Council welcomes recycling bin petition but highlights the problem of waste contamination

The petition was submitted to the Council’s Environment and Neighbourhood Committee and is signed by 159 people.

The Council’s ambitious Environment Strategy, which was adopted in March 2019, includes a commitment to increasing reuse and recycling by making ‘on the go’ recycling easier. Street recycling bins are already in place at Sutton Station, at the north end of Sutton High Street and on Central Road in Worcester Park. However, waste contamination is often an issue: this is where rubbish is placed in the recycling bin.

The Committee recommended that recycling bins be introduced in Sutton Town Centre, for a trial period of six months, from April 2020. A new waste minimisation strategy, on the agenda for December's Environment and Neighbourhood Committee meeting, will consider the overall approach to reducing waste. Committee also highlighted the impact of waste contamination on recycling rates and agreed that the introduction of the bins should be accompanied by clear information about how to recycle.

During the trial, the recycling collected will be analysed to monitor contamination levels and overall increases in recycling as a result. 

Councillor Manuel Abellan, Chair of the Environment and Neighbourhood Committee, said:

“Increasing recycling is part of our Environment Strategy, so it’s great to see local residents taking the initiative and supporting our efforts in this way. 

Recycling and reusing things, rather than throwing them away, will help to minimise the amount of waste we produce, and ultimately help Sutton to reduce the amount of carbon generated across the borough. This is just one of the many ways in which local residents and businesses can help to make Sutton the most sustainable borough in London by 2025.”