ECT Recycling, the UK’s largest community recycling organisation, was awarded two seven-year contracts for recycling work in the London Borough of Barnet together worth about 1.25 million per year in July. The contract to run a civic amenity site and a kerbside recycling scheme should see Barnet increase its recycling rate from 7% in 1999-2000 and help it to hit government targets of 18% by 2003/4 and 27% by 2005/6.
The weekly kerbside scheme is being rolled out on a phased basis across the borough from October. Houses will be targeted first and by next April all 116,000 houses will receive the service.
Residents will be able to put paper, glass, cans, tin foil, textiles, shoes, engine oil, batteries and Yellow Pages in their boxes which will be collected by ECT. Residents who currently use the council’s fortnightly paper recycling service will continue to receive this until they are brought on-line with the new scheme.
ECT is also proposing to introduce an estates recycling service for the borough's 13,000 flats. Residents are being consulted about how the scheme could be set-up which may see recycling banks put on estates for glass, cans and paper. ECT aims to have a service for medium and high rise flats in place by December 2002.
Cabinet member for environment councillor Geoff Cooke said: “Every Barnet household produces on average a tonne of waste every year. Getting rid of it cost borough residents 3.2 million last year – money that could be spent on other services to improve the environment.
“Doorstep recycling is an easy way to get into the recycling habit and stop the growing waste mountain. By using this new service people can recycle up to 30% of their household waste. I believe by teaming up with ECT to provide a reliable, weekly service, Barnet will meet the tough recycling targets set down by the government.”
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