The Municipal Waste Management Statistics 2001/02 just released DEFRA make dismal reading.   

The proportion of municipal waste being recycled or composted increased from 12.3 per cent in 2000/01 to 13.5 per cent in 2001/02. The proportion incinerated with energy recovery remained roughly constant at just under 9 per cent in 2000/01 and 2001/02.

It seems unlikely that the governments targets of recycling or composting at least 25 per cent of household waste by 2005 and recovering value from 40 per cent of municipal waste by the same date will be met.

However, the two top regions for recycling are the East and South-East, which are dominated by Conservative Councils.   At the bottom end of the table are the North-East and North-West regions which are dominated by Labour councils.  This shows that Labour are relying on Conservative Councils to deliver on Britain's recycling targets.

None of this will surprise iGreens

Click here for the full report.

27 May 2003