PEOPLE in Essex are producing more rubbish and recycling less, new figures reveal.
Although the 52 per cent of total household waste which is recycled is above the national average, it is slightly down on last year, Essex County Council has warned. But more worryingly, in the past year residents produced 320,455 tonnes of landfill waste, 14,702 more than the previous year.
Cllr Roger Walters, Essex County Council's cabinet member for waste and recycling, said: "Recycling rates in Essex and nationally are falling but it remains as important as ever to carry on recycling.
"Essex has a growing population. As landfill space reduces and cost for waste disposal increases, we all need to try and avoid waste, and to recycle and reuse so that money can be spent on delivering valued services rather than landfill tax.
"There is no excuse for not recycling in Essex as we make it easy for everyone to do so."
Braintree council statistics show that the amount of household waste sent to landfill has increased from 24,464 tonnes to 24,868 tonnes.
Chelmsford landfill waste has grown by 828 tonnes to 38,447 tonnes over the course of a year, and in Maldon by 713 tonnes to 12,212 tonnes.