Just rubbish at recycling

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

By Kate Gould

A TOWN hall has been slammed for its rubbish recycling rates.

Lewisham council currently recycles just 18.72 per cent of household waste – below its self-imposed target of 21 per cent.

It also lags behind neighbouring Southwark and Lambeth and falls well shy of the 45 per cent by 2015 imposed by the Mayor of London.

Lewisham Green Councillor Darren Johnson said the rates were a “national embarrassment.”

Lewisham Lib Dem Councillor Julia Fletcher said they were “disappointing”. Both have called on the council to do more.

Cllr Fletcher said: “The rates are really disappointing and show a continued failure by the council to take this issue seriously. It’s not good enough.

“It is also still too difficult to recycle in Lewisham if you live in a large block of flats. More needs to be done to help people on estates.”

Cllr Johnson added: “Lewisham’s recycling rates are a national embarrassment.

“While some parts of London have more than double these rates, Lewisham continues to rank as one of the worst.

“The council could start to roll out food waste caddies to all its residents and anaerobically digest the food waste collected, not only far exceeding its recycling targets but also produce renewable energy and compost for residential and council use in the process.”

Lambeth currently recycles 43 per cent of its household waste and Southwark’s figure for the 12 months to April was 27 per cent.

In November last year, Lewisham council signed a contract with waste disposal company Bywaters Bow and promised to improve its record.

It also added aerosols, crisp packets, clothes, shredded paper, Tetrapak cartons, perfume bottles, plastic food trays and textiles to the list of products which can be recycled.

A Lewisham council spokeswoman said: “We want residents to recycle more.

“The new contract with Bywaters Bow means residents can recycle more items than ever before.

“Already our tonnage data shows an increase in recycling collected. “We will continue to promote and inform residents about all the items they can now recycle, whether they live in a house or a flat.

“The council does not have a policy in place for fining people who don’t recycle.” She added that the borough was also reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfill. l Visit www.lewisham. gov.uk/recycling for a full list of what can be recycled in the borough.

Email: kate.gould@slp.co.uk

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