‘Don’t bother mate, it all goes to landfill’: Hastings man’s recycling concerns

Michael Collinson, who cleans up discarded cans at the weekend, said he was informed that recycling bags are taken to landfill.

Mr Collinson said: “For some years I have been dutifully picking up the beer cans and plastic drinking vessels left in George Street every Friday and Saturday night.

“I add these to my own domestic waste and so offer two to three pink plastic bags every Monday morning for collection.

“But I wonder why I bother. Am I fooling myself by thinking I am doing my bit for the environment, and is all this pink bag ritual just ‘greenwashing’ by the council?

“For when you hand the bags to the collection guys, they just seem to throw it all in with all the black bags and unsorted refuse. Indeed, you often see the crusher at work, mangling it all up. Commenting on this, one worker said, ‘Don’t bother, mate! It all goes to landfill or incineration.’

“And Muriel Matters House [Hastings Borough Council HQ] could not enlighten me when I said collecting these recycling bags from you is probably a waste of time, since nothing appears to be recycled at all.”

Hastings Borough Council said recycling bags were not taken to landfill.

A spokesperson said: “The collection operative is incorrect in this case. Pink sacks are collected as part of the recycling scheme for weekly areas of Hastings. The only time when pink sacks would be collected as part of either the refuse or street cleansing service is if they are contaminated and the offending property cannot be identified.

“In this situation, the contaminated recycling is sent for Energy Recovery through the Veolia disposal contract managed by East Sussex County Council.

“If a customer suspects that the process isn’t being followed, we’d ask that they report the incident either through My Hastings, by emailing [email protected] or by phoning 01424 451077, making sure to give as much information as possible. Each report is investigated, and any inappropriate conduct is dealt with through the performance mechanisms of the contract, and disciplinary processes of the contractor.

“For more information on what happens to the rubbish and recycling that we collect, visit the East Sussex County Council website.”

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