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Green revolution is hailed a success
8:00pm Thursday 21st August 2008
ONE year on from the introduction of recycling in Swindon and the project has been hailed a great success by one of its architects.
The equivalent of over a thousand refuse trucks worth of rubbish has been saved from landfill since July last year – because of kerbside recycling.
While some collections are still being missed the council believe it is well on course to meet its recycling targets.
Steve Harcourt, director of environment and health at Swindon Council, said: “We are really pleased at the performance rates and the response from the people of Swindon.
“We are working at a recycling rate of about 45 per cent, which is up from around 27 per cent last year.
“We have managed to save 10,308 tonnes of waste from going to landfill.
“That is the equivalent of more than a thousand refuse trucks.
“This is a huge saving and something that Swindon should be very proud of.
“It’s not been easy and we have learnt along the way but I think it’s a great achievement.
“I remember back on July 23 last year driving in to work and feeling almost nervous looking at the number of orange boxes out on the street.
“There was a part of me thinking ‘Can we really manage all this?’ “But we did and we have gone from strength to strength.
“Now it’s encouraging to see sometimes two or three boxes outside each house.”
Over the year the Adver has covered numerous stories of residents bemoaning late collections.
Steve admitted that some houses did get missed but they were in the overwhelming minority.
He said: “We have a reliability rate of 98.98 per cent for collections.
“To put that in context we make around 860,000 individual collections every month.
“The vast majority are done on time.
“We would accept that some do get missed and obviously that is very frustrating to the individuals concerned.
“We get about 40 or 50 calls daily, which is of course 40 or 50 too many.
“But when you consider that in context we are doing very well.”
The council’s promise 49 pledges to recycle, compost or treat more than 50 per cent of household waste, and where practical to provide kerbside recycling collection for all residents.
Steve said: “I think things are looking very positive towards that target.
“We have another five per cent to go and 18 months in which to do that.”
Your Say YourSwindon
Justin Tomlinson, Swindon says...
11:20am Fri 22 Aug 08
Whilst the the Government, thanks to the EU are increasing landfill taxes and therefore providing a financial incentive to drive up recycling - it is also important for the environment that we did this as we have diverted huge amounts of waste from landfill.
Prior to the changes, Swindon's recycling was approx 16% of all household waste, with the remainder heading to landfill.
The staff responsible have done a grand job, and the likes of Cllr Mark Edwards who have gone out on the 'rounds' to see first hand would certainly vouch for their efforts!
Bobfm, South Marston says...
6:12pm Fri 22 Aug 08
Your sayYourSwindon
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Terry Sharp at the Waterside recycling centre with some of the recycled cans
In this section
- Recycling firm's appeal after its £9,000 digger stolen
- Music quiz at bowls club
- Residents lose fight to stop drug centre
- Bryan's debut novel
- Woman admits nightclub attack
- Melinda cries as victim has heart attack
- Interest rate slashed to historic low
- Trains back to normal after signal fault
- Recycling on the cards at superstore
- Teenagers beat boy up at Coate Water
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Bobfm, South Marston says...
10:51am Fri 22 Aug 08
Perhaps Mr Harcourt should be asked how SBC is going to continue to reach it's targets when they are based on a population level as at 1997, with Swindon having at least and surrounding areas having another 35000 houses to cope with?.