Recycling On Target
Last year 18,000 tonnes of household waste was collected for recycling or composting - the equivalent of 900 double decker buses!
While Falkirk Council is well on its way to exceed the national composting and recycling rate of 40% for the year 2009/10, more will need to be done to meet tough targets in the future.
Steady improvements have been made each year to meet these targets since the introduction of the three bin system in 2004. Waste collected in both the blue and brown bins totalled 18,000 tonnes last year and hopes are high that this figure will grow. Most properties in the area now have access to the three bin system with a further 1,000 coming on stream in July 2009.
Residents can now recycle tetra paks and mixed (clean) plastic in the blue bin along with paper, cardboard, cans and plastic.
A new Kerbside Recycling box has been introduced to collect glass, textiles and waste electrical equipment and it's anticipated that 90% of the Falkirk Council area will be involved in the scheme by June 2010.
While households can recycle more than ever, local businesses have still to play their part in reducing the landfilling of commercial waste by recycling.
A new commercial waste recycling service has been available since April 2009 and while the potential is there for businesses to make significant savings by recycling, take up of the scheme has been poor.
However changes are afoot and a recycling led service will soon replace the commercial waste collection provided to business. The cost of recycling is considerable less than landfill and businesses could benefit financially if they get up to speed with recycling. Support will be provided to help businesses deal with the new service.
The Council's two Recycling Centres will also see improvements by incentivising recycling with a two tier permit system which will have reduced costs for businesses using the centres solely for recycling.
A new National Waste Management Plan will require the following:
- 70% recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW) by 2025
- No more than 5% of waste being landfilled by 2025
- No growth in the amount of MSW produced.
- Falkirk Council (27/10/2009 )
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