Debate Emerges Over Cotswold Council’s Cardboard Recycling Sent to Malaysia

The transportation of recycled cardboard over 6,600 miles to Malaysia has generated apprehension regarding the carbon footprint of a local authority. Conservative councillors, in opposition, raised inquiries about the environmental sustainability of Cotswold District Council dispatching recycling to such a distant location. The council affirmed its unwavering dedication to tackling the climate emergency and reaching net-zero carbon emissions. According to Cabinet member Tristan Wilkinson, the council maintains a commercial arrangement with its contractor, Thamesdown Recycling, and the ultimate destination of the recycled materials “is kind of down to market forces, unfortunately.” Materials, specifically paper and cardboard, gathered by the council undergo initial processing at JM Freeths, which is Thamesdown’s recycling depot situated in Cricklade. Subsequently, paper is processed by Palm Paper in Norfolk, whereas cardboard is dispatched to Muda Paper Mills in Malaysia for conversion into new items, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Conservative councillor Jeremy Theyer commented: “The more digging you do, the worse it looks.” During a meeting held on Wednesday, he expressed disbelief that transporting cardboard to Malaysia could be considered “environmentally friendly” when domestic processing options were available in the UK. Mr. Wilkinson explained that the recycling process involves an extensive and intricate supply chain. He stated: “Our responsibility is to collect it at the kerbside and then we take that to Thamesdown where there is a commercial agreement in place,” adding: “What happens thereafter is kind of down to market forces, unfortunately. There is a commercial value to cardboard.” Conservative councillor David Cunningham likened the council’s waste to an “Exocet” anti-ship missile. He remarked: “We don’t just fire and forget it, do we? We should care what Thamesdown does with it.” For updates, follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.