Green initiatives to boost recycling efforts
Cllr Peter Stevens
A WEALTH of green initiatives are in the pipeline across West Suffolk to encourage residents to recyle more, according to a leading councillor.
Peter Stevens, portfolio holder for environment and waste management for St Edmundsbury Borough Council, says projects such as household glass recycling and an incinerator at Great Blakenham will help to boost the area’s environmentally friendly credentials.
He said: “We must make it easier for people to recycle. As well as getting their commitment, I see it as a dual thing in terms of service.
“If we can encourage people to be as conscientious as possible in reducing their waste, I think we’re getting somewhere.”
Cllr Stevens, who is chairman of the Suffolk Waste Partnership which comprises all the councils in county, said post-2014 blue household waste bins would be able to take glass.
He noted that black bin waste would be burnt and converted into electricity at the multi-million pound incinerator.
Food and green waste will also be used to create compost.
Cllr Stevens added that supermarkets and retailers were ‘getting the message about unnecessary packaging’ and the amount of recycling was increasing with every initiative.
He said: “The recent initiative everybody is joining in is the clothing collection, which is in addition to the blue bin and has been very well received by residents.
“We’re trying to make the waste stream from households as simple as possible because we don’t want the pavement covered with five or six bins.
“I’m very keen to keep the balance between high end recycling but low cost per household. We could increase the recycling right to the top but it would cost the residents more money and I want to avoid that.”
His call for more recycling follows the National Zero Waste Week, which encouraged people to improve their green credentials.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Tuesday 21 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
