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- Herefordshire hits its recycling target early
Herefordshire hits its recycling target early
- By Chief Editor
- Published 19 Dec 2008
- Herefordshire
- Unrated
Herefordshire Council has met its targets for recycling several months early. The council is now recycling or composting 34.2 per cent of domestic waste - the aim for the end of this financial year (31 March 2009) was to achieve 32 per cent.
The news was welcomed by cabinet member for environment Councillor John Jarvis: “I wish to thank residents for their great help and support in helping their council meet its targets and doing their bit to keep our beautiful county even greener. Recycling is now becoming part of everyday life for most people in Herefordshire.
“Recycling helps the council meet stiff government and European Union targets to reduce its reliance on disposing of waste through landfill sites. Failure to meet these targets means that the county could be hit by substantial government fines and penalties, so I would ask local people to please keep recycling - we hope to hit our target of 40 per cent recycling by the end of 2010”.
Severn Waste Services, which handles all the waste for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, has confirmed that it is not stockpiling recyclables. Unlike many local authorities across the country, Herefordshire Council’s contractors have longer-term contracts that ensure they process recyclable mater
ial.
The council will extend its kerbside recycling service to cover nearly every household in the county towards the end of 2009, an improvement from the current 72 per cent of homes.
Recycling will be collected every fortnight in a wheeled bin that will be provided free of charge to each household. Residents will be able to put plastic, cans, paper, cardboard and, for the first time, glass out for recycling, all in one bin. Glass makes up a significant percentage of recycling that is currently not included because it is not safe for collecting in plastic sacks.
Residents are to get a choice of size of wheeled bins if they let the council know their preference in January as the bins need to be ordered well in advance. The use of wheeled bins will also save Herefordshire the production of 2.25 million plastic bags every year.
Added Councillor Jarvis: “It is plain that people in Herefordshire want to recycle so by working with residents, and ensuring we make the service as simple, flexible and as accessible as possible, we should hit our targets
“In addition, Herefordshire Council has decided to maintain the weekly collection for non-recyclable household waste rather than go for a fortnightly service. We have also decided against national ideas about inserting microchips in wheelie bins to record how they are used”.
The news was welcomed by cabinet member for environment Councillor John Jarvis: “I wish to thank residents for their great help and support in helping their council meet its targets and doing their bit to keep our beautiful county even greener. Recycling is now becoming part of everyday life for most people in Herefordshire.
“Recycling helps the council meet stiff government and European Union targets to reduce its reliance on disposing of waste through landfill sites. Failure to meet these targets means that the county could be hit by substantial government fines and penalties, so I would ask local people to please keep recycling - we hope to hit our target of 40 per cent recycling by the end of 2010”.
Severn Waste Services, which handles all the waste for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, has confirmed that it is not stockpiling recyclables. Unlike many local authorities across the country, Herefordshire Council’s contractors have longer-term contracts that ensure they process recyclable mater
The council will extend its kerbside recycling service to cover nearly every household in the county towards the end of 2009, an improvement from the current 72 per cent of homes.
Recycling will be collected every fortnight in a wheeled bin that will be provided free of charge to each household. Residents will be able to put plastic, cans, paper, cardboard and, for the first time, glass out for recycling, all in one bin. Glass makes up a significant percentage of recycling that is currently not included because it is not safe for collecting in plastic sacks.
Residents are to get a choice of size of wheeled bins if they let the council know their preference in January as the bins need to be ordered well in advance. The use of wheeled bins will also save Herefordshire the production of 2.25 million plastic bags every year.
Added Councillor Jarvis: “It is plain that people in Herefordshire want to recycle so by working with residents, and ensuring we make the service as simple, flexible and as accessible as possible, we should hit our targets
“In addition, Herefordshire Council has decided to maintain the weekly collection for non-recyclable household waste rather than go for a fortnightly service. We have also decided against national ideas about inserting microchips in wheelie bins to record how they are used”.