Call to end York recycling ‘farce’ – and replace collection boxes with single wheelie bin
York’s recycling system is bad for residents, fills streets with rubbish, and is highly inefficient.
So says one councillor, who is calling for a complete change in the way waste is dealt with.
Cllr Mark Warters (Independent, Osbaldwick) wants to replace the current system of boxes with a single wheelie bin for recycling – which is “an ineffective farce”.
As things stand residents sort recyclables into three boxes – glass; plastic and cans; and paper – before putting them out for twice-monthly collections.
Rubbish in the streets
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The notable example I have always used has been neighbouring East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
There mixed recycling – plastics, paper, cardboard and glass are all put in the same receptacle by residents – a blue wheelie bin.
He said this was quicker and easier for residents – “quicker as rubbish does not have to be sorted, and easier because a number of boxes don’t have to be stored and carted about every fortnight – a big consideration for elderly residents but quicker and easier for the council collection teams”.
Instead Cllr Warters says residents have to sort recyclables “into a number of silly little boxes that have to be lifted out on bin day, boxes that frequently see lids and rubbish blowing through the streets in a windy bin day and when emptied are left strewn about the streets, with the empty boxes frequently blowing all over including being a hazard on the public highway”.
He points out that the East Riding council is top in the recycling league table for 2016-17 published by Let’s Recycle.
City of York Council, by contrast, comes in at 191st, with a recycling rate of 42.5%. See the full table below.
YorkMix has reached out to Cllr Andrew Waller for a comment, and will update this story if we receive one.
| Rank | Authority | % of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Riding of Yorkshire Council | 65.40% |
| 2 | Rochford District Council | 63.90% |
| 3 | South Oxfordshire District Council | 63.80% |
| 4 | West Oxfordshire District Council | 63.40% |
| 5 | Vale of White Horse District Council | 62.50% |
| 6 | Surrey Heath Borough Council | 62.30% |
| 7 | Three Rivers District Council | 61.90% |
| 8 | South Northamptonshire District Council | 61.40% |
| 9 | Trafford MBC | 61.30% |
| 10 | Stratford-on-Avon District Council | 61.30% |
| 11 | Derbyshire Dales District Council | 59.80% |
| 12 | Guildford Borough Council | 59.70% |
| 13 | Cotswold District Council | 59.60% |
| 14 | Woking Borough Council | 59.40% |
| 15 | Dorset Waste Partnership | 59.40% |
| 16 | Rutland County Council | 59.30% |
| 17 | Stockport MBC | 59.00% |
| 18 | North Hertfordshire District Council | 58.90% |
| 19 | Mole Valley District Council | 58.20% |
| 20 | Cheshire West and Chester | 58.00% |
| 21 | Maldon District Council | 58.00% |
| 22 | Epping Forest Borough Council | 57.70% |
| 23 | Oxfordshire County Council | 57.70% |
| 24 | Tandridge District Council | 57.70% |
| 25 | Surrey County Council | 57.70% |
| 26 | St Albans City and District Council | 57.50% |
| 27 | Staffordshire Moorlands District Council | 57.40% |
| 28 | Suffolk Coastal District Council | 57.40% |
| 29 | Cherwell District Council | 56.50% |
| 30 | North Somerset Council | 56.30% |
| 31 | Teignbridge District Council | 55.70% |
| 32 | Devon County Council | 55.70% |
| 33 | Buckinghamshire County Council | 55.40% |
