-recyclable material in the recycling bin, is found inside.

Some residents took to social media to say their bins were incorrectly tagged while others were unhappy the tags themselves were non-recyclable.

The council said the scheme was just intended as a "gentle reminder".

The advisory tags were introduced on 7 March and would continue being used until 15 April, the authority said.

Refuse collectors would start rejecting recycling bins containing contaminated waste from the start of May, it added.

A West Lindsey District Council spokesperson said the scheme was not aimed at "punishing" or "shaming" residents, and the hope was that it would increase recycling rates.

'Educate and engage'

However, after it was announced online, the scheme was branded a "joke" by one social media user, with another saying their bin had been incorrectly tagged.

One local resident commented on Facebook: "We got a tag for takeaway boxes. We haven't had a takeaway pizza for over a year."

Responding, a council spokesperson said its team was "trying really hard to let residents know what we have seen in the bins".

Anyone who disagreed with the tagging their bin had received could contact the authority for "clarification", they added.

"We are using the tags to educate and engage with the public to help them put the right thing in the right bin," the spokesperson said.

The tags were also criticised on social media for not being recyclable, despite highlighting which waste can and cannot be recycled.

One Facebook user, Pete, asked: "So you're promoting recycling by using non-recyclable tags?"

In a statement, the council said that as the tags needed to be waterproof, "the cost for making them out of recyclable material was just too high".

It added that the tags would eventually be converted into electricity at an energy-from-waste plant in North Hykeham.