South Kesteven suspends rejection of contaminated bins

Residents have been asked to put their paper and cardboard in new bins separate from their other recycling

A council has suspended the rejection of contaminated recycling bins to allow the public more time to adjust to a new scheme.

South Kesteven District Council launched "a twin stream recycling system" earlier this month.

It meant residents were asked to put their paper and cardboard in new bins separate from their other recycling.

The pause comes after the authority reported some workers being verbally abused after bins were not emptied.

Verbal abuse 'unacceptable'

The authority's joint cabinet members for environment and waste, Rhys Baker and Patsy Ellis, said: "We don't want to leave any bins unemptied and recognise that householders may need more time to familiarise themselves with the new guidance.

"We will continue to work with them to help ensure the right thing goes in the right bin and that is why we have taken the temporary measure of suspending the rejection of contaminated bins."

They said the move would allow for "a period of calm", but added that any abuse of staff was "completely unacceptable".

According to the council, the new bin meant clean, dry paper and card could be taken directly to a dedicated paper mill for recycling into paper-based products.

A spokesperson said most people had embraced the changes, adding that the number of correctly presented bins at the start of this week was "in line with expectations".

The authority has also published guidance on its website.