Local Liberal Democrats in bid for extra kerbside recycling

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Feb 2007

Local Lib Dems want more recycling

Local Sheffield Liberal Democrats are to put a proposal to next weeks Council asking for an expansion of kerbside recycling to make it easier for local people to help combat climate change.

Kerbside recycling is one of the most popular and successful ways that the people of Sheffield are able to recycle. At the moment the people of Sheffield are able to use their blue bin to recycle card and paper via kerbside collections. Some areas of Sheffield have an additional green bin for garden waste.

Liberal Democrats want to see new schemes brought forward to deal with other materials such as tins. However, they are also specifying that an extra scheme should be mindful of the fact that some people would not welcome an extra bin due to it being too much clutter. They also want to ensure that local community groups can be involved in new schemes, which will also lead to more local employment.

Recycling is a local tool in the battle against climate change as it brings benefits including less landfill and incineration, less air pollution, less energy use, reduced impacts of extracting materials and more efficient use of the worlds resources.

The Council agreed to a Liberal Democrat proposal in October 2002 to work towards a recycling target of 45% by 2015. Lib Dems believe Labour need to do a lot more in order to stand a chance of meeting the 2015 target.

Cllr Andrew Sangar, Shadow Cabinet member for Finance and Performance, said: -

"We have been told by local people on the doorstep that they would like the opportunity to be able to recycle more. We have listened to them and will move our motion calling for an expansion at next weeks council"

"We want to see the council look at recycling other materials such as tins. But Its also important that any new scheme takes into account some households already have three bins and another would probably create too much clutter!"

"Recycling is vital as it helps protect our environment and is a tool in the battle against climate change. If this council is to meet its 45% target by 2015 then we need to start doing a lot more. I hope members of all parties can back our motion next week"

Please see a copy of the full motion attached to be moved at the 2pm 7th February 2007 meeting of full council.

NoM moved by Cllr Sangar, seconded by Leek

That this Council: -

(a) recognises that recycling is a local tool in the battle against climate change as it brings benefits including less landfill and incineration, less air pollution, less energy use, reduced impacts of extracting materials and more efficient use of finite resources;

(b) therefore resolves that this council has a responsibility to do all it can to enable the people of Sheffield to recycle via kerbside collection;

(c) notes that national and international research shows kerbside recycling is one of the most popular and successful ways that the people of Sheffield are able to recycle;

(d) believes that new ways of increasing the amount of kerbside recycling, including looking at recycling additional materials and working with local communities encouraging local employment, should be investigated in order to increase recycling rates further ;

(e) therefore directs that the Chief Executive report back to the next meeting of full council outlining new ways that the Council can increase kerbside recycling, specifically looking at recycling additional materials, with the aim of introducing such a scheme in Sheffield.