Mayor’s advisor given lead role in London recycling initiative

John Duffy, senior policy advisor to the Mayor, has been appointed chair of a special Programme Board which will decide how this new government money is to be best spent. A priority is to spend some of the funds on making sure every household in London has kerbside recycling within two years, at present 46% of London households have kerbside recycling, and sometimes only for paper.

The cash boost was secured last month thanks to a partnership bid initiated by the Mayor which won the support of Environment Minister Michael Meacher. Now a joint implementation team has been set up involving the Greater London Authority, the Association of London Government and London Waste Action. Waste management firm Cleanaway has made an initial contribution of 100,000 through landfill tax credits towards setting the team up, facilitated by 10,000 from the Mayor with
costs underwritten by the Association of London Government.

Victory
John Duffy said: “Securing this money marks a victory for London government and 21m will make a real difference for recycling in the capital. We want to see recycling double in the next two years and are now putting the team together to make sure this money is spent effectively.”
London currently recycles nine per cent of household waste. To meet government standards, the capital has to double that by 2003-4. Key priorities for the new fund are:

• Every household to get a kerbside collection of at least three materials by 2003-4.

More recycling sites

More composting

An education programme to increase participation in recycling schemes.

The money could have been bid for by individual boroughs applying for particular schemes, but the Mayor did not want a piecemeal approach as it it was considered not best for London in the long-term.

London Waste Action, established in 1997, is a partnership that brings together London’s private, public and independent sectors to develop and promote sustainable waste management practices for the capital.

The Programme Board, chaired by John Duffy, will include representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Association of London Government, the waste
industry, Association of London Cleansing Officers (ALCO), London Recycling Officers Group, the community sector, the Environment Agency, London Waste Action and the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.