COLCHESTER has been named the third best borough in the country for improving recycling rates.

Statistics released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs identify Colchester Council as the local authority with the third largest increase in household recycling rates in 2017-18.

During that year, Colchester achieved a recycling rate of 55 per cent, a nine per cent increase from the previous year and ten per cent above the official recycling rate for England in 2017.

In June 2017, the council made changes to its waste collections across the borough in order to boost recycling rates and reduce the amount of rubbish sent to landfill.

The changes included limiting the borough’s households to three black bags a fortnight or one wheelie bin for non-recyclable rubbish, with collections switching from a weekly to a two-weekly cycle.

Colchester Council was also highlighted in DEFRA’s report as being the best performer in the eastern region for reducing the amount of rubbish per person.

Martin Goss (Lib Dem), councillor responsible for waste, said: “I knew families who didn’t recycle before and now they love it.

“It’s like driving a car, when you first pass your test you are thinking lots about it but after a while it becomes an unconscious behaviour.

“People actually think the three black bag limit has helped mature that behaviour.”

Colchester is also the fifth best in England for residual waste per household, having risen from 58th place in 2016-17. It leaves Colchester in the top 15 local authorities with the lowest household waste per head that year.

Martin said: “It’s an outstanding jump, it means there is not so much waste going into the ground and that means residents’ council tax is not going into the ground. “

Introducing new recycling facilities and working to improve recycling rates supports the council’s Better Colchester campaign.

Recycling is due to be introduced to flats further afield this year, and Mr Goss is continuing to work with supermarkets like Iceland, which has pledged to get rid of plastic wrapping on their own products by 2020.

There has also been conversations about expanding the Shrub End Recycling Centre.

Martin said: “There are positive talks with Essex County Council about the reconfiguration of the site to move more traffic through, and increase capacity and alter opening hours.

“We are also looking at their plastic policy as only some types of plastic can be recycled there.”

As a more creative recycling initiative, Martin is in talks with Re-plastic, a Colchester-based group which takes plastic into schools to show children how it can be made into other household items.

Martin hopes schools will be able to create murals and artwork out of the recycled plastic to brighten up the town.