Archived press release

Getting waste out of the bin: Friends of the Earth's new report

18 September 2008

Research examining the main components of residual waste - the waste left over after reuse, recycling and composting - has identified the measures needed at local authority, central Government and EU level to increase recycling.

The Friends of the Earth research, published today alongside a briefing for councils, recommends promoting Freecycle and social reuse of furniture, improving facilities for recycling DIY wastes and tightening the law to ensure that more packaging is recycled, amongst other suggestions.

Michael Warhurst, senior Resources & Waste Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

"Thousands of tonnes of valuable materials are squandered in landfill and incinerators ever year. This study shows that a range of simple steps - by councils and government - can help stop this waste."

"Councils can save money by creating effective recycling and reuse of furniture and DIY waste, while the Government must get plastic packaging out of the bin by increasing the legal recycling target for the packaging industry"

The research is the second stage of Friends of the Earth's residual waste project - the first of which revealed the materials contained within residual municipal waste.

Cutting residual waste reduces the need for facilities such as landfill, incinerators and mechanical biological treatment plants to process it. Higher levels of reuse, recycling and composting will reduce climate impacts and increase resource efficiency.

The 16-page briefing for councils also gives clear and practical advice on the best methods for ensuring the maximum extraction of recyclables from the remaining residual waste, as a final step to minimise climate impacts and maximise resource efficiency.

Notes

1. "Residual waste research Phase II - Policy measures", produced by EnviroCentre for Friends of the Earth
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/residual_waste_stagetwo.pdf

2. "Sorting Residual Waste: A guide for councils to save money and help the environment by cutting back on residual waste", available online: http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/residual_waste.pdf
Printed copies are available from Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_pagespace¬
=product_book_info&cPath=1&products_id=407

3. "Residual waste research" (Phase I), available online at http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/residual_waste.pdf

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust