York celebrates recycling record

9:53am Friday 13th June 2008

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RECYCLING bosses at City of York Council are celebrating record recycling figures, with less rubbish being sent to landfill than ever before.

Despite an increase in the number of properties in York, more waste is being reused than every before, with more than 43 per cent of the city's rubbish being recycled.

This overall result means that 6,000 tonnes less waste is going to landfill than it did a year ago - the equivalent of over 620 lorry-loads of waste.

Household waste going to landfill has fallen from 122,000 tonnes in 2006/07 to 118,000 in 2007/08 - a reduction of 3.3 per cent - the largest annual fall ever recorded in York.

And at the same time, York residents have achieved record recycling figure, with the rate increasing from 39.9 per cent in March 2007 to 43.4 per cent in March 2008.

The figures are well in excess of the government's targets, which require every local authority in the country to be recycling 40 per cent of the waste by 2010. The results come just a few days after national Recycling Week and environmental bosses at the council are giving residents a pat on the back.

Terry Collins, director of Neighbourhood Services at City of York Council said: "I'd like to thank everyone who has helped with the city's waste and recycling performance. Their efforts have helped keep York firmly on track to meet the government's landfill targets over the next two years.

"The council has already expanded recycling to its own schools and offices, and is looking to support local businesses to increase the amount of waste they recycle, with the aim of increasing the recycling rates even better."

Later this year, trials of different methods of collecting recyclable materials will start in the Groves area. This will test the best methods of storage and collection of materials for city centre terrace streets and flats. It is hoped that the results will enable the council to provide a tailored recycling service to every property in the city.