Recycling rates soar as public goes green (From The Argus)

Recycling rates soar as public goes green

4:24pm Thursday 8th March 2007 in News By Ali Cridland

Recycling has increased by more than 50 per cent at household waste sites.

Veolia Environmental Services has confirmed the public are becoming more eco-friendly since it began operating waste recycling sites in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove three years ago.

The company says the overall rate of recycling has grown from just over 30 per cent in 2002/3 to almost 48 per cent in 2006 /7.

Since May 2003 nearly 160,000 tonnes of material has been recycled, composted or reused at the 13 sites, which it operates in partnership with East Sussex County Council and Brighton and Hove City Council.

This means that well over 50 per cent of waste left at the sites by residents is now being diverted from landfill.

The company's managing director Chris Maltbaek said: "It is very rewarding to see how much recycling and reuse has increased since we began our contract with the councils in 2003.

"Household waste recycling sites save well over a tenth of all of our household waste from ending up in landfill, and play a crucial role in managing waste sustainably.

"We would like to thank local residents for their great recycling efforts and we are now looking forward to the next three years and seeing how we can improve even further."

Over the past three years materials which can be recycled have increased to include plastic bottles, household batteries and used cooking oil, which is made into environmentally-friendly bio-diesel.