The local authority, which had one of the highest recycling rates in London at 27.1 % for 2005/06, has approved new targets to encourage reduction, reuse and recycling.
Objectives include increasing the proportion of households in the borough that recycle to 60% and reduce the amount of household waste that is collected by 5% by 2010.
Camden council, which currently manages more than 134,000 tonnes of municipal waste a year, also intends to ensure that 30% of all council purchases are made from recycled materials and council paper consumption is reduced by 20%.
Councillor Mike Greene, executive member for the environment at Camden council, said: “These are extremely challenging targets but show what we really want to achieve.”
Trials
Under the new strategy, Camden plans to make its targets a reality through a range of schemes and projects over the next three years.
Plans include trials to change the balance of household waste and recycling collections. The council currently collects refuse twice and recycling once a week, which could be changed to recycling collections twice a week and refuse collections once a week.
Camden is also planning to set up new community composting schemes for residents who have no garden for composting, and introduce recycling facilities in all of the borough's parks.
Councillor Mike Greene, executive member for the Environment at Camden council, said: “Our strategy sets out how the council will tackle the huge challenge we face in managing Camden's waste in a more sustainable way that causes least damage to the environment.”
“We want to encourage everyone to reduce what they throw away and reuse where they can, whilst continuing to provide residents with a high quality recycling and rubbish collection service,” he added.
Register for free to comment