Cardboard Recycling Fills Swimming Pool |
Free Pink Bag Scheme - how to use it The introduction of cardboard recycling has been a big hit with Ealing residents with more than 313 tonnes collected in the first two months. During this short period of time, Ealing residents have recycled enough cardboard to fill an Olympic size swimming pool instead of sending it to landfill. By introducing the service at the end of November last year, the council gave residents the opportunity to recycle cardboard packaging from Christmas gifts and purchases. Cardboard recycling is the latest initiative to be introduced as part of a £2.8 million package of investment to improve environmental services. Council Leader, Jason Stacey, said: “This is a fantastic effort by local people and it proves that when these services are free and easy, people use them. The introduction of plastic recycling at the end of the year will mean that residents will be able to recycle most things from home. Not only does investing extra money in such services make environmental sense it is also financially prudent as it will help us to avoid expensive landfill taxes.” Flattened boxes and household cardboard packaging, egg boxes and greeting cards will be accepted. Residents are asked to keep cardboard separate from paper using a carrier bag, to break up large items and remove any tape that may be stuck to the cardboard. Larger cardboard items may be collected by a different vehicle at a different time on the normal collection day. Pink Sacks The introduction of free pink sacks has sent recycling rates soaring with nearly 600% more green waste collected in December than last year. Incredibly, though many residents still don't know about the scheme. despite this, figures show that in December 2005 residents recycled 24 tonnes of green waste but the December for last year leaped to 143 tonnes - the equivalent weight of approximately 17 double-decker buses. Delighted Town Hall bosses confirmed that the record rises coincide with the introduction of free pink sacks in October 2006. Since going free, thousands of sacks have flown off shelves helping green-minded residents do their bit for the environment. The decision to make garden sacks free was taken last July, when the new administration invested an extra £2.8 million into environment services. Under the new service fortnightly household collections were also introduced throughout the year. Council Leader Jason Stacey said: "We were confident that by making pink sacks free and increasing collections we would make garden recycling rates soar.I’d like to congratulate all those residents who think about the environment and have chosen to recycle. I hope that recycling more will be a New Year resolution every household will keep so we can protect the environment and avoid costly landfill fines.” The pink sacks are available from all local libraries, Ealing Council’s Customer Service Centre, at Perceval House, 14-16 Uxbridge Road, Ealing Broadway. Alternatively, sacks may be ordered over the phone from ECT Recycling on 020 8813 3193/3194. Residents will have their garden waste sacks collected every fortnight throughout the year on the same day of the week as their green box and food waste. If garden waste is not recycled, and instead sent to landfill sites along with normal household rubbish, it rots without air and creates methane, which is one of the main greenhouse gases. To find their day and week of collection residents can contact ECT Recycling or check online at http://www.ectgroup.co.uk/index.php?v=when&serviceID=2&sa=2&sg=1&bid=1
February 28, 2007 |