SUFFOLK has received a double boost for its recycling efforts.The county has received the news of more than £3million of funding and plans to set up a Community Recycling Network.

SUFFOLK has received a double boost for its recycling efforts.

The county has received the news of more than £3million of funding and plans to set up a Community Recycling Network.

Successful bids to the Government's Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund by Suffolk County Council plus Forest Heath, St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk mean a grand total of £3,160,403 is now available to expand recycling and composting programmes in the county.

The money will allow the county's household waste and recycling centres to increase recycling, enable the introduction of kerbside recycling in Mid Suffolk and expansion of other recycling programmes in St. Edmundsbury and Forest Heath districts.

Plans to set up a community recycling network were also discussed at a community recycling conference hosted by Suffolk County Council last week. Over 65 delegates representing voluntary organisations, businesses and community enterprises from across Suffolk came to listen to the advice of national organisations such as the Community Recycling Network (CRN) and local services offered by Anglia Polytechnic University and Suffolk ACRE.

There was overwhelming support from delegates to establish the network, which would promote and support existing community recycling programmes. Further workshops will be held in January 2003 to begin work on setting this up.

Joan Girling, member of the county council's executive committee, said: "This extra funding is very good news for Suffolk. It is one of the county council's key priorities to recycle more household waste and reduce the amount going to landfill. This money will allow us to improve recycling facilities and to help continue recycling projects implemented by the district Councils.

"We are also very pleased with the enthusiastic response to our recycling conference and the idea of setting up a community recycling network. If we are to reach the targets set by the Government then we need to involve the community in our efforts to increase recycling and composting."

Anyone requiring further information or wishing to get involved in the development of the network can contact Suffolk County Council's Waste Management service on 01473 583254 or e-mail waste.management@et.suffolkcc.gov.uk