The main objectives of the project are “to minimise the amount of waste produced, significantly increase levels of recycling, composting and recovery and find realistic alternatives to landfill.”
Over the next two years the council hopes to provide new waste management facilities and services with the aid of the appointed waste contractor, although the firm in question will not undertake collections and will only deal with waste disposal, recycling and composting.
Each council aims to meet recycling targets of at least between 24% to 33% by 2004. With a new waste management contract alongside increased public participation in increased recycling, the councils hope to achieve recycling rates of 40% by 2010.
According to Reading Borough Council: “Companies will be invited to express an interest in the project between now and Christmas and some will then be asked to submit outline proposals. Short-listed candidates will then submit detailed project proposals including a full implementation plan in the autumn of 2003 and a final partner will be selected the following spring. “
The RE3 project, which represents the partnership between the local councils, the private sector and the public will use the message “zeroing in on waste” to encourage people to change the way they dispose of the rubbish they generate with view to helping the partnership achieve recycling and composting targets.
Lead councillor for environment and consumer affairs at Reading Borough Council, June Orton said: “It is great that we can now make a start on getting the scheme up and running. The official tendering process will take some time but everyone can start making a difference today. Many people in Berkshire are already recycling but we need to encourage more people living within recycling schemes to get involved if we are to meet the targets by 2010.”
RE3 says it will display information in public locations and informing people of waste management proposals planned for the future and advising on ways to start reducing the amount of waste produced. The councils have also set up a user group made up of representatives from stakeholder groups including local environment and conservation organisations and the Chamber of Commerce, which will also be involved with the project to ensure project standards are being met.
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