Press Releases
Recycling up by almost a third (PR 994)
Ealing Council has confirmed the borough’s recycling rates have dramatically jumped from 19 to 25% over the past year.
The official figures for 2006-07 show an increase of just under a third, smashing all previous records.
The rise is the largest in the Council’s history and coincides with the completion of the food waste roll out, the introduction of free pink sacks in October 2006 and cardboard collections in November 2006.
Council Leader Jason Stacey, said: “As we expected, when you make recycling as easy as possible and don’t charge people to recycle, they respond well.
“I’d like to thank all those residents who have contributed to this improvement.
“We have set a target to meet 30% recycling by next year, and as an aspiration we would like to hit 38% by 2010. It would be a real achievement to say that during the lifetime of this council, recycling rates had doubled. However, I would be the first to say that a lot of work is still required.
“I hope that these increases will show that if everyone does their bit it will make a difference. The results should encourage those who aren’t yet recycling to do so and everyone who is to do it even more.”
From 19 November, Ealing Council will make it even easier for residents to recycle by introducing same day collections for refuse and recycling. This will mean residents will only have to put out refuse and recycling on one day each week, giving people no excuse not to sort rubbish and recycle as they throw.
In addition the Council will also introduce plastic recycling from this date and has promised to collect everything with the exception of toys and garden furniture.
As well as helping to preserve the planet by sending less waste to landfill, boroughs that recycle more will be financially better off, as Cllr Stacey explains: “EU regulations could mean councils across the country facing millions of pounds in fines if they don’t reduce the amount going to landfill. If Ealing faced such fines there would be only two ways to pay them - cut services or increase council tax. Neither are particularly tempting options!”
Residents who would like to order green boxes or food bins should visit www.ealing.gov.uk/recycling or contact Ealing Customer Services on 020 8825 6000.