New plan to clean up the dirty man'

12:20pm Wednesday 12th December 2001

Householders in Hertsmere will be asked to think green as part of a campaign to achieve a national target to recycle 25 per cent of waste within five years.

The Government expects every local authority to recycle 25 per cent of waste by 2006, and it has given Hertfordshire, as a whole, a target of 30 per cent.

The county council and Hertfordshire's ten district councils are currently working on a joint waste strategy, which is likely to be put into practice next summer.

Changes to the waste collection service will mean residents will be asked to separate items for recycling when they put their rubbish out to be picked up.

Last week borough councillors approved a draft of the county waste strategy document, so that taxpayers could be asked for their views early in the New Year.

Councillor Chris Dawes said: "This country is known as 'the dirty man of Europe' and Hertsmere is not performing well this is an opportunity to get on top of the situation."

Hertsmere's recycling figure currently stands at seven per cent, but the amount of waste being collected from households is increasing by five per cent each year.

Herfordshire's councils desperately need to reduce the amount of waste that they are sending landfill sites, because these are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

Hertsmere Borough Council has proposed the introduction of a kerbside collection service for paper, cans, glass, plastics and organic garden and kitchen waste.

Householders will be asked to sort these items when they put their rubbish out, so that they can be taken to newly-created recycling facilities.

These changes are expected to double the borough council's collection costs, from around £29 per household per year to at least £55 per household per year.

The Government has set £140million aside for recycling, although the cash is likely to go to councils with high recycling rates which are difficult to improve upon.

It has also indicated that task forces will be sent take responsibility from local authorities if they fail to achieve their recycling targets.

A public consultation exercise on Hertfordshire's draft waste strategy, involving questionnaires being sent to every household, is expected to begin in February.

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