| 34 | Cheshire East | 55.20% |
| 35 | Ashford Borough Council | 55.00% |
| 36 | Reigate and Banstead Borough Council | 55.00% |
| 37 | Elmbridge Borough Council | 55.00% |
| 38 | Shropshire | 54.80% |
| 39 | Warwick District Council | 54.70% |
| 40 | South Hams District Council | 54.70% |
| 41 | Warwickshire County Council | 54.40% |
| 42 | Warrington Borough Council | 54.30% |
| 43 | Bath and North East Somerset Council | 54.10% |
| 44 | Cambridgeshire County Council | 53.80% |
| 45 | West Devon Borough Council | 53.80% |
| 46 | Harborough District Council | 53.60% |
| 47 | Mid Devon District Council | 53.40% |
| 48 | Tewkesbury Borough Council | 53.30% |
| 49 | Welwyn Hatfield Council | 53.00% |
| 50 | Essex County Council | 52.90% |
| 51 | Tameside MBC | 52.80% |
| 52 | Bury MBC | 52.70% |
| 53 | Bexley LB | 52.70% |
| 54 | Somerset County Council | 52.70% |
| 55 | East Cambridgeshire District Council | 52.40% |
| 56 | Lichfield District Council | 52.30% |
| 57 | Hertfordshire County Council | 52.20% |
| 58 | Forest of Dean District Council | 52.20% |
| 59 | Gloucestershire County Council | 52.00% |
| 60 | Stafford Borough Council | 51.90% |
| 61 | South Staffordshire Council | 51.90% |
| 62 | Wealden District Council | 51.90% |
| 63 | Hambleton District Council | 51.80% |
| 64 | Daventry District Council | 51.80% |
| 65 | West Berkshire District Council | 51.80% |
| 66 | Uttlesford District Council | 51.50% |
| 67 | Wycombe District Council b | 51.30% |
| 68 | South Bucks District Council | 51.30% |
| 69 | Waverley Borough Council | 51.30% |
| 70 | East Hertfordshire District Council | 51.20% |
| 71 | Dacorum Borough Council | 51.10% |
| 72 | Broadland District Council | 50.90% |
| 73 | Huntingdonshire District Council | 50.80% |
| 74 | Ealing LB | 50.70% |
| 75 | Milton Keynes Council | 50.60% |
| 76 | Fylde Borough Council | 50.50% |
| 77 | West Somerset District Council | 50.50% |
| 78 | Rushcliffe Borough Council | 50.40% |
| 79 | Aylesbury Vale District Council | 50.30% |
| 80 | Northamptonshire County Council | 50.20% |
| 81 | Rugby Borough Council | 50.10% |
| 82 | Suffolk County Council | 50.10% |
| 83 | Maidstone Borough Council | 49.90% |
| 84 | Kettering Borough Council | 49.80% |
| 85 | Calderdale MBC | 49.70% |
| 86 | Leicestershire County Council | 49.70% |
| 87 | Braintree District Council | 49.70% |
| 88 | Kingston-upon-Hull City Council | 49.50% |
| 89 | Basildon District Council | 49.50% |
| 90 | Poole Borough Council | 49.50% |
| 91 | Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council | 49.40% |
| 92 | East Staffordshire Borough Council | 49.30% |
| 93 | Staffordshire County Council | 49.20% |
| 94 | South Gloucestershire Council | 49.20% |
| 95 | Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | 49.10% |
| 96 | Oxford City Council | 49.00% |
| 97 | West Lindsey District Council | 48.90% |
| 98 | Castle Point Borough Council | 48.90% |
| 99 | Bournemouth Borough Council | 48.80% |
| 100 | Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council | 48.60% |
| 101 | Barnsley MBC | 48.50% |
| 102 | Charnwood Borough Council | 48.40% |
| 103 | Derbyshire County Council | 48.30% |
| 104 | Oadby and Wigston Borough Council | 48.30% |
| 105 | Rother District Council | 48.30% |
| 106 | Taunton Deane Borough Council | 48.30% |
| 107 | South Derbyshire District Council | 48.20% |
| 108 | High Peak Borough Council | 48.10% |
| 109 | Blaby District Council | 47.90% |
| 110 | North Lincolnshire Council | 47.80% |
| 111 | Melton Borough Council | 47.70% |
