Press Releases

Green minded Ealing residents go plastic-tastic! (PR 1115)

In the first five days since plastic recycling was introduced, green-minded Ealing residents have recycled the equivalent weight of 375,000 plastic bottles - more than one per resident living in the borough. 

If each bottle were laid end-to-end, a 70-mile plastic line would stretch from central Ealing to the white cliffs of Dover. 

Ealing’s bid to go greener by making recycling free and easy for all residents is starting to show impressive results. Last week the borough was named by Government department DEFRA, as the second most improving borough for recycling in the capital.

The Government figures show that in 2005/6 Ealing sent 19.3% of household waste for recycling and composting.   In 2006/07 this figure rose by 5.62% to 24.92%.  Ealing has now overtaken Brent, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth and Wandsworth in the amount it recycles.

Cabinet member for Environment and Street Services, Cllr Will Brooks, said: “Last year we leap-froged over six London boroughs to move up the capital’s recycling league table.  

“Thanks to our residents’ response to our new and improved recycling services we are moving quickly in the right direction and recycling more. 

“With a further £3.8 million invested in these services this year we have set an ambitious target to recycle 30% of the borough’s waste by Spring 2008. 

“There is a lot of talk in the media about things like pay as you throw and compulsory recycling, but here in Ealing we are showing that it is possible to improve recycling figures significantly simply by making it easy and free at the point of use.

“I’d like to thank our residents for their fantastic support and ask that people continue to support us as services bed-in.”

Residents in the borough now have three waste collections – one for refuse and two for recycling on the same day each week. 

As part of the introduction of a range of new services including a single collection day for all refuse and recycling, all plastic (with the exception of garden furniture, toys and electrical items) is now collected by Council contractor, ECT.

The popularity of the new services comes as no surprise after the Council’s major refuse and recycling consultation showed that 87% of residents wanted this service.

A fleet of 14 new custom designed vehicles costing £1.7 million have been bought by the Council to collect plastic and garden waste.

As plastic recycling is collected by a different truck to green box recycling, the Council is asking people to place it in a separate green box, or in plastic carrier bags. 

Residents are reminded that collections will be staggered throughout the day and are asked to leave their refuse and recycling at the front edge of their property by 7am.

Residents may order a second green box to store their plastics by calling 020 8825 6000.

Notes to editors
- Between 2005/06 and 2006/07 Ealing jumped six places in the table of London boroughs from 19th in 2005/06 to 13th in 2006/07. 
- The equivalent weight of 375,000 bottles is calculated by dividing the 15,000 kilos (15,000,000 grams) of plastic collected by a 40 gram bottle. 
- Improvements to refuse and recycling services are being made as part of the Council’s commitment to deliver cleaner streets.  The council’s other priorities are safer communities and value for money services.
- ECT - a leading social enterprise - has been engaged by the council to provide recycling, waste and streetcare services since 2005.