Last week it was revealed that the household recycling rate for Brighton and Hove has fallen by 16% since the Green Party took office, to 25.6%.
The audit carried out by a Labour local candidate has revealed that most council-owned flats on the Hollingdean estate do not have the full recycling facilities equivalent to kerbside collection from houses.
Only 5 out of the 50 blocks had facilities for mixed and glass recycling next to each other which were clearly labelled.
Many recycling bins were for cans or paper, pre-dating the changes made in 2008 which removed the need to separate recycling except for glass. Some bins were not labelled at all, and some streets had can, paper and glass recycling in different parts of the street.
Where there were bins for cans and paper, there was no bin for plastic bottles.
Tracey Hill, a Labour candidate for Hollingdean and Stanmer, carried out the audit as part of the Hollingreen initiative to reduce waste and increase recycling in the Hollingdean area.
She said: “Local residents in flats have already highlighted the lack of recycling facilities and labelling, and in places there are plans to address this, but I had no idea that the number of blocks without the full facilities was so high.
“It seems unfair that council flat residents are still apparently being asked to separate all their recycling when people with kerbside collections only have to separate glass. Residents in flats may find it hard to find the space to keep cans and paper separate, and this must be putting some people off recycling – completely needlessly, because they don’t even have to be separated.
“Having to hunt around along the street for the right bin would definitely put people off recycling. Plastic bottles can only be thrown into the mixed bins, which some streets barely have at all, and some streets seemed to be very short of any kind of bin.
“There are all kinds of initiatives going on to try to turn around the declining recycling rates, but I would have thought that ensuring all residents have mixed and glass recycling bins clearly labelled and within easy reach would be the first thing that would be done.”
Labour councillor Jeane Lepper, said: “Many residents have been telling me that they would welcome better and more convenient recycling facilities in Hollingdean. At the moment the Council really does not make it easy for people who want to recycle.
“This survey really highlights the problem, especially for people living in flats.
“With recycling rates plummeting I hope the Council will now take notice and take action.”
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