COUNCILS in the region have been accused of hypocrisy after spending more than £750,000 on encouraging residents to recycle – despite not recycling many materials in their own buildings.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that while local authorities in the region spent thousands of pounds in 2009-10 encouraging people to recycle, many do not recycle in schools and nursing homes.

Durham County Council spent £15,062 of its money and £240,810 of extra funding on the Love Food, Hate Waste and the Recycle Rewards for Schools campaigns.

However, the authority does not recycle any food waste from council establishments and there is no policy for recycling paper, plastic and metal.

Oliver Sherratt, Durham County Council head of Direct Services, said: “Although we do not have an official written policy specifically for recycling within council buildings, the need to reduce, reuse and recycle is part of our workplace culture.

“While we do make every effort to minimise the amount of food we throw away at council premises, we are not able to compost waste as this would need to be done at a processing plant and there are currently no facilities in operation within the area.”

Fiona McEvoy, from the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “It’s ridiculous that these councils have been plunging taxpayers’ money in to recycling schemes, and yet they aren’t even practising what they preach. If this spending isn’t just PR by another name and these authorities are truly serious about recycling, then they should lead by example.”

Of the 18 authorities which returned responses, only three composted food waste, six had no policy for recycling green waste, while three had no policy for recycling paper, metal and plastic.

Sunderland City Council spent £93,780, including £43,500 on recycling-based marketing and educational initiatives in 2009-10, yet does not have a programme in place to recycle materials in its buildings.

The authority said it hoped to have an Internal Waste Plan in place by next month.

Martin Bacon, from Teesdale Conservation Volunteers, said: “Each school or council building should be taking the initiative. It’s very easy to blame the council for things like this, but we have all got to take responsibility.

“There are a lot of hoops to jump through when it comes to recycling food waste, but a lot of the legislation can be avoided if you compost on site.”

Janet Gardener, from Woodland, Bishop Auckland, whose children attend a local primary school, said: “It’s a classic case of do as I say and not as I do.

“In schools, children need to be led by example, but they can smell hypocrisy a mile off.

How confusing must it be to be told to put things in different bins at home, but then at school it’s fine to shove everything in one bin and send it landfill.”

Tell us what you think about the recycling situation with councils.