Archived press release

South coast councils approve waste contract

12 March 2003

Friends of the Earth has reacted angrily today after Brighton and Hove City Council and East Sussex County Council approved a controversial new waste contract - despite the fact that a public inquiry into the councils' waste plan has yet to begin. The deeply unpopular contract is likely to include the building of at least one massive incinerator.

The controversial 25-year waste contract will only allow for around a third of the councils' municipal waste to be recycled. Friends of the Earth is objecting to the ?1 billion private finance initiative contract because:

The contract will be signed before a Public Inquiry into the Brighton and Hove/ East Sussex councils' waste plans has even started. The Inquiry is due to begin on 13 May. Over 13,000 local people objected to the councils' waste plan;
The contract was originally agreed under old PFI criteria. However, if the contract isn't signed by the end of the month it will have to be looked at again by the Government before it can be agreed. New PFI rules introduced in September 2000 places much greater emphasis on recycling;
This Friday (14 March), MPs are due to vote on a Private Members Bill - the Municipal Waste Recycling Bill, which has been introduced by Joan Ruddock MP. If passed, the Bill would require 50 per cent of our waste to be recycled by 2010.
The Government's waste strategy has been reviewed by the Number 10 Strategy Unit. It has recommended that the Government significantly increase its recycling target (currently 30 per cent by 2010). The Government response is expected early next month.

Friends of the Earth's south east waste campaigner, Alison Walters, said

"We are extremely angry that Brighton and Hove and East Sussex councils have approved this deeply unpopular waste contract. It's outrageous that they have done this before the Public Inquiry has even started. Thousands of people objected to the Waste Plan, but the Councils just haven't listened. We should be recycling our waste, not incinerating it."

For further information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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Archived press release

South coast councils approve waste contract

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