Press Releases
Free sacks yield bumper harvest of green waste (PR 899)
The introduction of free pink sacks has sent recycling rates soaring with nearly 600% more green waste collected this December than last year.
Figures show that in December 2005 residents recycled 24 tonnes of green waste but this December that figure has leaped to 143 tonnes. This is the equivalent weight of approximately 17 double-decker buses.
Delighted Town Hall bosses have confirmed that the record rises coincide with the introduction of free pink sacks in October 2006.
Since going free, thousands of sacks have flown off shelves helping green-minded residents do their bit for the environment.
The decision to make garden sacks free was taken last July, when the new administration invested an extra £2.8 million into environment services. Under the new service fortnightly household collections were also introduced throughout the year.
Council Leader Jason Stacey said: "We were confident that by making pink sacks free and increasing collections we would make garden recycling rates soar.
"I’d like to congratulate all those residents who think about the environment and have chosen to recycle. I hope that recycling more will be a New Year resolution every household will keep so we can protect the environment and avoid costly landfill fines.”
Later this year, the council will consider plans to add plastics to its kerbside recycling service.
The pink sacks are available from all local libraries, Ealing Council’s Customer Service Centre, at Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing Broadway. Alternatively, sacks may be ordered over the phone from ECT Recycling on 020 8813 3193/3194.
Residents will have their garden waste sacks collected every fortnight throughout the year on the same day of the week as their green box and food waste.
If garden waste is not recycled, and instead sent to landfill sites along with normal household rubbish, it rots without air and creates methane, which is one of the main greenhouse gases.
Residents are also reminded that during January they can recycle real Christmas trees at 18 different parks and open spaces around the borough as well as at the three re-use and recycling centres.