THE new chair of Thurrock Council’s Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee went to Rainham last week to take a closer look at how the borough’s recycling is handled.

Councillor Pauline Tolson, joined by fellow committee members councillors John Cowell and Eddie Hardiman, visited the Veolia Environmental Services’ Materials Recovery Facility to find out what they do with the different materials residents put in their blue boxes.

Councillor Tolson said: “We were told that only a tenth of the materials from Thurrock should not have been placed in the boxes — Items such as bricks, nappies and the occasional training shoe and of course bottle tops, that’s not bad, but we should be doing better.

“Green sack material is turned into soil improver at this site as well and if we all recycle, reuse or compost more, residents can really influence the rate of recycling here in Thurrock.”