A DROP in the price paid for cardboard to recycle to an “all-time low” will have an impact on the budget county councillors were told.

Cllr Tom Tudor raised the question of recycling prices and where it is being sent at services overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday (January 28) during discussions on the draft budget.

“Obviously it’s a major concern, whilst the residents of Pembrokeshire have embraced the recycling scheme very well I think, what exactly is getting recycled and if the price has dropped are we going to store it locally? There’s a lot of concern coming up about where it’s going,” said Cllr Tudor.

Head of environmental services Richard Brown said that the price paid for cardboard and paper was at a “30 year low” and the reduction in prices for wast was affecting the council.

He added that the authority had been selling its cardboard the lowered price as it could not be stored long term because it would decompose but in December “we couldn’t give it away.”

It was an issue across the industry the committee heard with Pembrokeshire seeing a drop from “£100 a tonne to basically sat on it,” said Mr Brown.

“Most of Pembrokeshire’s recycling is dealt with here in Wales and the wider UK,” said Mr Brown, adding he was not aware of recycling being sent from here to countries where it is then returned.

Cabinet member for finance Cllr Bob Kilmister said: “Giving the pressures outlined by Richard we got to consider how that will alter the draft budget we have.”

That will be brought to cabinet and then any further alterations then considered by full council.