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% |