THE latest recycling league tables for Cornwall show the vast differences between how much rubbish is being recycled across the county, writes Richard Whitehouse, local democracy reporter.

The average rate of recycling for Cornwall as a whole has increased slightly since the last league tables were published in 2018, from 25% to 25.85%. The area with the lowest recycling remains Redruth North where just 14.59% of household waste is being recycled. However, that is an improvement on the previous year when it was just 13.8%.

At the other end of the table Feock and Playing Place remains top of the pile with a rate of 40.33% although this is actually a drop on previous years. In 2017/18 it was 40.78% and in 2016/17 it was 41.7%.

The figures have been revealed as Cornwall Council’s cabinet recently agreed to sign a new waste and recycling contract with Biffa. In drawing up the new contract the council had hoped to launch a new service where recycling and food waste would be collected weekly and black bag waste collected fortnightly in a bid to drive up recycling rates.

However budget constraints meant it has instead had to issue the contract with recycling and black bag waste both being collected fortnightly alongside the new weekly food waste collection service.

In the Post area, Bude comes out on top, coming in at number seven on the list with 32.75% compared to 33.4% the previous year. Following at number 14 is Altarnun at 32.04%, compared to 30.2%; Tintagel, number 15, at 31.26% compared to 29.3%.

Falling in the middle of the list are St Dominic, Harrowbarrow and Kelly Bray are at number 25 with 29.84%; St Issey and St Tudy are at 29 with 29.25%; Grenville and Stratton at 35 with 28.75%; Stoke Climsland at 38 with 28.57%; Poundstock at 46 with 27.68%; Callington at 52 with 27.2%; St Minver and St Endellion at 54 with 26.98%; St Teath and St Breward at 55 with 26.86%.

Coming in at the lower end of the list are Camelford at number 59 with 26.81%; Lanivet and Blisland at 71 with 25.16%; Launceston North and North Petherwin at 90 with 22.38%; Launceston Central at 93 with 22.06% and finally Launceston South at number 100 with 21.16%.