Speaking at yesterday's letsrecycle.com-organised conference on alternate weekly collection schemes, Mr Doran spoke of the consultation that is currently being prepared for 2007/08 targets.
” Early proposals for new recycling targets are modest. We can't expect to say that every local authority should be recycling 40% of their waste. “
– Andy Doran, Defra
He said: “Early proposals for new recycling targets are modest. We can't expect to say that every local authority should be recycling 40% of their waste. It is likely that the poorer performing authorities will be asked to increase their recycling rates slightly.”
Local authorities have been working towards recycling targets for the last five years, culminating in those set for this financial year – which have been set to ensure England recycles 25% of household waste in 2005/06.
There have been questions over whether there would be new recycling targets for councils now that the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme has established biodegradable waste diversion targets for disposal authorities.
But Mr Doran, head of Defra's local authority waste performance team, said that LATS does not mean that local authorities can give up on recycling. Mr Doran said that proposals would be put out to consultation later this year.
Congratulate
At the event held in Central London yesterday, Mr Doran also took the opportunity to congratulate local authorities on their achievements in 2004/05.
England has achieved a recycling rate of just under 23% for this financial year – according to unaudited results revealed last week (see letsrecycle.com story).
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“The 23% recycling rate achieved in 2004/05 is down to the local authorities,” said Mr Doran, who is a former chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC).
“They put the plans in place in order to achieve this recycling rate and congratulations should go to them for reaching a rate which a few years ago many people did not think was possible,” Mr Doran added.
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