More funding is required to ensure the UK meets its 50% recycling target, according to LARAC.
The local authority representative body warned that the rise of just 0.2% in the English recycling rate last year, shows that local authority services are struggling to expand further in the face of ongoing budget cuts.
It said that unless support from Government and industry flows into local authorities, then the UK will miss the 50% target and be at risk of incurring fines from the EU.
But it also questioned whether it is right that the burden of meeting these targets is falling on the public purse when budgets have been drastically reduced, and funds from producer responsibility schemes do not appear to be making a difference.
LARAC chair Andrew Bird said: “Local authority officers continue to work hard to expand and implement new services and the increase in the rate shows they are still doing this.
“However, the increases are still small and show the pressure on council budgets is now having an effect.
“It looks increasingly likely that the public purse will struggle to deliver the 50% so it is time Government and producers stepped in to provide the funds that are needed for new services.”
LARAC noted that a large part of the success in Wales is due to the associated funding that has accompanied the policy to increase recycling.
It also said that talk of consistency in recycling rates and mandated food collections will not necessarily lead to higher recycling rates.
