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Government backs recycling bill
10 June 2003
The Government has given its backing to a proposed new recycling law, being taken forward by Joan Ruddock MP. The move, which has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth (who drafted the original Bill), gives the Bill an excellent chance of becoming law.
MPs agreed amendments to the Municipal Waste Recycling Bill, tabled by Environment Minister Michael Meacher, at its Committee Stage today. The bill now requires at least two types of waste to be collected for recycling from every home in England [1].
Friends of the Earth Recycling Campaigner Anna Watson said:
"This Bill is an important step forward in ensuring that much more of our domestic waste is recycled. Congratulations must go to Joan Ruddock for steering this Bill through Parliament, MPs from all parties for their overwhelming support, and the Government for putting its weight behind it."
"This Bill must be the launch pad for raising our levels of recycling to match those achieved by many of our European neighbours. Local authorities should provide doorstep recycling for all recyclable waste, not just for the legal minimum of two. The more materials councils collect, the more we can recycle and the less we will rely on landfill and incinerators"
Joan Ruddock MP (Lewisham Deptford) said
"Today's Committee stage has been a breakthrough. At last the government has appreciated the overwhelming support for increasing household recycling services. It's been a tough negotiation and it will only become law if the all party support is delivered again at the final debate on 11th July 2003"
Note
1. Under exceptional circumstances councils will be able to avoid the new duty in cases where this would be unreasonably expensive (such as very isolated homes), or where other comparable ways of recycling are provided (for example - very local bottle banks).
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
