The move follows sharp falls in the prices being paid for recovered paper, plastics and metals (see letsrecycle.com story), and while the EA claims that householders can still be confident in being able to recycle materials at the kerbside, it stresses that material should be reused instead if possible.
Liz Parkes, head of waste at the Environment Agency, said: “Prices for materials on the recycling market have stabilised and more materials are moving through the export market than they were a month ago. People can be confident in using the recycling service provided by their local authority, but at the same time they need to ensure quality items are reused – producing an even better outcome for the environment.”
Ms Parkes explained that there were “tough but important targets” ahead for the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill which would benefit from keeping materials “in productive use for as long as possible”.
She explained: “We need to reduce, reuse and recycle before we ever consider throwing things away. It's crazy that quality clothes, books and household items – that are being replaced by Christmas presents – end up in landfills rather than being reused through charity shops.
“We all know the importance of buying products such as plastic bottles and cans that are made from recycled materials – but you can also reduce your environmental footprint by buying reusable items like clothes and books from charity shops,” she added.
Unused
According to research undertaken by Oxfam and Marks and Spencer earlier last year, clothing worth more than £4.7 billion is currently unused in the UK, while a further one million tonnes is sent to landfill.
Barney Tallack, deputy director of trading at Oxfam, said: “Every January people around the UK clear out their homes, and Oxfam can make good use of many of these unwanted items to make money to tackle poverty.
“We are in urgent need of clothes, books and household items – and as the credit crunch takes hold, we need them more than ever. It doesn't cost anything to donate items to Oxfam, but the money we raise from them makes a colossal difference and really does save lives,” he added.
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