Recycling farce ensues as councils refuse to accept shredded paper

13 April 2012

Thousands of householders have been caught up in a council farce after it emerged that they are not allowed to recycle shredded paper.

In a classic Catch 22 situation, homeowners are being forced to choose between being green - or protecting their personal security.

They are not allowed to do both thanks to councils across the UK who refuse to recycle paper that has been shredded to prevent identity fraud.

They say the strips of paper mess up lorries and clog up recycling machines.

But critics of the policy say home-owners should be able to look after their privacy at the same time as caring for the planet.

And there were fears that the confusion could dissuade householders from recycling at all, as councils introduce fines for those who fall foul of complicated rules.

Publicity about identity theft has prompted huge demand for domestic shredders, and last year Tesco was selling 10,000 a month.

But councils in counties including Hampshire, Surrey, Northamptonshire and Devon refuse to collect shredded paper during street collections. Some claim the shredding process shortens the fibres of the material, making it hard to be reformed.

And one home owner was told that shredded paper would not be collected because it made 'too much mess' in the collection lorries.

Mother-of-two Gil Wagner explained: "It is frustrating because we are told to shred everything to reduce the possibility of having our personal information stolen.

"We are told to recycle wherever possible but refuse collectors say they won't take it away. It's a bit confusing to know what to do."

Mrs Wagner, 52, a first aid trainer from Cheltenham, Glos., added: "People will be forced to choose between personal security and being environmentally friendly."

Rob Bell, assistant director for environmental maintenance at Cheltenham Borough Council, defended the policy, saying: "The recycling processors will not accept shredded paper as it tends to clog their machinery.

"In addition, shredded paper becomes windblown when hoisted into the collection vehicle and creates a litter problem in residential streets."

Some councils who refuse to collect shredded paper advise residents to add it to compost heaps or place it in bins designed to hold garden or kitchen waste.

But a spokesman for Friends of the Earth called for a nationwide policy.

He said: "We want people to recycle paper, but it is understandable also want to shred certain important documents.

"We need to have a situation across the UK whereby people are able to recycle their shredded paper."

And Neil Munroe, a spokesman for Equifax, who specialise in preventing corporate and personal identity theft, said: "It is frustrating that people cannot take precautions to protect their identities and recycle at the same time.

"Both are imperative in the world we live in - we need to protect ourselves from ID theft and we need to protect the planet."

Last month a householder was landed with a criminal record for putting a scrap of paper in a bin bag meant for bottles and cans.

Michael Reeves, 28, from Swansea, was fined £200 for disobeying rules about sorting his rubbish.

He had volunteered to take part in a recycling scheme, but a single piece of junk mail found its way into a bag designated for other rubbish, and when council workers found his name and address on it, they prosecuted.

Last week it emerged that householders who throw the wrong item in their recycling bin are being ordered to make a 'humiliating' phone call to a council hotline to receive a telling-off.

Recycling crews are examining every bin in Bournemouth to make sure residents are complying with the strict guidelines on what waste should be put in the green bin.

The Daily Mail also revealed that nearly 100 people a day are being fined under laws that punish householders for leaving wheelie bin lids open.

More than 33,000 were given on the spot penalties in the 12 months after the crackdown was launched.

Yet while such petty offenders are targeted, the figures for fines show that large-scale fly tippers are getting away scot-free.

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