TENDRING has the worst recycling rate in the East of England, it has been revealed.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has released figures showing the district’s recycling rate is just 27 per cent.

It is ranked just 22 places away from being the worst in England - out of 353 district councils.

But Tendring’s neighbouring districts had a substantially higher recycling rate with Colchester Council’s recycling 54.8 per cent of household waste. Rochford has the best rate in Essex, recycling 63 per cent of waste.

Green campaigner Chris Southall said Tendring Council should invest more money into recycling and residents should take glass bottles and drinks containers to recycling banks in supermarkets.

He said: “People could do more composting too with their own garden waste.”

A Tendring Council spokesman said it was worth noting the figures related to 2017/18. He said: “We are aware of our low recycling rate in comparison to the rest of the East of England, and that is why recycling was a focus of a councillor task and finish group last year.

“Our new waste service, currently being rolled out, encourages people to recycle more by reducing their reliance on their black bin rubbish.

“As a consequence we have seen a surge in people collecting recycling boxes from us.”