Council is sending its waste paper all the way to China to be recycled - despite a similar facility just 41 miles away


A British council has been criticised for shipping waste paper 13,655 miles to China to be recycled .
Every year 38,000 tonnes of paper collected from homes in Norwich is sent to the Far East.
This is despite the fact that a centre with identical recycling facilities is just 41 miles away.
Norse Environmental Waste Services (NEWS), which handles Norfolk’s dry, mixed recycling, say the Chinese market pays more.
But Norwich Green Party councillor Denise Carlo accused them of “out-sourcing pollution”.
Norse Environmental Waste Services (NEWS), which handles Norfolk's dry recycling, ships it to China
But NEWS have defended the move because the Chinese market pays more 
She added: “If people knew that the paper they are putting into recycling bins is going off to Chinathey’d be horrified.
“It just shows you that the environmental impact of transport is not taken into account.
“It is pulling the wool over people’s eyes because people think they are doing their bit with recycling.”
NEWS previously sent paper waste from its recycling centre in Costessey, Norwich, to a paper mill in North Wales.
But in 2015 the company closed one of its printing machines and Norfolk County Council began sending material to China, Vietnam and India instead.
NEWS’ director David Newell claimed he has tried to arrange a deal with Palm Paper, a recycling centre in nearby Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
But worries about paper being contaminated with glass and lower payments mean a deal was never struck.
There is a similar recycling facility just 41 miles away in Wales 
NEWS claimed theytried to arrange a deal with Palm Paper before deciding to send to China 
Mr Newell said: “Because China consumes such a large body of material, financially, the deal we have on behalf of Norfolk councils is the best we will get at this point in time.
“From a logistics perspective, it would be fantastic [to recycle locally]…But in reality it is not going to happen.”
Mr Newell said that if the same waste was recycled locally residents may have to pay more council tax.
A spokesman for Palm Paper, which already has contracts with other UK councils, say they are willing to take on Norfolk’s paper waste.
He added: “Palm would always look to work with NEWS and the Norfolk local authorities to provide an outlet for kerbside collected paper.”
Norfolk Waste Partnership, made up of the county’s seven councils, insisted waste was recycled in the most environmental and cost-effective way.
A spokesman said paper waste is loaded onto empty containers on ships delivering goods from China to lower the carbon footprint.

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