City's recycling rate falls to 14 per cent as bins strike takes toll

THE recycling rate in Birmingham has plummeted to below 15 per cent as the bins strike continues to take a toll on the city.

- ALEXANDER BROCK

‘Back the strike’ calls at the Birmingham bin workers protest

New council data has shown that just 14 per cent of all household rubbish in the city was being recycled between July and September this year.

This means that during this three month period, just 12,471 tonnes of household waste were recycled out of a total of 90,667 tonnes.

The council has a recycling rate target of 35 per cent which it was closer to in the first quarter of 2024/25 when it was hitting just below 30 per cent.

But the recycling rate has been falling since the start of the Birmingham bins strike, triggered by a dispute between the council and Unite the union.