Tuesday 8th February 2011 - No Embargo
WAG/WRAP report
New Report Adds Weight to Case for Kerbside Sort
The publication of the WRAP report on kerbside collection options has been welcomed by the Campaign for Real Recycling.
The report, undertaken by consultants Eunomia, demonstrates that kerbside sort is clearly the both the best environmental and economic option for dry recyclables. If these findings were extrapolated to the whole of the UK, the saving to the public purse is likely to be in excess of £250M p.a. as well as a considerable saving in terms of avoided CO2 emissions.
Commenting on behalf of CRR, coordinator Andy Moore said: “This report adds to the growing weight of evidence that kerbside sort is the best choice for the UK economy and the global environment. The Welsh Assembly Government is to be commended in the leadership it has shown in commissioning a report like this. It’s time that DEFRA accepted that the game is up for local authorities blinded by the false economy of chucking it all into the back of a compactor truck and hoping to sort it out later.”
He added: “The Campaign for Real Recycling recognises that undertaking the full cost-benefit analysis of collection methods is a complex issue. This report examines a wider range of factors than previous reports in the fields, but the results appear to match the majority of previous findings, namely that preserving material quality is the key to maximising economic and environmental outcomes. Furthermore, it confirms that kerbside sort unambiguously results in quality of a different magnitude from comingled collections and so it’s no wonder UK reprocessors are crying out for councils to adopt this approach.
“This report shows the potential savings to the public purse are enormous. At a time of public austerity and a squeeze on local authority funding, can DEFRA really afford to ignore these findings? We call on the Government to openly examine the full costs and benefits of different collection methods in England. This report should be the starting point for a more comprehensive approach to establish the best way to maximise the value of the UK’s dry recyclables.”
Information for Editors:
1. The Campaign for Real Recycling wants central government and local authorities to act urgently to improve the quality of materials collected for recycling in the UK. Real recycling is about maximising the economic, environmental and social benefits of recycling for everyone, from the local council tax payer to the global reprocessing industry. Our concern is that collection systems that gather a range of different materials in one bag or bin and then compact them could permanently undermine the environmental and financial benefits of recycling. Our campaign aims to influence local authority policy and practice, and build consensus within the UK of the economic and environmental importance of highly-separated collections.
2. Campaign for Real Recycling supporters:
Andy Moore
Campaign for Real Recycling
07767 206 001
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