Local Government Association welcomes 23% recycling rate

Commenting their “spirit and dedication”, the LGA said today that councils are “well on track” to meet the national targets for recycling in 2005/06.

The LGA said councils face a tough task in getting their communities to understand the need to reduce the huge amounts of waste and recycle much more of it, but strong commitment and bold and innovative approaches across the country had paid off.

Cllr David Sparks, who chairs the LGA's Environment Board, said: “Councils and their communities have proven yet again that success is the only word in their recycling vocabulary. They must be commended for their spirit and dedication on tackling the recycling agenda, with many setting ambitious local targets and often exceeding them.”

Funding
However, the LGA warned that councils can only go so far on their own, stressing that “central government must address the urgent need to tackle the funding shortfall for essential environmental services – around half a billion pounds per annum – to ensure continued success, drive further outstanding achievements and meet national and EU obligations”.

Waste budgets are already squeezed by other government priority areas like education and social services, the LGA said, adding that without further funding to divert waste away from landfill, “the inevitable result will be increases in Council Tax, cuts in other services or failure to meet national and EU targets”.