PILES of plastic waste were brought to the steps of a council headquarters, as councillors and residents called for improved recycling.

The protest at Ryedale District Council’s headquarters in Malton was to urge the council to expand its recycling services to include a far wider range of recyclable plastics.

A group, including Liberal Democrat district councillors Di Keal and Elizabeth Shields and Independent councillor Lindsay Burr, along with residents, brought a collection of waste plastic to the council offices ahead of the authority’s full council meeting last week.

At the meeting, Cllr Keal attempted to table a motion calling for the council to expand its recycling service for the public.

But at the meeting, council members opted not to debate the motion and instead referred it back to committee stage.

As part of its doorstep collections, Ryedale District Council currently recycles glass bottles and jars, cans and tins, plastic bottles, cardboard and paper and garden waste. But it doesn’t recycle a range of other plastics, such as yoghurt pots, plastic food containers and plastic wrapping from food products.

Cllr Keal said: “We need to work hard to ensure that everything that is recyclable is recycled – for the benefit of residents, the environment and ultimately the planet on which we live.

“There is real commitment amongst the public to recycle as many waste items as possible and the council must respond to that demand.

“Supermarkets are slowly starting to take steps to reduce single use plastic and packaging – although there is still a very long way to go – and Ryedale District Council also needs to rise to this challenge.”