| 112 | Wakefield City MDC | 47.50% |
| 113 | South Ribble Borough Council | 47.40% |
| 114 | Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council | 47.40% |
| 115 | Cheltenham Borough Council | 47.30% |
| 116 | Rochdale MBC | 47.20% |
| 117 | Chorley Borough Council | 47.20% |
| 118 | West Lancashire Borough Council | 47.10% |
| 119 | Doncaster MBC | 47.00% |
| 120 | Chelmsford Borough Council | 47.00% |
| 121 | Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames | 47.00% |
| 122 | Bromley LB | 46.90% |
| 123 | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council | 46.80% |
| 124 | Sedgemoor District Council | 46.80% |
| 125 | Greater Manchester WDA (MBC) | 46.70% |
| 126 | North Yorkshire County Council | 46.70% |
| 127 | North West Leicestershire District Council | 46.70% |
| 128 | Lincolnshire County Council | 46.70% |
| 129 | Norfolk County Council | 46.70% |
| 130 | Isle of Wight Council | 46.50% |
| 131 | Ryedale District Council | 46.40% |
| 132 | North East Derbyshire District Council | 46.30% |
| 133 | Fenland District Council | 46.30% |
| 134 | Kent County Council | 46.30% |
| 135 | East Northamptonshire Council | 46.20% |
| 136 | North Warwickshire Borough Council | 46.20% |
| 137 | Central Bedfordshire | 46.20% |
| 138 | South Somerset District Council | 46.20% |
| 139 | North Kesteven District Council | 46.10% |
| 140 | Cambridge City and South Cambs Councils c | 46.10% |
| 141 | East Devon District Council | 46.10% |
| 142 | Chesterfield Borough Council | 46.00% |
| 143 | Southend-on-Sea Borough Council | 46.00% |
| 144 | Spelthorne Borough Council | 46.00% |
| 145 | Telford and Wrekin Council | 45.80% |
| 146 | Tamworth Borough Council | 45.80% |
| 147 | Colchester Borough Council | 45.80% |
| 148 | Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council | 45.70% |
| 149 | Lancashire County Council | 45.60% |
| 150 | Stroud District Council | 45.50% |
| 151 | East Lindsey District Council | 45.40% |
| 152 | Cannock Chase Council | 45.40% |
| 153 | Brentwood Borough Council | 45.20% |
| 154 | Salford City Council MBC | 44.90% |
| 155 | Wyre Borough Council | 44.90% |
| 156 | South Norfolk Council | 44.90% |
| 157 | Bromsgrove District Council | 44.70% |
| 158 | Dover District Council | 44.70% |
| 159 | Cumbria County Council | 44.50% |
| 160 | Horsham District Council | 44.50% |
| 161 | North Devon District Council | 44.50% |
| 162 | Bolton MBC | 44.40% |
| 163 | Canterbury City Council | 44.40% |
| 164 | West Sussex County Council | 44.30% |
| 165 | Nottinghamshire County Council | 44.20% |
| 166 | Wychavon District Council | 44.20% |
| 167 | Runnymede Borough Council | 44.10% |
| 168 | Harlow District Council | 43.90% |
| 169 | Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council | 43.80% |
| 170 | Mid Suffolk District Council | 43.80% |
| 171 | Wigan MBC | 43.70% |
| 172 | Halton Borough Council | 43.60% |
| 173 | East Sussex County Council | 43.60% |
| 174 | Hertsmere Borough Council | 43.40% |
| 175 | Hillingdon LB | 43.40% |
| 176 | Bristol City Council | 43.40% |
| 177 | Mendip District Council | 43.40% |
| 178 | St Edmundsbury Borough Council | 43.30% |
| 179 | South Kesteven District Council | 43.20% |
| 180 | Wiltshire | 43.10% |
| 181 | Eden District Council | 42.90% |
| 182 | Watford Borough Council | 42.90% |
| 183 | Medway Borough Council | 42.80% |
| 184 | Erewash Borough Council | 42.70% |
| 185 | Wellingborough Borough Council | 42.70% |
| 186 | Worcestershire County Council | 42.70% |
