Recycling figures on rise
DROP IN CALDERDALE HOUSEHOLD WASTE TOTAL MEANS MORE REFUSE IS BEING RECYCLED
RECYCLING is up in parts of Calderdale including Elland and Rastrick, councillors were told.
The overall amount of waste produced by households dropped by 3% in 201718 meaning more was being recycled, saving Calderdale Council money.
Annual performance indicators for The Best Borough in the North rankings saw Calderdale recycling just under half its waste (49.6%) – sixth best among northern boroughs.
Members of the council’s Strategy and Performance Scrutiny Board heard roll-out schemes to reduce residual waste further, having already led to people recycling more in Elland, Rastrick and Todmorden, will be undertaken in remaining areas including North Halifax, Hipperholme and Park wards.
The introduction of a residents’ permit scheme at Brighouse and Elland tips, which has been controversial, is working, says the council.
This is because the council is not now disposing of waste from non-Calderdale residents.
Improvements made by the council’s chosen waste treatment contractor, AWM, have also seen them extract more reycling resulting in more being used to produce electricity and less than 3% of Calderdale’s waste ending up in landfill.
Clr Victoria Porritt (Lab, Elland) said people had seen recent news reports about waste disposal sent to other parts of the world for disposal being returned and sought assurances Calderdale’s waste was being dealt with correctly. Officers assured her it was.
In contrast, Kirklees Council’s drive to encourage recycling ended in a climbdown.
The authority started checking green bins for the ‘wrong type’ of waste and seized at least 1,300 bins from offenders.
Though the council said recycling rates had gone up they were forced to admit they had been too heavy-handed.
Examiner readers have pointed out that Calderdale is able to recycle a much wider selection of waste than Kirklees.