THERE has been a big increase in recycling across Tendring, it has been revealed.

Figures from Essex County Council show the overall recycling rate in Tendring increased from 27.4 per cent last year to 36.6 per cent in for 2019/20.

Tendring Council introduced a new collection system last year, which included wheelie bins and fortnighly black bag collections, but it only became fully operational halfway through the period.

For the months the new service was in place, the recycling rate was almost 40 per cent.

The improved recycling rates were helped by both a reduction in black bag waste and an increase in recycling.

Michael Talbot, cabinet member for environment, said: “We were confident that our new waste service would deliver improved recycling rates, and it is pleasing to see that the initial data has been borne out in the final figures.

“Thank you to our residents for their efforts to recycle more, and throw away less – which helps our environment as a whole.

“The initial figures for more recent months are also very promising, and so I am hopeful that this improvement is a trend which will continue going forward.”

The figures whole black bag waste dropped by one-fifth.

In 2018/19 each household on average threw away 512kg, but last year this dropped to 401kg.

Tendring as a whole produced 8,509 tonnes of general recycling in 2018/19, which increased last year to 9,198 tonnes – an increase equivalent to around ten African elephants.

However the biggest increase came in food and garden waste, which rose by 2,210 tonnes – or around 12 blue whales – going from 5,013 to 7,223 tonnes.