Devon County Council criticises new rules on sofas going to landfill

The city council has criticised new rules under which sofas, armchairs and some other furniture will not be accepted at many landfills.

New Environment Agency (EA) rules require upholstered furniture to be stored and transported separately from other non-recyclable waste – even if it is all burned in the same incinerator.

Devon County Council said the regulations mean 11 of Devon’s 19 recycling centres will no longer be able to accept soft furnishings due to lack of space, with the changes costing around £110,000 a year.

The EA stated that it is important to store upholstered furniture separately due to the presence of toxic chemicals in the form of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Roger Croad, executive cabinet member for waste and recycling at Devon County Council, said the legislation was “rubbish”.

He said: “I think we are going to see some chaos.

“I am completely confused by the logic of the Environmental Protection Agency.”

Mr Croad said that of Devon’s 19 recycling centres, only eight will be able to accept upholstered furniture from December.

He said there simply wasn’t enough space to build new warehouse space.

The EA regulations came into force in January 2023, but authorities have until December 1, 2024 to comply with them.

An EA spokesman said: “Segregating waste containing POP minimises contamination with other waste and makes these toxic chemicals easier to detect in the environment.”

The spokesman said “most” local authorities had already introduced segregated materials and expected Devon County Council to do the same.