Chichester District Council to give £246,500 of government funding to waste and recycling projects

The authority was allocated £2million of what is known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) money for 2025/26 and will now use part of that pot.

EPR is part of the Simpler Recycling legislation being rolled out across the country. Its aim is to make businesses more accountable for the packaging waste they create. A ‘polluter pays’ principle sees the companies taxed on what they produce, with the money given to the councils responsible for collecting, sorting, treating and recycling the waste.

Among the projects agreed during a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (June 10), was £45,000 to hire a recycling project officer and a temporary communication officer.

Another £40,000 will hire two part-time engagement officers, who will speak with residents and at events and parish council meetings in an effort to increase recycling rates. Another £45,000 will be spent improving the safety and efficiency of the council’s waste fleet.

Jonathan Brown, cabinet member for environmental strategy, told the meeting that the projects would show that the council was spending the money well. If it didn’t, the government could take it back.

He added: “These initiatives aren’t just about showing how we’re spending the money. They will allow us to pro-actively deliver improvements to our dry recycling rate, expand communication and engagement efforts with residents and businesses, and enhance operational safety.”

Household recycling rates in England have been around 44-45% since 2015, falling to 43% in 2023. The government’s target is 65% by 2035. In Chichester the rate is 47%.

Packaging waste is a significant problem, with about 5million tonnes of plastic packaging being disposed of by households nationwide. About 20% of that isn’t going in the correct bin, being dumped with the general waste instead.

In Chichester the figure is about 15% – lower than average but still too high.