Press release

Effective recycling doesn't need multiple waste bins

16 February 2011

Commenting on today's Taxpayers Alliance survey of the number of bins that each council asks residents to sort their rubbish into, Friends of the Earth's waste campaigner, Julian Kirby said:

"Recycling is hugely popular, with over 80 per cent of households satisfied with their waste and recycling service.

"While some people are frustrated by complicated sorting systems, the Taxpayers Alliance are missing the point - we don't need lots of bins to have a good recycling service.

"In the simplest, cheapest and most effective services the bin men sort recyclables from one or two bins into multi-compartment trucks so householders dont have to. 

"Burying and burning rubbish is hugely expensive and unpopular, costing councils cash that they then can't spend maintaining vital public services. 

"If the TPA really care about cutting taxes they should get their facts right on recycling, and join us in calling on the Government to halve the rubbish we have to throw away by 2020." 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.    TPA press release - Shocking disparity in number of bins: http://www.mailingm.co.uk/15/display.php?List=6&N=313

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust