People will soon be able to find out where their recycling ends up after it is put out for collection with the help of a new scheme launched today.

Developed by the Resource Association with the help of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), the End Destination of Recycling Charter aims to raise awareness and encourage the public to recycle more.

Environment Minister Lord Taylor welcomed the scheme: “Everyone knows that recycling their rubbish is the right thing to do but most people are completely unaware of what happens to their recycling after they put it out for collection. This new charter will hopefully provide an extra incentive for people to recycle more.”

This follows a recent survey by YouGov which showed Britons are keen to know what happens to the recycling they provide for council collection. The survey, commissioned by the Association, showed 68% wanted more information on what happens to recycled materials and 32% said they are more likely to recycle if they had this information.

Councils who sign up to the charter will need to provide the public with ‘comprehensive and accessible’ information including the materials collected and provide names and locations of the final recycling points, whether in the UK or abroad.

Joy Blizzard, Chair of LARAC said: “Greater transparency will boost the public’s trust in recycling, address some of the inaccurate perceptions about where recyclable materials end up and help local authorities to be confident in the service they provide.”