05 : 49 am |10th September 2010

News

ECT'S BARNET SERVICE TOPS RECYCLING TABLE

03/09/2003

Barnet is leading the way on recycling - topping a table of North London Boroughs when it comes to re-using rubbish.

Figures for 2002-2003 show that of the boroughs that make up the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) - Barnet, Hackney, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest - Barnet has collected the most rubbish to be sent for recycling - around 14,200 tonnes.

These efforts will reinforce the council's drive to create a cleaner, greener borough, as for each tonne of rubbish recycled Barnet will receive 'credits' worth £46 from the NLWA. This means a grand total of £653,769 can now be ploughed back into recycling initiatives.

But far from being complacent the council is already on course to better this performance. New figures show that of all the boroughs in the NLWA area, Barnet is the most likely to reach the recycling target - 18 per cent of all rubbish - set for it by the Government in 2003-2004.

The amount of waste recycled by residents has already increased to nearly 16 per cent, with 2,124 tonnes being sent for recycling in June this year compared with 922 tonnes in June 2001.

Cabinet Member for Environment Cllr Brian Coleman said: "It's very rewarding to know that the whole of the borough is pulling together to dramatically reduce the rubbish sent to landfill sites. We provide six easy to use services for residents to recycle their domestic waste and with your help can go on to reach new heights in recycling and create an even cleaner, greener Barnet."

Rhona Coulter, Recycling Operations Director of ECT Recycling, said: "These recycling results are fantastic and show just how much Barnet is committed to looking after the environment. The different services are so simple and efficient that many residents have added recycling to their weekly routine.

"However, we still have a way to go. Most people place just glass and paper in their recycling boxes, but you can also give us all of your cans and tins, textiles and shoes, engine oil, batteries, mobile phones and aluminium foil. So why not see how much you can fit in your recycling box every week!"

All Barnet's households can recycle from home with the council's easy-to-use weekly recycling service, which sees glass, paper, cans, tin foil, textiles, batteries, engine oil, mobile phones, shoes and yellow pages collected free of charge from residents' doorsteps by ECT Recycling.

Barnet Council and ECT have also introduced a flats' recycling service giving residents living in medium to high-rise flats the chance to recycle cans, glass and paper. The partnership runs the state-of-the-art Summers Lane Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre.

The Council is also rolling out its popular green waste collection service into more areas as part of its drive to increase the level of recycling in the borough. Over ten thousand households have already signed up to use free the scheme after it was piloted last September.

Barnet, and every other council in the country, has been set targets by the Government to increase recycling to 27% by April 2006. By using Barnet's recycling services on a regular basis residents can help raise recycling rates to over 40%.