Date: 01 September 2006 08:59

CAMBRIDGESHIRE HALVES WASTE MOUNTAIN

For the first time in recorded history Cambridgeshire residents are 
recycling more of its rubbish than they are landfilling.

Waste chiefs are thanking residents for their efforts as Cambridgeshire 
reaches recycling records of 51%.

From April to June 2006, the enthusiasm of residents using the high quality 
recycling facilities provided by Cambridgeshire County, District and City 
Council has resulted for the first time in more waste being recycled than 
landfilled.

Cambridgeshire has seen recycling figures climb up year on year, 31% in 
2003, 37.8% in 2004 and 43.5%in 2005 - the average in England is 23%.

Redirecting rubbish away from landfill is important to protect the 
environment and avoid fines imposed by Government.

Cambridgeshire councils, which earlier this year were awarded Beacon council 
status for their excellence in waste management, are proving once again that 
partnership working, together with the community sector and public 
engagement is the way to beat the waste mountain.

Cambridgeshire County Council has been working closely with the District and 
City Councils in bringing innovative kerbside recycling facilities. Some 
Household Waste Recycling Centres across Cambridgeshire have also brought in 
new facilities such as recycling plastic bottles and plasterboard.

The Council and its partners have also launched this year a waste prevention 
campaign to reduce the amount of waste produced in the first place. This 
includes encouraging people to buy loose goods and reusable items.

Recycling has really got to the hearts and minds of people in some parts of 
the county, such as Huntingdonshire, where recycling rates have soared as 
high 55%.

108,477 tonnes of household waste has been produced in Cambridgeshire from 
April to June and 55,258 tonnes of that have been recycled.

Recycling is also taken seriously by Cambridgeshire County Council's own 
services such as the use of old tyres to make paths and recycled glass and 
re-used highway chipping in the creation of roads. Recycled paper is used as 
standard in all council offices and envelopes are reused for internal mail 
to help cut down on waste.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor John Reynolds, Cabinet Member for 
Environment and Community Services for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: 
"We'd like to thank Cambridgeshire residents for their great efforts to keep 
waste out of the ground. It is clear that we are keen recyclers and it is 
for this reason that we are leading the way in the UK. We and our partners 
are continually looking for innovative ways to improve recycling and we 
share the Government's concerns that more needs to be done nationally to 
reduce the amount of waste being needlessly dumped in landfill.

"The costs of landfilling waste are rising every year, with the landfill tax 
running at £18 per tonne and due to increase by £3 per tonne per year. Last 
year the County Council had to spend over £7.3 million dumping waste in 
landfills - £771,000 of that in Government taxes. This is why recycling is 
so important."

To find out more about recycling people can log onto Cambridgeshire County 
Council's website www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk 
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk www.recap.co.uk

Central Government initiatives are in place to ensure that EU targets and 
national legislation are fully met. These have set limits to the amount of 
rubbish that can be landfilled by local authorities and those councils 
failing to comply will face fines of  £150 per exceeding tonne.

John Reynolds