Proposals to help increase the levels of reuse, recycling and composting to over 50 per cent and make York the ‘greenest’ city in the North have been given the go-ahead this week.

To support this ambition, the Executive Member for the Environment agreed at a Decision Session that the council should now explore a number of options through consultation.

These proposals could see investment in new collection vehicles, following some public concerns that recycling was being mixed in the back of trucks and going to landfill, new awareness campaigns and more help given for residents living in flats to recycle. There will be consultation on the transfer from black bags to wheeled bins in streets which have missed out on the switch in previous years – but any change would require the support of residents in a street by street ballot.

Ways to expand garden waste collections will also be explored, as well as reviewing how more materials could be re-used in order to reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

Recycling in York fell under the previous Labour Council from 46.5% in 2011/12 to 44.11% 2014/15.

The aim is to increase overall recycling levels by 5,000 tonnes to over 50 per cent, which as a result could save up to £500,000 in Landfill Tax.

Cllr Andrew Waller (pictured), Executive Member for the Environment, said: “If we are to achieve our ambitions to increase recycling and make York the greenest city in the North then we need to work hand-in-hand with local residents and communicate better with them. These proposals will include new collection vehicles and the ways and means to help residents living in flats to recycle more. Our long-term target is to boost the amount the city’s households recycle by 5,000 tonnes taking recycling rates to over 50 per cent which would save £500,000 in Landfill Tax.”

In July, Full Council approved an additional £30k per annum for two years to support this work. Proposals will now be taken forwards and a further update report will be brought back to Executive in the New Year.