Lib Dems call for 70% recycling rate (East of England Liberal Democrats)

East of England Liberal Democrats <info@eastlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems call for 70% recycling rate

January 25, 2012 11:41 PM
Originally published by Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats

Essex County Council's opposition Liberal Democrat group has criticised the Conservative-led council's recycling target of 60% by 2021 for not being ambitious enough.

In their response to the public consultation about Essex County Council's Waste Disposal Document, the Lib Dems call for a minimum recycling target of 70%. They claim that the Conservatives' lower figure of 60% means that the massive MBT plant at Basildon will have a larger capacity than is necessary. The Lib Dems say that the need to feed the MBT will remove the incentive to increase recycling.

The Lib Dems also raise concerns about the environmental damage and highway congestion caused by the huge number of journeys across Essex made by large lorries transporting all the residual waste to Basildon.

Mike Mackrory, Deputy Leader of the Lib Dems said "We have consistently argued over the years that the recycling rates were not set high enough and each time we have been proved right. The Council must be more ambitious with its target and alternatives for transporting waste - like rail - must be considered. Otherwise real damage will be caused to the environment."