Three local authorities in the North East are reconsidering how they collect paper refuse from households.
Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland City councils created a 20-year partnership in 2007 to jointly develop and deliver waste services to more than 625,000 people.
Research has recently revealed plummeting volumes of paper picked up from kerbsides in the region.
As a result the local authorities are looking at their options.
Sunderland City Council said in a statement: “Consumer behaviour has changed over recent years, with people using less paper in favour of digital or paperless solutions.
“This has resulted in a decline in the amount of higher quality paper waste being produced by residents.
“Collecting waste is essential but it is costly in the resources it requires and the potential impacts on the environment, so it is important to keep how we do this under review.
“The waste partnership is looking at alternative solutions for future collections to better suit our residents’ needs and ensure efficient use of resources.”
