RECYCLING rates have increased in the Royal Borough following the switch to fortnightly waste collections for black bins.

The council has thanked residents for their efforts in supporting the revised collection regime, which launched in October last year, after figures showed they are choosing to dispose of less in their black waste bins and recycle more.

Recycling and food waste has remained as a weekly collection.

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The council said the recycling rate for 2021/22 was 55.7 per cent, compared to a rate of 51 per cent for the 2020/21 financial year, and 45 per cent in 2019/20.

There has also been a 18 per cent decrease in the amount of waste being disposed of in refuse bins, with 23,303 tonnes collected in 2021/22, compared to 28,497 the previous year.

Food waste recycling collected increased from 2,548 tonnes in 2020/21 to 4,664 tonnes in 2021/22, which is an increase of 83 per cent.

The amount of recycling collected has increased by two per cent since 2020/21, but increased by more than 13 per cent between 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Councillor David Coppinger, cabinet member for environmental services, said: “These figures are great news and justifies our decision to switch to fortnightly waste collections in October and I’d like to thank our residents for embracing this change.

“It is only through your efforts that we have achieved such an impressive set of figures just six months into the new regime.”

Cllr Coppinger said residents should keep up the good work.

“There is a great deal of support locally for reducing our impact on the climate and environment and the support from our residents for this revised regime really shows how much people want to play their part and help,” he added.

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“The figures show that food waste is being recycled instead of being put into black bins and the higher levels of recycling during the pandemic are being maintained even though restrictions have ended.

“It is important that we all do what we can to reduce the impact we have on the environment and slow climate change.”