| 187 | Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council | 42.60% |
| 188 | Selby District Council | 42.60% |
| 189 | Craven District Council | 42.60% |
| 190 | Corby Borough Council | 42.60% |
| 191 | York City Council | 42.50% |
| 192 | Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council | 42.50% |
| 193 | Shepway District Council | 42.50% |
| 194 | South Lakeland District Council | 42.40% |
| 195 | Solihull MBC | 42.40% |
| 196 | Waveney District Council | 42.40% |
| 197 | Richmond upon Thames LB | 42.40% |
| 198 | Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Council MBC | 42.30% |
| 199 | Torridge District Council | 42.20% |
| 200 | Rotherham MBC | 42.10% |
| 201 | Bolsover District Council | 42.10% |
| 202 | Wolverhampton MBC | 42.00% |
| 203 | Peterborough City Council | 41.90% |
| 204 | North Norfolk District Council | 41.90% |
| 205 | Hampshire County Council | 41.60% |
| 206 | Swale Borough Council | 41.60% |
| 207 | Northampton Borough Council | 41.50% |
| 208 | Torbay Council | 41.50% |
| 209 | Richmondshire District Council | 41.30% |
| 210 | Walsall MBC | 41.30% |
| 211 | Herefordshire Council | 41.20% |
| 212 | Merseyside WDA (MBC) | 41.10% |
| 213 | Broxbourne Borough Council | 41.10% |
| 214 | Chichester District Council | 41.10% |
| 215 | Carlisle City Council | 41.00% |
| 216 | Ashfield District Council | 41.00% |
| 217 | Sandwell MBC | 41.00% |
| 218 | Leicester City Council | 40.70% |
| 219 | Bedford | 40.70% |
| 220 | Eastleigh Borough Council | 40.70% |
| 221 | Breckland Council | 40.30% |
| 222 | Bracknell Forest Borough Council | 40.10% |
| 223 | Ipswich Borough Council | 40.00% |
| 224 | Scarborough Borough Council | 39.90% |
| 225 | Broxtowe Borough Council | 39.90% |
| 226 | Stevenage Borough Council | 39.80% |
| 227 | Oldham MBC | 39.70% |
| 228 | Harrow LB | 39.70% |
| 229 | Gloucester City Council | 39.70% |
| 230 | Mid Sussex District Council | 39.60% |
| 231 | County Durham | 39.50% |
| 232 | West London Waste Authority | 39.10% |
| 233 | Lancaster City Council | 38.90% |
| 234 | St Helens MBC | 38.90% |
| 235 | Harrogate Borough Council | 38.90% |
| 236 | Wokingham Council | 38.90% |
| 237 | Arun District Council | 38.90% |
| 238 | Croydon LB | 38.60% |
| 239 | Swindon Borough Council | 38.40% |
| 240 | Norwich City Council | 38.30% |
| 241 | Hart District Council | 38.30% |
| 242 | Sevenoaks District Council | 38.30% |
| 243 | Allerdale Borough Council | 37.90% |
| 244 | Leeds City Council MBC | 37.90% |
| 245 | Sefton MBC | 37.80% |
| 246 | Northumberland | 37.70% |
| 247 | Malvern Hills District Council | 37.70% |
| 248 | Boston Borough Council | 37.60% |
| 249 | Forest Heath District Council | 37.50% |
| 250 | Darlington Borough Council | 37.40% |
| 251 | Barnet LB | 37.40% |
| 252 | Dudley MBC | 37.30% |
| 253 | Havering LB | 37.30% |
| 254 | Enfield LB | 37.20% |
| 255 | Thurrock Council | 37.10% |
| 256 | Eastbourne Borough Council | 37.10% |
| 257 | Ribble Valley Borough Council | 37.00% |
| 258 | Bradford City MDC (MBC) | 37.00% |
| 259 | Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council | 36.70% |
| 260 | Gedling Borough Council | 36.70% |
| 261 | Worcester City Council | 36.70% |
| 262 | Sutton LB | 36.50% |
| 263 | Brent LB | 36.40% |
| 264 | Lincoln City Council | 36.20% |
| 265 | Manchester City Council MBC | 36.00% |
| 266 | Wirral MBC | 35.90% |
| 267 | Haringey LB | 35.70% |
| 268 | Merton LB | 35.70% |
| 269 | Burnley Borough Council | 35.50% |
| 270 | Derby City Council | 35.30% |
