Mr Hewitt said that raising awareness was the key to increasing participation rates and added that councils should look at Canada where recycling rates are higher and where more literature and advice accompanies schemes.
Speaking yesterday at the “Recycling – Let's Make it Happen” conference held in North London, Mr Hewitt said that the UK's recycling rate was “dreadful” and that education schemes were needed to get the “biggest bang” out of recycling schemes.
Mr Hewitt also urged local authorities to work together to meet the targets of the waste strategy and reminded them that if targets were not met then the management of services could be taken on by someone else but that the cost would remain with the council.
He said: “We need to form partnerships to make a real crack at recycling – think broadly, think inclusively, think laterally, get together and use all the tools that you have. The only way to meet targets is for the different sectors to work together and to learn from each other. Partnerships need to be formed between the public, private and not-for-profit sector. Similar councils can learn from each other and local authorities can learn from waste industry and community waste sector.”
Compliance schemes also have a key role to play in helping councils meet the targets of the waste strategy, according to Mr Hewitt. “Compliance schemes are looking at getting waste out of the municipal waste stream as they have already got what they can out of the commercial waste stream. This is an opportunity for local authorities to work with them to increase their recycling rates.”
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