Binning broken recycling box 'dreadful and ironic'

Harriet Jany was told to bin her broken recycling box as it cannot be recycled

A woman was told to dump her broken council recycling box because it "couldn't be recycled".

Harriet Jany, from Chippenham, requested a replacement kerbside container from Wiltshire Council when the lid on hers broke.

But she said she was "shocked" when the authority advised her to bin the old one with her normal household waste.

A trade body said the boxes were "easily recyclable". Wiltshire Council has been approached for comment.

Ms Jany said she contacted the council and was given a new box and lid.

'Dreadful and ironic'

But when she asked where to put the old box, Wiltshire Council told her to dump it in the main waste bin as it would not collect it to recycle.

"I was shocked by this answer," she said.

"Given the pressure to reduce plastic waste I thought this was dreadful and really ironic as it's a recycling box.

"I queried it but they remained consistent with their approach, that I had to put it in my bin or take it to the dump.

"It's a waste of taxpayers' money."

The Recycling Association said it would urge councils to "make sure they are getting value from this resource".

"There is a buoyant market for plastic recycling containers and these are easily recyclable," said Simon Ellin, the trade association's chief executive.

"And from an environmental point of view, we should always seek to recycle something that is easily recyclable, especially when it is associated with the recycling service."