Brighton and Hove’s recycling rates fall again

Recycling rates in Brighton and Hove have fallen again.

A report published today (Thursday 10 July) said that the “percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting” stood at 25.6 per cent.

A year ago the figure was 26.4 per cent. Brighton and Hove City Council is aiming for target of 32 per cent.

The figures, in the council’s Annual Performance Update 2013-14, will not have been helped by the binmen’s strike last year.

Labour called for a review of the communal recycling service, adding that in 2008-09 almost 30 per cent of household rubbish was recycled.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, who speaks on environment, transport and sustainability for Labour, said: “These latest figures, showing recycling rates have fallen by 16 per cent since the Greens took office, highlight their abject failure to deliver on what should be a basic issue for a Green administration.

“They have failed miserably in getting anywhere close to the 70 per cent they promised in their 2011 manifesto, with recycling rates now at their lowest level in nearly a decade.

“It’s becoming clear the communal recycling service rolled out by this administration simply isn’t working in many areas.

“In light of today’s dismal statistics, we are calling for an urgent review of communal recycling in the city to consider adapting the scheme to one better tailored to individual areas.”

The report, prepared for the council’s Policy and Resources Committee meeting next Friday (11 July), also showed a rise in the amount of rubbish thrown away by the average household.

It put the figure at 597.9kg – or, at 1,318lb, more than half a ton – for 2013-14 up from 593kg. The target is 596kg.

And more rubbish – 7.6 per cent – was sent to landfill in the past year, the report said, with the direction of travel worsening.