Recycling rates over the festive period were ‘very encouraging’, North Somerset Council says.

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An extra 895 tonnes of recyclable rubbish was collected between December 17 and January 18, compared with the 2018 average.

And there was 158 tonnes more picked up than over the equivalent period in 2017.

The council says it meant the amount of ‘non-recyclable waste barely increased at all’.

Cllr Peter Bryant, the executive member for waste said: “Hats off to residents across North Somerset for their tremendous efforts to recycle as much of their waste as possible.

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“I am staggered by the shift in volumes from black bin waste to recycling and I applaud our residents for their efforts.

“North Somerset has a great track record of repeatedly achieving some of the highest recycling rates in the country and I am delighted that at a time of year when most households generate more waste than usual, our residents continue to do all they can to minimise the amount of waste which ends up in landfill.”