Wandsworth's green credentials on the rise (From Your Local Guardian)

Wandsworth's green credentials on the rise

7:50am Friday 17th February 2012 in Top Stories

Thanks to local residents, Wandsworth Council now sends zero waste directly to landfill and organic dustbin waste is being converted into electricity at a special facility.

The borough’s overall recycling rate - combining household recycling and the recycling of incinerator ash and metals - passed the 50 per cent mark for the first time between October and December last year.

Although no waste – be it garden waste, food or refuse – is sent straight to rubbish dumps, recycling at home remains as important as ever, and residents are being called on to recycle all they can using the Orange Sack collection service or the orange-lidded recycling banks near their homes.

These services let residents recycle different types of waste including paper, card, glass, cans, food/drinks cartons and plastic pots, tubs and trays without having to keep them separate.

The town hall has launched a scheme to promote greater recycling on housing estates and in multiple occupancy homes using a grant from the London Waste and Recycling Fund.

As well as the obvious environmental boost, this has produced a £4,000 to £5,000 saving in waste disposal costs each month.

In 2012/2013, council officers expect to collect around 26,000 tonnes of orange co-mingled recycling from homes across the borough, which will save approximately £58.50 per tonne compared to residual waste disposal costs – saving a total of £1,521,000 and helping pave the way for council tax in the borough to remain the lowest in the country.

The annual amount of municipal waste in Wandsworth has fallen by around 29,000 tonnes since 2003/04. With waste disposal costs continuing to rise, this decline is expected to save around £4m next year.

Residents wanting advice on how to reduce waste should visit wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200084/recycling_rubbish_and_waste/463/reducing_rubbish To learn more about recycling and the Orange Sack scheme visit wandsworth.gov.uk/info/10070/recycling/310/orange_sack_scheme Anyone whose rubbish is collected in large communal wheeled bins is urged to recycle all they can by using the orange-lidded banks near their home.

If there are none, or to request recycling signs be installed, please email wasteservices@wandsworth.gov.uk or call 020 8871 8558.