Residents have been urged not to use new bins as “top ups” for their household recycling.
Richmondshire District Council says some of the bins are filling up faster than staff can empty them because people are using them for their household recycling waste, rather than leave it out for collection.
The bins have already proved contentious after residents in several Dales villages said they were unwanted and unnecessary.
In one case, a bin placed in Redmire has been taken away by council staff at the request of the local parish council.
Residents are now being asked to use the kerbside recycling scheme for their paper, cardboard, glass, cans and plastic, and if they have too much to take it to one of the recycling centres rather than depositing it in one of the new bins.
The bins – 32 of which are in place around the district – were installed in towns and villages last month as part of the national ‘litter binfrastructure’ initiative, a Government scheme to support projects that divert, reuse and better manage waste.
According to council officers, they have been placed in littering hotspots and in places where bins needed replacing so that visitors could recycle their waste in the district rather than throwing it into general litter bins.
Residents can use them for street litter and can also use the litter section for dog waste.
District council corporate director Colin Dales said: “We have been experiencing some instances of householders using these bins as top ups for their household recycling.
“Whilst we do not want to discourage anyone from recycling we would urge people not to fill these new bins with household recycling – please take that to our recycling sites or use the kerbside collection schemes.
“Please leave these new bins free for general street litter.
“At the moment some of the bins are filling up faster than we can empty them.
“Improving recycling provision is a key target for the council – and to be able to do this for our visitors and residents out in our communities is a great step forward.”
Last month, Richmondshire’s recycling record was described as “embarrassing” at a meeting to discuss how to improve rates.
Earlier this year a national league table compiled by letsrecycle.com saw Richmondshire given the lowly ranking of 232nd council in the country for recycling, with residents in the 2019/20 financial year sending 38.2 per cent of household waste for reuse, recycling or composting.
Recycling sites can be found in: Brompton on Swale, Richmond, Catterick Garrison, Colburn, Leyburn, Hawes, East Witton, Hunton, Newton le Willows, Askrigg, Reeth, Grinton Lodge, Keld, Langthwaite, Muker, Manfield, Moulton and Bainbridge.
