PEOPLE are being reminded not to leave items of clothing outside recycling banks if they are full, as they will not get to where they are needed.

Dorset is a county of keen recyclers, amongst the best in the country for dealing with their waste responsibly by reducing, reusing and recycling, and there has been a surge in people donating goods after clearing out their wardrobes over the festive period.

Back in the summer, Dorset Council revealed that many people had taken the opportunity of lockdown to donate unwanted items to charity - but warned many had left them in bags outside closed recycling banks, which would be considered spoiled and therefore rubbish.

The authority has now reissued its plea for people to keep hold of their goods if recycling banks are full.

A spokesman said: "If you go to any recycling bank and it's full, do not leave items outside - they'll be spoiled and won't go to where they are needed.

"Keep hold of them for now, or take them to a household recycling centre. Thank you."

In the original appeal, Cllr Tony Alford, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for Customer, Community and Regulatory Services, said: “We appreciate the enthusiasm of Dorset residents to recycle clothing that they no longer need.

"But dumping it on the ground by the side of a recycling bank or outside a charity shop is fly-tipping and this clothing is more likely to end up being treated like household rubbish rather than be recycled.

"We ask everyone to be patient and to hold on to their clothing and other items until the containers are ready to be serviced again.”