Low recycling rate may cost borough millions
A poor recycling rate could cost a borough millions unless "significant" improvements are made.
Sandwell will receive millions under a new government levy on packaging on the condition the authority runs an "efficient and effective collection and recycling service."
The council's director for place, Alan Lunt, said the £7.1m grant would "reduce significantly unless we significantly increase our performance".
The cost of having to get rid of non-recyclable waste is also set to rise and could end up costing the council a further £4.5m based on current recycling rates.
Sandwell ranks among the worst areas for recycling in England, with low levels of recycling and high levels of contamination where the wrong waste is put in the wrong bins.
Only 29% of the borough's rubbish is recycled, compared to 41% nationally, ranking Sandwell 309th out of England's 343 councils.
The authority was given more than £7m by government as part of the new extended producer responsibilities for packaging levy.
This forces businesses to pay a fee for disposing packaging they supply or import into the UK.
The move is aimed at shifting the cost to the polluter rather than council taxpayers, with money raised then distributed to councils to help run recycling services.
Four containers
Mr Lunt told a budget scrutiny board meeting on Thursday "we are very near the bottom of the national table and that is something that simply can't continue".
Cabinet member for the environment Keith Allcock said: "Natural human behaviour is that we don't like change but in this particular case I think we've got the opportunity to put in a top class service."
From April 2026, the requirement for most households and workplaces will be four containers separating waste between non-recyclable, food waste, paper and card, and a final bag for dry recyclables such as plastic, metal and glass.
The new bags for dry recycling will carry a one-off cost of £450,000, the council said.
It plans to change from weekly to fortnightly collections, which would save £2.6m this year and £4m in subsequent years, it said.
Most of the savings this year would be made by sacking about 35 staff and taking 13 bin lorries off the road.
The council has proposed a 6% increase in recycling rates, which it hopes would save £2m by reducing costs.
This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.
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