Three authorities have teamed up to put in a joint bid seeking up to 2.6m to reduce waste and increase recycling. The three – Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham councils – hope to win funds for new refuse collection vehicles and crew to collect green waste and cardboard from 36,000 households across the region.
John Parkinson, Doncaster council’s cabinet member for environment and rural development, said: “At present, Doncaster residents can take their green waste to one of our six Household Waste Recycling Centres, from where it is transported for recycling into compost. However, other kerbside collection schemes in the borough have proved to be popular with residents and helped to increase the amount we recycle. Therefore, we believe that this new scheme would help us and our partners in South Yorkshire to greatly increase the amount we recycle and reduce the amount sent to landfill.”
None of the three councils have high recycling rates with Doncaster a typical low performer, the type of authority favoured by DEFRA to receive funds. The council has to reach a 13.2% recycling rate by 2003/4, 15.4% by 2004/5 and 18% by 2005/6. Doncaster recycled only 3.9% of its household waste during 2001/2.
City of York
The fourth authority seeking to benefit from DEFRA funding is the City of York. It is to make two bids for central government funding to make improvements to its household waste sites in the city.
York is bidding for money to make improvements to the infrastructure and recycling facilities at the Beckfield Lane site and the development of a new site to replace the current one at Foss Islands. The authority has to recycle and compost 12% of household waste during 2003/4 and increase this to 18% in 2005/6.
Councillor Dave Merrett, leader of City of York Council, said: “We have tough targets to meet on recycling and our forthcoming waste strategy will help us do that. We are keen to improve the infrastructure and facilities at the household waste recycling sites to make them more customer friendly, as we know they need to be improved and this is an ideal way to do it. We also need to significantly increase the amount of waste that is segregated for recycling and thus diverted from landfill.
“During 2001/2, the residents of York produced 97,000 tonnes of household rubbish and the council recycled 10 percent of this household waste. Our city-wide consultation found high levels of support for rubbish separation and collection schemes and we need to do as much as possible to encourage that.
“Along with the introduction and expansion of kerbside recycling, this bid for money will help us make it easier for residents to recycle their waste.”
The council provides three household waste recycling sites to which residents take their items for recycling and disposal and says that the facilities are well used.
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