Date: 17/11/2009
Recycling rates in High Peak have quadrupled over the last five years and are now hitting Government targets.
The major improvement is the result of an enthusiastic response to a wide range of recycling services introduced by the Borough Council.
But the council is not complacent about the fact that the amount of waste recycled has risen from 10.7 per cent in 2004/05 to more than 40 per cent during the summer.
And on Thursday 12 November, the council joined forces with waste and recycling partners SITA UK and Veolia to launch a campaign to promote its services and take High Peak way beyond the 40 per cent target set by the Government for 2012.
Unveiled at Waterswallows Recycling Centre, Buxton, the campaign will feature a series of road shows during November and December. Recycling officers from the borough and Derbyshire County Council will take to the road in a new waste exhibition vehicle to hand out free giveaways plus replacement bags, boxes and lids. Top tips on recycling will also be given.
Said John Haken, Executive Councillor for the Environment: "It's fantastic that our recycling rate has come so far so quickly but there's still more that we and our residents can do in partnership to recycle more and send less to landfill.
"Recycling targets are increasing over the next few years, making it more important than ever to recycle.
"Recycling saves natural resources like oil, trees and energy. Sending waste to landfill is becoming more and more expensive, and it causes the release of methane - a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change", he stressed.
As a reminder, the council's kerbside service consists of:
In addition, there are recycling centres for rigid plastics, packaging and cartons.
The road show itinerary is as follows:
From next spring, residents will also be able to put out their food waste for kerbside collection.
Food placed in the green-lidded bin will be collected along with garden waste and cardboard.
Photo: The campaign is launched, left to right, by Mark Williams, of SITA UK; council recycling officer Chris Noble; Shane Atkins, of Veolia; site supervisor Jason Ruffell; and Cllr Haken.