The kerbside recycling collection scheme in Port St Mary has been pulled with immediate effect.

The authority made the decision with regret, but said it is in response to ’an unforeseen rise in contractor’s costs and the global economic decrease in the value of recyclates’.

The scheme began in October 2016 and waste was initially collected by Douglas Corporation and by Middle Park from October 2017.

Deputy clerk Hayley Fargher said: ’We appreciate some residents will be disappointed. There are currently three bring-bank collection points around the village, and the Southern Recycling Centre is also available for use. The bring- banks are currently under review by the commissioners to see if improved facilities can be provided.’

Residents can keep their recycling boxes or return them to the town hall or the commissioners’ workshop in Athol Place.

The news sparked a lively debate on Facebook. Several people said cost was the wrong reason to stop such a environmentally important scheme.

Another questioned what happened to items placed in the bring banks if there is no market for recyclates at the moment, adding: ’It always struck me as a bit odd to use finite fossil fuels to carry pretty well worthless junk.’

Commissioner Michelle Haywood explained the amount recycled - at 13% - wasn’t high enough; in an ’ideal world’ it would have been 50% and the standard bin round and recyclates would be collected fortnightly.

She said glass is recycled on-island and used to make eco-sand, but there is a charge for processing. Metals are shipped for processing. Plastic is bailed and shipped but where it ends up varied depends on market economics.

’With China refusing to take any more plastic waste, the market in the UK has collapsed and there are large stockpiles of plastic that no-one knows what to do with,’ she said.

’Many jurisdictions are now burning plastic waste to generate energy and reducing fossil fuel use.’