A direct result of the county's Best Value Review, the programme of education will use a team of specially trained officers to focus on themes including the separation of waste at home for recycling, home composting and waste minimisation.
“WAP will raise awareness on the importance of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and the value of recycling and composting waste,” said Clare Cremona, who is managing the project.
A joint venture between the Somerset Waste Partnership, which consists of Somerset County Council and its five District/Borough Councils, and a locally-based environmental education charity called the Carymoor Environmental Trust, the programme is also expected to provide a useful feedback mechanism between the public and local authorities as services develop.
“Somerset local authorities have been set a statutory target of recycling or composting 36% by weight of all household waste by 2006,” Ms Cremona said. “Somerset's current recycling rate is 15%, so we have a long way to go.”
However, she added: “With the help of Somerset's residents, we can work together to exceed the statutory targets.”
 The Somerset Waste Action Programme at its launch: front row (left to right): Councillor Derek Yeomans, Somerset County Council; Councillor Jim Mochnacz, Somerset CC; David Rosser, Waste and IT Systems Officer, Mendip District Council; Ben Sellar, Waste Management and Environment Officer, Sedgemoor DC; Hamish Craig, Chairman of Board of Trustees, Carymoor Environmental Trust and Councillor Peter Roake, South Somerset DC back row (left to right): Fiona Tame, Waste Minimisation Officer, Somerset CC; Jill Gilbert, Centre Manager, Carymoor Environmental Trust; Carol Hard, Waste Operations Admin Assistant, Somerset CC; Paula Brooks, County Waste Services Manager, Somerset CC |
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