Eastleigh Continues In Nationwide Top Ten

12.42.04pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 24th Jan 2005

Latest Government statistics continue to show the Liberal Democrat run Borough of Eastleigh as one of the country's best recyclers.

The Department for Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA, has now published its 2003/04 figures summarising local authority performance for the collection of recycled waste.

These confirm that the Borough of Eastleigh, with its twin bin recycling scheme, is still the leading Council nationwide for the collection of mixed paper, plastic bottles and cans direct from homes.

It also shows that of more than 350 Councils the Borough is the country's 7th best recycler.

Executive Councillor for the Environment, Louise Bloom was very encouraged with the results and was sure that this figure would improve even further this year following the introduction of more recycling initiatives by the Borough.

"The Borough's residents are excellent recyclers and we are putting in place even more services that will help them to continue to be the country's best. The 2003/04 figures show that the Borough recycled 31% of its total waste - a 3% increase over the previous year with a further improvement expected in the current year. Now our target for 2005/06 is 40% and I am sure we will achieve that figure to keep us at the very top".

She outlined the new schemes that had been introduced. "We are currently undertaking the largest kerbside glass collection trial in Hampshire involving over 20,000 households and have introduced the most frequent and extensive garden waste collection services in the County. We are also working in partnership with the Salvation Army to introduce a trial clothing collection service direct from households."

And the Minister for Environment Elliot Morley MP has acknowledged Eastleigh as being one of the country's highest performing Councils when it comes to collecting recycled waste. In a letter to Council Leader Keith House he expressed his gratitude for the Borough's substantial commitment to improving recycling and composting rates and thanked the Council's waste teams for their effort and commitment to put the improvements into practice."

Louise Bloom added "But the Council could not achieve these fantastic results without the support of its residents who should share the Minister's praise and also receive my thanks. Well done everyone and lets hit 40% now."