Liverpool’s Low Recycling Rates Under Scrutiny

This week, Liam Robinson, the leader of Liverpool City Council, was the sole non-world leader invited to speak at the significant COP 24 climate conference. However, his address, which focused on the council’s innovative efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of city concerts, contrasted sharply with the city’s overall environmental performance. Liverpool currently holds England’s second-lowest recycling rate, with only 18% of household waste being reused, composted, or recycled last year, significantly below the national average of 42%. This raises questions about the reasons behind such poor performance and accountability. Alan Gibbons, a North Liverpool councillor, has labeled Liverpool’s recycling rate as “catastrophic” for both the environment and taxpayers. He reports frequent instances of residents discarding refuse in alleys and suggests that the prevalence of properties divided into flats with high tenant turnover contributes to the issue. Gibbons told the BBC, “A lot of landlords will do a flat clearance, dump it in the alleyway and expect some little oompa-loompa like me to come and shift it.” He added, “There is an excellent waste and recycling facility less than a mile away from here. ‘Get in your van’, that’s what I say.” Gibbons also noted that enforcement of penalties for fly-tipping and littering in the city has historically been inadequate. Laura Robertson-Collins, the council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods, concurred, stating that “terraced houses, flats and Housing in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) add to the complexities” in most urban areas. Nevertheless, Liverpool’s recycling performance is worse than all but one other local authority in England, Tower Hamlets in London. During 2021-22, the average Liverpool household generated 636kg of waste, compared to the national average of 501kg. A contributing factor to Liverpool’s challenge is the frequent incorrect disposal of non-recyclable items into recycling bins. The Department for Food, the Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) indicates that in densely populated urban environments like Liverpool, some residents may find it challenging or be disinclined to store waste designated for recycling. Some residents also report difficulties accessing their bins and a lack of storage space for recycling in smaller homes. Mary, a resident of Aigburth, recounted taking her bottles to a local bottle bank until it was removed. She explained that she does not use a blue bin at home due to insufficient storage space. “We live on an end terrace and we have to pull them through the alley gate, and it’s awkward for me,” she stated, suggesting that more communal facilities, such as bottle banks, would encourage her to recycle. The government defines household waste as “broader than waste from households,” encompassing street bins, street sweepings, drain emptying, parks and grounds waste, soil, and “compost-like output.” Defra, the government department responsible for publishing these statistics, highlighted that factors such as population density, housing types, and the volume of other organic or garden waste collected influence recycling rates. In a city like Liverpool, with its built-up areas and a higher proportion of flats, Defra noted that residents might encounter difficulties or reluctance in storing waste for recycling. Furthermore, households in terraced streets would naturally not produce garden waste for collection, which Defra stated would lower recycling rates for urban councils like Liverpool. For residents with gardens, the council implemented a charge for garden waste collection in 2022. Liverpool features a significant number of terraced streets where bins (purple for general waste; blue for recycling) are kept in shared alleyways. Liverpool City Council anticipates that bringing waste management operations “in-house” could be a method to enhance recycling rates. While some local authorities have been collecting food waste for several years, Liverpool currently does not. Consequently, food scraps or expired food must be placed in the purple general waste bin. Laura Robertson-Collins commented that “about a third of the waste in our purple bins should be able to be composted and not going to incinerators.” Food waste collections are scheduled to be introduced in the city in 2026 to comply with new legislation. A council report indicated: “If used correctly this service has the potential to recycle 28% of the contents of the average purple bin.” The report further explained that “Food waste is capable of being composted to produce green biogas to fuel homes and vehicles, replacing fossil fuel gas and organic fertilizer to replace chemicals used in farming.” A recent study revealed that 69% of households regularly participate in the city’s recycling service, yet 28% dispose of non-recyclable items into recycling bins. While some local authorities require residents to sort their recyclable waste into separate containers, in Liverpool, glass, cans, paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles are all placed in the same bin. A council report stated: “If the current blue recycling bin was used correctly, the city’s recycling rate could improve to 30%. “This may require raising awareness among Liverpool residents of their individual impact on recycling.” Additionally, residents currently place items in the blue bin that are not yet recyclable. The council has announced plans to expand the range of recyclable materials by April 2026 to include plastic pots, tubs and trays, plastic films, Tetra Pak, and aluminium foil and trays. Council officers have issued a warning that “without positive action the city’s annual expenditure on waste collection and disposal will continue to increase annually from the £43m currently spent.” Robertson-Collins expressed hope that “bringing staff back in house will enable them to work on a very local, neighbourhood level and help people in different types of housing.” In 2028, the new national Emissions Trading Scheme will take effect, which will effectively impose taxes on councils for fossil fuel-based materials incinerated that could have been reused or recycled. For council leader Robinson, improving recycling rates constitutes a “really important part in our road to net zero.” He stated, “We are looking at a huge range of projects, right from the low carbon gigs in Liverpool next month to how potentially in the years ahead we could have the Mersey tidal barrage with the ability to power over a million homes in the region with green energy,” adding, “All of these things are important for the future of the city and the planet.” For more content, listeners can access the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can also be submitted to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk or via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.