Cotswolds residents' cardboard recycling is sent to Malaysia 6600 miles away sparking environmental concerns

Cardboard recycled in the Cotswolds is being sent to Malaysia sparking concerns over the carbon footprint of sending the material more than 6,600 miles away. Cotswold District Council says it is steadfast in its commitment to addressing the climate emergency and achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

But opposition Conservative councillors fear they may be doing more harm than good by sending the cardboard that residents recycle halfway across the world. Paper and cardboard collected in the district is first processed at JM Freeths, Thamesdown recycling depot at Cricklade.

The paper is then transported to Palm Paper in Norfolk where it is then processed. But cardboard is sent on to Muda Paper Mills in Malaysia to be made into new products such as cardboard packaging and other paper products, according to the council's website.

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Councillor Jeremy Theyer (C, Sandywell), who asked about the issue at full council yesterday (November 27), said he wanted to make sure the council was being responsible and keeping tabs on where the recycling is sent.

“The Lib Dems like to quote that they are green to the core and really happy with the figures that come back from the Government which shows how keen we are to recycle. But the more digging you do, the worse it looks.”

Speaking at the meeting he said could not believe that sending the cardboard to Malasya was “very environmentally friendly”. “Why are we deciding to do this when recycling processing can be carried out in the UK," he asked.

Environment and Tristan Wilkinson cabinet member Tristan Wilkinson (LD, Lechlade, Kempsford and Fairford South) said there is a long and complex supply chain when dealing with recycling. “Our responsibility is to collect it at the kerbside and then we take that to Thamesdown where there is a commercial agreement in place,” he said.

“What happens thereafter is kind of down to market forces, unfortunately. There is a commercial value to cardboard.

“We hold our contractors accountable. We don’t just [say] ‘here you are this is your responsibility’. What they do with it and provision with it is up to them.

“But we have a contract with them and the provisions of that contract are down to us to determine. Long story short. It goes to Thamesdown but how it gets disposed of after that is down to those contractors.”

Cllr David Cunningham (C, Fosseridge) said the council’s waste should be deemed as an “exocet” anti-ship missile.

"We don’t just fire and forget it, do we? We should care what Thamesdown does with it. We should care if they are shipping it halfway across the world.

“If we have the ability to put some provision on how much carbon it does for them to sell it. It’s probably in our best interest as a ‘green to the core’ council to say something about this.”

Council leader Joe Harris (LD, St Michael’s) interjected and suggested he bring forward a motion to the council

He said: “What is this? “If you want, bring a motion.”