MONMOUTHSHIRE Council could soon have no option but to change the way it collects recycled material.

The local authority’s co-mingled approach, where items are put into the same bag before being sorted later, could be scrapped by 2015 because a European directive is likely to change the way councils recycle.

Thecouncil’scabinet decided to change collections to the comingled sack, which replaced the kerbside dry recycling box, in 2007. Earlier this year statistics showed Monmouthshire was among the best recycling performers in Wales with a 52 per cent average rate from September 2010-11.

But nowthe council could be leftwithamajorheadacheif the recycling system changes once more.

Janet Rawlings, who helped set up MCR Ltd, which had a service level agreement with the council to carry out kerbside recycling, said: “Kerbside sorting would provide a cheaper service for taxpayers, employ more local people and provide higher-quality material for the reprocessing industry.”

A council spokesman said: “If the legal framework under which we operate changes then we would have to plan accordingly, but the current method has proved to be successful.”