Call on waste ideas
Councils across Staffordshire are seeking the help of the public with new ideas for tackling the growing household waste mountain in the county. A major consultation exercise has been launched. Councils across Staffordshire are seeking the help of the public with new ideas for tackling the growing household waste mountain in the county. A major consultation exercise has been launched. The local authorities are aiming to stop sending so much waste to landfill, increase recycling and use waste to generate energy. Each household in the county is estimated to produce a tonne of waste each year and the amount is growing. Currently it totals 600,000 tonnes and this is expected to reach 700,000 by 2020. Energy saving character Professor Watt and a massive inflatable light bulb were featured at the launch. Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for economic prosperity and sustainable communities Councillor John Wakefield said the councils needed people to get involved. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
The local authorities are aiming to stop sending so much waste to landfill, increase recycling and use waste to generate energy. Each household in the county is estimated to produce a tonne of waste each year and the amount is growing. Currently it totals 600,000 tonnes and this is expected to reach 700,000 by 2020.
Energy saving character Professor Watt and a massive inflatable light bulb were featured at the launch.
Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for economic prosperity and sustainable communities Councillor John Wakefield said the councils needed people to get involved.
"Everyone in Staffordshire is part of the problem so all have a stake in being part of the solution.
"The newspapers are full of stories about the environmental crisis and the costs of inaction. Council tax payers don't want to pick up the bill. Now is the time to get involved and give us the power to turn Staffordshire's waste to good account," he said.
Leaflets and questionnaires are available from more than 450 community access points across the county and a number of exhibitions about household waste and recycling are being planned.
People wishing to get involved can also call the Zero Waste to Landfill information line on 0845 300 6630.
Council officers will also be carrying out street interviews and discussion group meetings are being planned for September.
At the moment only a third of waste is recycled. Another third goes to landfill with the rest turned into energy at a plant in Stoke-on-Trent. It produces enough power for 130,000 homes.
Councils that fail to meet landfill reduction charges face fines from the Government.
Stafford Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate Jeremy Lefroy, who attended the launch said: "Eliminating landfill, recycling resources and generating energy from waste make a sound policy for the future."
