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British councils have been criticised for shipping waste paper 13,655 miles to China to be recycled.

Every year 38,000 tonnes of paper collected from homes across Norfolk is sent to the Far East.

This is despite the fact that a centre with identical recycling facilities in Kings Lynn.

Norse Environmental Waste Services (NEWS), which handles Norfolk’s dry, mixed recycling, say the Chinese market pays more.

But Norwich Green Party councillor Denise Carlo accused them of “out-sourcing pollution”.

She added: “If people knew that the paper they are putting into recycling bins is going off to China they’d be horrified.

“It just shows you that the environmental impact of transport is not taken into account.

“It is pulling the wool over people’s eyes because people think they are doing their bit with recycling.”

(Image: Archant) (Image: Archant)

NEWS previously sent paper waste from its recycling centre in Costessey, Norwich, to a paper mill in North Wales.

But in 2015 the company closed one of its printing machines and Norfolk's councils began sending material to China, Vietnam and India instead.

NEWS’ director David Newell claimed he has tried to arrange a deal with Palm Paper, a recycling centre in nearby Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

But worries about paper being contaminated with glass and lower payments mean a deal was never struck.

Mr Newell said: “Because China consumes such a large body of material, financially, the deal we have on behalf of Norfolk councils is the best we will get at this point in time.

“From a logistics perspective, it would be fantastic [to recycle locally]…But in reality it is not going to happen.”

Mr Newell said that if the same waste was recycled locally residents may have to pay more council tax.

(Image: Archant) (Image: Archant)

A spokesman for Palm Paper, which already has contracts with other UK councils, say they are willing to take on Norfolk’s paper waste.

He added: “Palm would always look to work with NEWS and the Norfolk local authorities to provide an outlet for kerbside collected paper.”

Norfolk Waste Partnership, made up of the county’s seven councils, insisted waste was recycled in the most environmental and cost-effective way.

A spokesman said paper waste is loaded onto empty containers on ships delivering goods from China to lower the carbon footprint.

Cllr John Fisher, Chairman of the Norfolk Waste Partnership: “We’re proud that people of Norfolk are good recyclers, it is why Norfolk’s recycling rate of 45.8% is above the national average.

"Norfolk’s baled paper for recycling is loaded into empty containers on ships delivering goods from China to lower the carbon footprint.

"It goes without saying if Norfolk could recycle material closer to home that would be a good thing, but it has to be cost-effective. Norfolk isn’t unique in selling its paper and cardboard outside of the UK.”