Clearer labelling on all products, increased charges for hard to recycle products and measures to force producers to pay the full cost of disposing of their waste are needed to help councils boost recycling rates and tackle a growing environmental crisis, the Local Government Association says today.
The LGA said councils have used successful initiatives to try and help increase recycling rates in their local areas, maintaining them at the current national rate of around 45 per cent in recent years, against a target of recycling at least 50 per cent of household waste by 2020.
It says recycling labels on packaging are often unclear and conflicting, resulting in many recyclables ending up in landfill and preventing manufacturers being able to use recyclable materials.
Research by one council alone shows that more than 40 per cent of household rubbish it sends to landfill could be recycled, but there are more than 20 different recycling labels in the UK that can appear on packaging. The LGA says that clearer labelling would make it easier for people to know what can be recycled and increase recycling rates.
The LGA is also calling for the next government to commit to measures to charge manufacturers more to cover the end of life costs to councils of packaging that is more difficult to recycle, which would encourage manufacturers to switch to recyclable alternatives.
The resulting revenue could be invested in waste collection and recycling services, and green initiatives such as recycling communication campaigns, greater enforcement of fly-tipping offences and more electric charging points.
Manufacturers also need to pay the full cost of recycling their packaging to incentivise them to use packaging that is fully and easily recyclable. The next government also needs to ensure councils are adequately funded so they can expand their services.
