LAST Thursday, May 16, I attended a briefing with several other councillors from in and around Mid Devon and some of the officers.

The briefing was at Mid Devon District Council’s Carlu Close, which is where the council carries out its recycling operations.

We were shown what happens to the waste as it comes in off the lorries, is put into separate bays and then baled so that it can be taken away by the companies that deal with the recycled waste.

All such waste is dealt with in this country!

All the waste and recycling properly collected can then be both sold on and helps reduce the District’s carbon footprint as well as the cost to the taxpayer.

We all had a shock when one of the officers opened up three randomly chosen black non-recyclable waste bags and tipped them out on the floor.

They contained bottles, tins, plastic items and a large cardboard box in which there was an amount of paper.

All these articles should not have been in that black bag but in recyclable boxes.

This selfish use of black bags means an extra cost to send them to landfill and the loss of income from the articles for which we could be paid to recycle.

We must all think about recycling.

Our first thought should be “does this belong in the recycling box?”

If it does then don't be lazy and put it in the black or green box.

Remember you are helping the council meet its net zero commitment and diverting the waste from black bins and into recycling containers.

Recycling is a win, win, so let's make sure that we all help our council to make money on recyclable waste and save on landfill costs.

Councillor Frank Letch MBE

Chairman of Mid Devon District Council