Denbighshire Council refuse workers have been accused of throwing recyclable batteries into residents' hedges, in claims made during a recent local council meeting.
The allegations have sparked controversy in the Welsh town of Llangollen amid ongoing issues with the rollout of the council's new recycling scheme.
Independent councillor Karen Edwards reported receiving video footage of the incident, which is said to have occurred within the past fortnight.
The claims were made during discussions about the troubled implementation of Denbighshire's recycling programme - which has faced criticism for missed collections and other operational problems.
Denbighshire Council refuse workers have been accused of throwing recyclable batteries into residents' hedges, according to claims made during a recent council meeting (stock image)PACouncillor Edwards further alleged that video footage circulating on social media showed council operatives "co-mingling segregated waste while standing on the top of a cab roof throwing it into a caged vehicle".
She also reported other health and safety concerns, despite assurances from officers that extensive training had been undertaken.
The accusations come amid wider dissatisfaction with the council's waste management.
Residents have complained of missed collections, with some areas reportedly going without service for up to a fortnight.
The situation has led to public outcry, with many describing the new recycling system as a "shambles" and "a joke".
In response to the allegations, a Denbighshire Council spokeswoman stated: "We are aware of a video circulating on social media and are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter."
The council acknowledged that some properties, particularly those with repeated missed collections, were still receiving co-mingled collections.
They explained this was done using a cage vehicle, with waste kept separate where possible.
The council acknowledged that some properties, particularly those with repeated missed collections, were still receiving co-mingled collections (stock image)
PA"To clarify, co-mingled collections are kept separately from any food or residual waste and the material is sent for processing as recycling," the spokeswoman added.
The council expressed a desire to stop all co-mingled collections but admitted it was occasionally necessary to clear waste from streets.
Council leader Councillor Jason McLellan acknowledged the issues and offered an apology to the community. He said: "I've said before this happened on my watch. I'll take responsibility that this has happened."
McLellan also highlighted improvements, saying: "We've turned a corner. Things are getting better - 232 (missed collections) out of 46,000 (households) it's not acceptable for those 232; let's be clear on that, but that's the perspective."