PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Gill Gardiner
Cabinet Member for Environment
Date of Issue: July 4th 2009
Contact number:
07983 624610
|
|
PRESS RELEASE |
|
Kitchen Waste Collection Trial Scheme
Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Environment, Councillor Gill Gardiner, wants Wirral to press ahead with a trial scheme of kitchen waste collection. Councillor Gardiner said, “Kitchen waste makes up approximately 18% of our household waste stream and it has been estimated that the introduction of a kerbside collection of food waste across Wirral would divert between 6,500 and 9,500 tonnes of waste from landfill, increasing our recycling performance by around 7%.” Wirral's recycling rates have soared from 14% in 2006/07 to 35% in 2008/09 and around 39% now, peaking at 43% last summer thanks to the garden waste collections; Wirral was named ‘the most improved metropolitan borough for recycling' in 2007/08. Councillor Gardiner commented, “We can't afford to be complacent about our recycling success; with landfill taxes rising, further improvements to recycling will save Wirral council tax payers money, reduce the need for unsightly landfill sites as well as mitigate our impact on climate change. The treatment of kerbside collected food waste is being actively considered by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority; a treatment facility has been agreed by Veoli a as part of their recycling contract. Wirral, therefore, needs to seriously consider its options for a weekly kitchen waste collection. In preparation for the time when the borough has to make a decision on kitchen waste collection, I am proposing to Wirral Council at its meeting on 13 th July that a study is carried out to establish the most effective methods for households to safely separate this waste and for its efficient kerbside collection. The findings of the trial would be reported to Scrutiny Committee in January with a detailed options report on the future of kitchen waste collections in Wirral.” Councillor Gardiner's Notice of Motion to Council on 13th July: KITCHEN WASTE COLLECTION TRIAL SCHEME Proposed by: Councillor Gill Gardiner (1) Council notes that: The Government has awarded Wirral a ‘3-star' rating for its environmental performance and has named Wirral as ‘the most improved metropolitan borough' for recycling in 2007/08. Wirral's recycling rates have soared from 14% in 2006/07 to 35% in 2008-09 and around 38% now, peaking at 43% last summer thanks to the garden waste collections. With landfill taxes rising, this commitment to recycling will save Wirral council tax payers money and at the same time reduce our impact on climate change. (2) Council welcomes the recent raising of the national recycling target to 55% by the Government. (3) Council also notes that: (b) Kitchen waste makes up approximately 18% of our household waste stream, and it has been estimated that the introduction of a kerbside collection of food waste across Wirral would divert between 6,500 and 9,500 tonnes of waste from landfill, increasing our recycling performance by around 7%. (c) That the treatment of kerbside collected food waste is being actively considered by Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority and that the planning stages of the treatment facility are being pursued. (4) Council therefore proposes that in preparation for the time Merseyside Districts are required to make a decision as to whether food waste is separately collected, a study is carried out to establish the most effective methods for households to safely separate this waste and for its efficient kerbside collection. (5) Council therefore resolves: (b) that the findings of the trial are reported to the Scrutiny Committee in January with a detailed options report on the future of kitchen waste collections in Wirral.
|