Jonathan Clarke, UK country manager for TITECH, argues why co-mingling of waste needn't be a dirty word…

It's not often a celebrity steps in to voice an opinion on recycling and waste. Let's face it it's not a sexy topic and your local Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) isn't exactly the red carpet.

But, earlier this year a UK TV personality, based in Cornwall,  had plenty to say in the national media about the number of household recycling bins he was required to use and how they were a blight on the landscape.   Whilst I don't agree with the aesthetics argument, it does raise some interesting issues about how diversely waste is dealt with across the UK.

In this instance, Cornish residents are expected to sort waste into seven containers, in other areas of the country it can be as little as two or as many as nine. And that's a big part of the problem.

Collection policy is decided at a council level and, with more than 200 of those, the approach is anything but consistent - from the public's perspective a house move five minutes down the road can result in a completely different kerbside collection.

So why can't we simplify? One container for mixed recyclates, one for non recyclable waste. Or, dare it be said - just the one container - for everything.

Let's take the pressure of the households and leave the sorting to the experts - the recycling facilities. Unfortunately the very thought of co-mingled waste brings some recycling proponents out in a rash. But it needn't be a dirty word.

The criticisms that were, and still are, levied at this sort of waste simply aren't relevant and are starting to get tired. The quality of recyclate needn't be poorer. The cost of sorting shouldn't be more expensive.

Technological advances

The industry has changed so dramatically in the last ten years that we need to really examine whether there is still a role for the consumer led sorting that is starting to dominate collections. 

I struggle to see why in the UK we seem intent on making life difficult for those in the recycling industry. It seems as if we are caught up in 'looking' as if we are doing the right thing rather than implementing an approach that actually works.

We know that household led sorting isn't perfect and, quite frankly, we shouldn't expect it to be. As a result, all waste needs further sorting at the MRF. So why not remove this household step altogether and leave it to the MRF.

The planners of the facility know what type of waste to expect and can put the technology in place to turn the sow's ear of co-mingled waste into a silk purse - high quality, valuable recyclate.

Using the advanced technology now available MRFs are able to sort so much more effectively than the human eye ever could, meaning waste can be processed quickly and accurately.  It seems strange that in a world dominated by technology designed to make our life easier we don't make the most of it in this setting.

So, let's start cleaning up the image of co-mingled waste and set the waste and recycling sector on the right footing for dealing with household waste.

Jonathan Clarke is UK country manager for TITECH.

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