South Kesteven: Council criticised over 'petty' recycling tags

The authority has begun tagging residents' bins when incorrect waste is inside

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

South Kesteven District Council is introducing new purple-lidded bins for paper and card to keep it separate from other household recycling.

The authority has begun placing tags on residents' bins when the wrong waste has been found inside.

Some householders who found their bins tagged said it made them want to abandon recycling altogether.

'Petty and ridiculous'

Officials said householders had previously put waste paper and card in a silver recycling bin, which meant it was often mixed with other materials, making it almost impossible to recycle efficiently.

The new scheme would allow paper and card to be kept clean, dry and separate from other recycling so it can be taken directly to a dedicated paper mill for recycling into paper-based products.

The council said it had also experienced issues with residents putting plastic bags, or bin liners, in the recycling bins, neither of which is permitted.

One disgruntled resident, posting in a local Facebook group, wrote: "I had a bin advisory for a piece of paper that should have been in the purple bin - it is petty and ridiculous."

Another person said they had received a warning tag after putting a plastic bag containing items for recycling in their bin.

"It's all going in the black bin from now on," someone else said.

In a joint statement, Patsy Ellis and Rhys Baker, the authority's cabinet members for waste, said: "We know that the majority of householders followed our advice to place their dry paper and card into the purple-lidded bin, and leave the rest of their clean, dry recycling loose in their silver bin."

However, they said: "Our crews will be leaving tags again this week to show where recycling can be improved.

"From 5 February we will be unable to take recycling bins containing the wrong items, as they will be rejected at the recycling centre.

"It's therefore very important to start getting it right as soon as possible," they said.

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