Already one of the top counties in the country for recycling with a recycling rate of 35%, Buckinghamshire hopes its plan will see the county recycling half its household waste by 2011.
” This is a further incentive to the already high performing district councils to increase residents' opportunities to recycle.“
– Cllr Rodney Royston, Buckinghamshire CC
The county council said the move was an attempt to avoid millions in government fines if it does not meet its targets to reduce landfill rates.
The aim is to roll the funding out in two phases, starting with a legal agreement with Chiltern and Wycombe district councils in the coming year. This agreement will also include performance targets.
If successful, South Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury Vale district councils would join the scheme on phase 2 in two years' time.
“Savings”
Rodney Royston, portfolio holder with responsibility for waste, said: “We are investing now to make real savings in the long term. A 'd;o nothing' scenario could see us facing bills of nearly 40 million in that same period by having to pay fines or buy up allowances from other authorities.
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“This is a further incentive to the already high performing district councils to increase residents' opportunities to recycle things like garden and kitchen waste, which account for high proportions of our current waste going to landfill,” Cllr Royston added.
This year alone, the county said performance rewards for Wycombe and Chiltern councils would amount to 240,000, and next year 625,000.
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