THE Maldon district has achieved the second biggest increase in recycling in the country, new figures reveal.

Maldon District Council and contractors Suez are celebrating the news that the latest recycling figures released by the Government (DEFRA) for 2016/17, has shown that Maldon has risen from 47 to 58 per cent from the previous year, an 11 per cent increase.

Out of the 350 councils in England there were only two that achieved a greater than 10 per increase in their recycling rate.

Maldon’s 58 per cent is the 20th highest in the country.

The figures relate to ten months of the year, due to the change to a new waste and recycling service which started in June 2016.

Mark Durham, Leader of Maldon District Council, said: “This would not have been possible without the co-operation of our residents, and our new partner Suez. “The change of service last year had been the biggest change that we have ever seen, but despite this, it has been embraced by our residents as these figures demonstrate.”

Nick Browning, Suez General Manager, said: “We are very pleased that the new service we put in place last year in partnership with Maldon Council has helped residents recycle more than ever.”