Government figures released today (23 Jan 2006) show St Edmundsbury Borough Council is officially top of the league when it comes to recycling. Not only are we at the very top, we are also the ONLY council to have cracked the 50%mark!
Council Leader, Cllr John Griffiths, said:
"This is a fantastic result for our residents, without whom this achievement would not have been possible, because it reflects the terrific commitment they have shown to our recycling scheme. It is also a fantastic pat on the back for St Edmundsbury's waste management staff. They have put heart and soul into recycling, from the refuse collectors on the streets throughout the weeks in all weathers, to those support staff who deal with the hundreds of calls from our customers, the recycling team which so actively promotes the scheme and the managers who oversee the whole process. I think special thanks and congratulations must go to our Head of Waste Management, Sandra Pell. She was responsible not only for putting the innovative three-bin collection scheme into practice but also for successfully promoting it so other councils across the country are copying us. Sandra and her team, with the backing of St Edmundsbury's councillors, have put us into the recycling champion's place at the top of the national league."
St Edmundsbury's recycling rate compares to an average across the country of around 23%, although Suffolk overall comes out well, with neighbouring councils also among the top few.
St Edmundsbury became a Beacon Council, a nationally-recognised leader in its field, for dealing with waste in 2001. Since then we have helped other councils across the country to improve their own recycling rates by passing on the lessons we have learned by introducing the three-bin system.
Cllr Jeremy Farthing, Cabinet member for Environment, said:
"Residents throughout St Edmundsbury can take pride in the fact that they are recognised as the best in the country when it comes to recycling. We have a great quality of life here in Suffolk and the efforts put in to making sure as little as possible goes into landfill shows just how much our residents care for their environment. That doesn't mean we're going to be sitting back on our laurels though - we need to make sure we stay at the top by boosting our recycling rate still further. Ultimately we want to get to the stage where the waste going to landfill is zero."
St Edmundsbury's three-bin system involves the collection of recycled items from two bins (compostable materials and dry recyclables such as paper, plastic and cans) one week with the rest of the rubbish (such as food, pet waste and disposable nappies) the next week. The garden waste and vegetable peelings are composted and turned into soil improver which is sold to individuals and organisations such as landscaping companies. The dry recyclables are sorted at Great Blakenham, sold on the global market and turned into items such as newspapers, traffic cones, fleeces, street signs and park benches.
St Edmundsbury is part of the Suffolk Recycling Consortium, a partnership of six Suffolk district and borough councils and Viridor Waste Management. By working together, the Consortium has enabled a major investment to be made at the Great Blakenham recycling plant. This improved technology has ensured a significant increase in the total amount of recycled material that is recycled to 36,000 tonnes per year - representing a recycling rate across the Consortium of approximately 30%. By working together with all Suffolk councils we have all achieved significant improvements in the recycling rates across the county.
Contact: For more information contact Sandra Pell, Head of Waste Management, on 01284 757300 or email sandra.pell@stedsbc.gov.uk
