Archived press release

New law to boost england's rubbish league table position - doorstep recycling to become reality

14 October 2003

England's rubbish position near the bottom of the European recycling league is set to change today (Tues 14 Oct 2003) after a new law requiring councils to provide every home with a doorstep recycling collection passed its final Parliamentary hurdle in the House of Lords. The Bill, which now goes for Royal Assent, will help stave off the threat of dozens of new rubbish incinerators across England.

The Household Waste Recycling Bill, originally drafted by Friends of the Earth, was introduced to Parliament as a Private Members Bill by Joan Ruddock MP (Labour, Lewisham Deptford). The new law will mean that every home will have to be given a doorstep collection for at least two recyclable materials by 2010.

Friends of the Earth's Senior Waste Campaigner Claire Wilton said:

"The public has been crying out for an easy way to recycle for many years. Now every homein England will have its recycling collected - something Friends of the Earth has campaignedabout for over two years. We're delighted about this powerful new law which should lead to a dramatic increase in the UK's recycling rate, which is still one of the worst in Europe."

The new law will impact on almost all of the home towns of the Government's 14 Cabinet Ministers with constituencies in England, with only three of their local authorities already having sufficient doorstep recycling facilities. Although all the authorities have a doorstep collection, almost half (5) collect just one material, paper. This is typical of the country as a whole.

In contrast Daventry Council is the UK's top recycler and already collects 8 different materials from the doorstep of every one of its 30,000 households. Elsewhere over 40% of households don't get any recyclable materials collected from their doorstep.

Notes

Case Studies:

• Daventry Council is the UK's top recycler with a rate of 44%. The district collects 8 different materials from the doorstep of every one of its 30,000 households. In some areas over 70% of households take part in this excellent scheme. The council has been able to reduce its normal rubbish collection to just once a fortnight.

• In 2001-2, the London Borough of Hackney had the worst recycling rate in the country at just 1%. Since January this year, the council has introduced a 7-material doorstep recycling collection and a special recycling scheme for estates. Its recycling rate rocketed to 6% in just 6 months, proving that doorstep recycling makes a massive difference.

• Chichester. The District Council started a fortnightly trial collection of paper, plastic bottles and cans and reduced the rubbish collection to fortnightly however the council has decided not to extend the scheme. Local man John Auric is frustrated as his neighbours round the corner still have a doorstep collection and but John's has been cancelled.

• Brighton. The city has 3 schemes: a community collection, a waste paper collection & two council trial schemes. But none of these cover the street where Alison Walters lives. Without a car, it's hard for Alison to lug her recycling to the nearest bring-bank at the end of her street. The Household Waste Recycling Act will mean councils like Brighton have to roll out doorstep to every household, not just a few. Contact Alison Walters, Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth tel. 07779 634710.

• The London Borough of Bexley already recycles 20% of its waste through a doorstep collection and aims to reach 40% in another 1-2 years. The council is opposed to a new incinerator which the company RRL is trying to build in the borough. The proposal has recently been subject to a public inquiry. The incinerator would take up to 800,000 tonnes of waste each year from south and west London. It would put the brakes on recycling in neighbouring boroughs which are currently recycling much less than Bexley (e.g. Lambeth 8%, Wandsworth 8%).

• Today's announcement will complete The Household Waste Recycling Bill's Parliamentary passage, and it should receive Royal Assent within a week.

• The Welsh Assembly has the power to require similar schemes in Wales.

Friends of the Earth review of areas in England where Cabinet Ministers live.

• 14 cabinet members live in English collection authorities. Five of these collection authorities collect only 1 material (paper) though 2 of these are trialling more materials on a small scale. Only 3 collection authorities currently collect from 100% of households in their area.

• Only three of the 14 local authorities already have sufficient doorstep recycling facilities and would therefore be unaffected by the Bill.

• Derby, Oxford and Sedgefieldalready collect more than 2 materials from 100% of their households.

• The other 11 authorities would all have to make improvements to their recycling collections - either increasing the number of materials collected, or increasing the number of households collected from. Although all the authorities have a doorstep collection, almost half (6) collect just one material, paper. This is typical of the country as a whole.

• Brent collects the most materials (6) followed by Oxford (4). Derby is the best overall recycler at 12% but this is no higher than the England average.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust