The Scottish Accounts Commission criticised councils today for making “disappointing” progress in diverting waste from landfill and predicted they would not reach the overall target of 25% recycling by 2006 (see letsrecycle.com story).
”It is unfortunate that the finger is pointed solely at councils who have no statutory duty with respect to recycling“
Russell Imrie, COSLARussell Imrie, spokesman for COSLA (the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) said: “While progress has not been as quick as we might have hoped, it is unfortunate that the finger is pointed solely at councils who have no statutory duty with respect to recycling.”
“There are currently no statutory targets for recycling or diversion from landfill in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has its own target of recycling or composting 25% of municipal waste by 2006. We remain committed to working with government, the wider waste industry and the public to make this happen,” he added.
Funding
Mr Imrie added that “until recently” there had been no additional funding to build recycling infrastructure and few stable markets for recyclables. He added: “Councils are thinking long term and have ambitious plans for well beyond 2006, which rely on accessing funding from the Scottish Executive's Strategic Waste Fund.
“As soon as these awards are made, significant progress will be seen with most councils introducing kerbside recycling schemes and planning the development of treatment facilities.”
The Audit Scotland figures revealed that Scottish councils must reduce the amount they send to landfill by 300,000 tonnes over the next two years in order to meet Scotland's landfill diversion targets.
Individual councils do not have long to wait for individual targets – these are due to be set in April 2004 and come into force for 2004/05.
But Mr Imrie warned that there was still “no quick fix” for recycling.
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