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Vale of Glamorgan Council recycling collections shake-up criticised

Getty Images Plastic bottles on a conveyor beltGetty Images
Vale of Glamorgan residents now have to sort recyclables

Council changes to household recycling collections have been criticised by residents with waste not being picked up.

Vale of Glamorgan Council said it would no longer empty bags containing items that could "contaminate" recyclables.

Households have to sort recyclables into separate containers in Llantwit Major and surrounding areas.

Residents have taken to social media to vent their frustrations, with about 150 Facebook comments on one local page.

Households are expected to use new containers to separate card, paper, glass, cans and plastic.

Mingled recyclables will not be collected with stickers left on bags advising householders.

Resident Dee Hodgson-Downs claimed her recycling had not been collected for eight days with a sticker left on her bags telling her it needs to be sorted.

"They have not sent me any bags," she said. "And they expect me to go through the recycling and sort it. It has been in the rain for a week."

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Jennifer Edwards said her recycling had been sorted but had not been collected for five days.

"We are on board with recycling. They just haven't collected anything since Friday," the mother of three said.

South Wales Central AM Andrew RT Davies said he had received complaints from residents in Rhoose, Cowbridge, Sully and Llandough.

"Most people are broadly supportive of the principle of improving our recycling rates, but the farce we have encountered this week risks alienating people," he said.

The council said staff would continue to gather "missed" collections on Tuesday.

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What's being recycled?

  • Grey caddy for glass bottles and jars but not broken glass and glass panes
  • Blue bag for plastic, cans, empty aerosols and foil but not black or brown plastic and ready meal lids
  • White bag for paper like newspapers and magazines but not shredded paper or brown paper
  • Orange bag for cardboard
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Miles Punter, council director of environment and housing services, said the new service was the "most sustainable and appropriate way of moving towards a 'zero waste' position in years to come".

"However, to be effective, we have to be careful not to accept items that cannot be recycled as part of this process," he said.

"This means that for the first time we are rejecting recycling containers placed on the kerbside when they contain materials that we cannot recycle - materials that could cause the good material to be contaminated."

The changes are due to be rolled out to the rest of the council area from next spring.­