A row over the lack of recycling sacks in the district has led to fears fly-tipping could escalate.

People have been voicing their concerns this week as the number of clear plastic bags begins to run dry in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable.

A new cost-cutting system passed by the council last April – reducing what were quarterly deliveries to three times a year – has been blamed for the shortage.

Its introduction means households receive 17 fewer sacks – down to 51 from 68 – and extra rolls can no longer be picked up from outlets across the district.

People claim it has left them having to buy sacks from supermarkets to carry on recycling.

Paula Spencer is manager of Thanington Resource Centre, one of the outlets no longer able to supply sacks.

She said: “We get so many angry people coming in because they’ve run out, but we can’t help them any more.

“They say if they can’t put it in bags they’ll have to put it somewhere else. We’ve already had things dumped in our car park. Getting people to think of recycling was great, but now the whole thing has fallen down for the sake of a few plastic bags.”

The new system allows people to register for an extra roll of sacks per delivery, but many claim they have not been receiving them.

The row has spilled on to Twitter, with Canterbury’s Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins asking people to give their views.

Jules Serkin replied: “I asked for more sacks and was refused! CCC need to make up their mind whether to support us in recycling or not!”

Chris Niel added: “Run out of them and that is after formally applying for extra and buying four packs of Tesco recycling sacks as well.” Soon after, Nic Joss joked: “There is a growing black market in recycling sacks. Message single friends – they will sometimes trade to families.”

But Cllr Perkins says the issue is not a laughing matter, calling on the council to bring back the old system.

He said: “I can’t believe the number of people having problems with sacks. Two or three people have actually said they’ve stopped recycling because of it and others have been going out and buying their own sacks, which just isn’t on. They’ve already paid their rates.

“In a couple of months we’ll have more going to landfill and less to recycling, which is clearly not the aim.”

Council spokesman Rob Davies said the system was introduced because 45 per cent of sacks given out were not being used for recycling. He says it will save the council £100,000 per year.