Recycling hits an all-time high
August 13, 2004
Recycling figures in Coventry have helped the region's "green conversions" reach record levels.
A new report shows the recycling of paper, compost, glass, plastic bottles and tin cans in the West Midlands is up by 30% on last year.
The increase in paper recycled in the last year in the region is the equivalent of four-and-a-half years of sales of the Coventry Evening Telegraph.
Coventry has helped the region's recycling success after beating its own Government targets.
The city council was given a Public Service Agreement (PSA) to recycle 12% of household waste for the year ending March this year but topped that by achieving 14.4%.
Kerbside collections of recyclable waste are now available for half of Coventry homes and a "green" waste kerb-side collection introduced last summer now covers about a quarter of the city's homes.
Julie Bird, recycling officer at Coventry City Council, said the success was largely down to the public and schools.
She said: "It's us that gets the credit but it's the people who are doing it. People say it's one of the few things you can do to make a difference on your own while contributing to the bigger picture."
Coventry's recycling success follows two successful Government bids for grants, worth a total of £1.4 million.
The city council has been given £400,000 from the Government to plough back into recycling as a reward for achieving its target. The council now aims to widen its kerb-side collection schemes to help achieve its 2005/6 recycling target of 18%, with a view to reaching 30% by 2010.
Daventry District Council topped the recycling league with a rate of 44.4%.
This article first appeared in the Coventry Evening Telegraph.
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