| 271 | Worthing Borough Council | 35.30% |
| 272 | North Tyneside Council | 35.20% |
| 273 | Greenwich LB | 34.90% |
| 274 | Stoke-on-Trent City Council | 34.80% |
| 275 | South Tyneside MBC | 34.70% |
| 276 | Mansfield District Council | 34.60% |
| 277 | Cornwall | 34.60% |
| 278 | Rossendale Borough Council | 34.50% |
| 279 | Gravesham Borough Council | 34.50% |
| 280 | Waltham Forest LB | 34.40% |
| 281 | Gateshead MBC | 34.20% |
| 282 | Winchester City Council | 34.20% |
| 283 | Pendle Borough Council | 34.10% |
| 284 | Southwark LB | 34.00% |
| 285 | Luton Borough Council | 33.80% |
| 286 | East Hampshire District Council | 33.80% |
| 287 | Thanet District Council | 33.80% |
| 288 | Middlesbrough Borough Council | 33.70% |
| 289 | Blackpool Borough Council | 33.50% |
| 290 | Great Yarmouth Borough Council | 33.30% |
| 291 | Fareham Borough Council | 33.20% |
| 292 | Hartlepool Borough Council | 33.10% |
| 293 | Test Valley Borough Council | 33.00% |
| 294 | Hyndburn Borough Council | 32.90% |
| 295 | Knowsley MBC | 32.80% |
| 296 | Wyre Forest District Council | 32.80% |
| 297 | Adur District Council | 32.70% |
| 298 | Copeland Borough Council | 32.50% |
| 299 | Amber Valley Borough Council | 32.20% |
| 300 | North London Waste Authority | 32.20% |
| 301 | Reading Borough Council | 32.10% |
| 302 | Plymouth City Council | 32.00% |
| 303 | Newark and Sherwood District Council | 31.90% |
| 304 | Islington LB | 31.60% |
| 305 | Exeter City Council | 31.60% |
| 306 | Preston City Council | 31.40% |
| 307 | Redditch Borough Council | 31.00% |
| 308 | New Forest District Council | 31.00% |
| 309 | Hastings Borough Council | 30.30% |
| 310 | Kirklees MBC | 30.10% |
| 311 | Hounslow LB | 30.10% |
| 312 | Coventry City Council | 29.90% |
| 313 | Nottingham City Council | 29.80% |
| 314 | Sheffield City Council | 29.60% |
| 315 | Havant Borough Council | 29.50% |
| 316 | Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council | 29.30% |
| 317 | North East Lincolnshire Council | 28.90% |
| 318 | Lambeth LB | 28.80% |
| 319 | City of London | 28.50% |
| 320 | South Holland District Council | 28.30% |
| 321 | Southampton City Council | 28.20% |
| 322 | Liverpool City Council | 28.10% |
| 323 | Tower Hamlets LB | 27.60% |
| 324 | Crawley Borough Council | 27.40% |
| 325 | Hackney LB | 27.00% |
| 326 | Brighton and Hove Council | 27.00% |
| 327 | Tendring District Council | 26.80% |
| 328 | Redbridge LB | 26.70% |
| 329 | Camden LB | 26.60% |
| 330 | Rushmoor Borough Council | 26.60% |
| 331 | Sunderland City Council | 26.50% |
| 332 | Slough Borough Council | 26.30% |
| 333 | Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council | 26.30% |
| 334 | Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council | 25.80% |
| 335 | East London Waste Authority | 25.80% |
| 336 | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea | 25.70% |
| 337 | Barking and Dagenham LB | 25.30% |
| 338 | Dartford Borough Council | 25.20% |
| 339 | Lewes District Council | 25.10% |
| 340 | Portsmouth City Council | 24.70% |
| 341 | Birmingham City Council | 24.40% |
| 342 | Western Riverside Waste Authority | 23.70% |
| 343 | Hammersmith and Fulham LB | 23.20% |
| 344 | Gosport Borough Council | 22.00% |
| 345 | Wandsworth LB | 21.90% |
| 346 | Bassetlaw District Council | 21.10% |
| 347 | Council of the Isles of Scilly | 19.50% |
| 348 | Lewisham LB | 17.70% |
| 349 | Westminster City Council | 17.40% |
| 350 | Newham LB | 14.10% |
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