North Wales: Conwy council threatens £100 fines for not recycling

A council in North Wales is threatening to give residents £100 fines for not recycling.

It's part of a new campaign launched by Conwy council focused on the "few" households that currently recycle very little or nothing at all.  

“The majority of residents do recycle their rubbish, but now it’s time that everyone takes part” said Councillor Geoff Stewart, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and the Environment.

He said not recycling means the council loses money it would otherwise get from selling the materials, such as cans, paper, card and plastic, which could be spent on "improving services in the county."

The authority said the cost to the Council of not recycling is both significant and avoidable.

Cllr Geoff Stewart continued: “We’ve made recycling easy. There are weekly collections from right outside the door for many items, including paper, card, cans, bottles, plastic pots tubs and trays, glass jars, aerosols, foil and food.

"It really doesn’t take much time or effort to sort your items into the correct bags, bins and boxes. For most people in Conwy it’s already part of their routine.”

The authority said it is offering a service whereby residents can ask for a member of the Council’s team to visit them in their home, to show them how to sort and recycle their rubbish.

Any households who ignore the support offered and continue to recycle very little or nothing at all, will be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

This means the resident must pay a fixed penalty of £100 or appear in court. 

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