The North London borough has reported achieving a 31% recycling rate for household waste during the first three months of the financial year 2006/07.
” This is great news and shows we were right to close Carterhatch. “
– Cllr Terry Neville, Enfield council
The council said the achievement justified the decision to close the Carterhatch Lane recycling centre against the wishes of London Mayor Ken Livingstone.
Councillor Terry Neville, Enfield's cabinet member for environment, streetscene and parks, said: “This is great news and shows we were right to close Carterhatch. Our big push to increase recycling through our door-to-door service and publicity campaign is paying off.”
Developers
Enfield council sold off the recycling centre, one of two in the borough, to property developers leading to a public inquiry last year (see letsrecycle.com story).
The council said the centre was under-used and not necessary now kerbside recycling services were being provided to Enfield homes. The Mayor wanted to protect the site as a waste operation because of the shortage of waste management sites in the London area.
Although the Mayor then issued a formal direction to the council to set up a new, alternative recycling centre, secretary of state for local government Ruth Kelly decided in July that Enfield was right to close the Carterhatch Lane facility.
” Closing Carterhatch Lane gave a short-term benefit to Enfield Council but a long term environmental cost for Londoners and Enfield residents “
– London Mayor Ken Livingstone
Commenting on Ms Kelly's decision, Cllr Neville said of Mr Livingstone: “I hope his fingers have now been sufficiently burnt that he will keep out of other people's pies.”
“Short-term benefit”
Responding to Enfield's achievement, the London Mayor stated his belief that Enfield would be doing even better on recycling if it had kept the Carterhatch Lane site open.
Ken Livingstone told letsrecycle.com today: “It is good news that Enfield is recycling more of its rubbish, however this does not mean it was right to close Carterhatch lane reuse and recycling site. Their recycling rate could have been better if they had maintained the site and since the decision was taken to close it, Enfield has withdrawn a free service for collecting bulky waste.
“Closing Carterhatch Lane gave a short-term benefit to Enfield Council but a long term environmental cost for Londoners and Enfield residents. London has lost a quarter of its civic amenity sites since 1986 when in fact London needs more sites for recycling and managing its waste. Decisions such as this erode London's ability to manage its own waste and will undermine efforts to mitigate climate change,” he added.
Compulsory
Enfield has increased its recycling rate year on year from 8% in 2001/02 to 27.3% for the full year 2005/06. Cllr Neville said the growth in recycling rates suggested that no move towards compulsory recycling was needed.
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Although a handful of London boroughs are now forcing residents to recycle their waste (see letsrecycle.com story), Cllr Neville said: “Enfield's record on recycling is exemplary without having to go down the coercion route.”
“So far we have done well by tailoring our recycling services to fit our customer needs and by appealing to resident's sense of community spirit – it is about bringing people with you and not forcing them,” he added.
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