Recycling success praised

A TOP Government official has today praised householders in the east of England after it emerged the region has one of the best recycling rates in the country.

According to figures from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, residents of East Anglia recycled 23.3 per cent of their household waste in 2003/04, compared to just 19.4pc in 2002/03.

The contribution from the region means that England has successfully exceeded its target to recycle and compost 17pc of household waste in the last year.

Speaking yesterday at the Trade Association Forum environment secretary Margaret Beckett said: "This is the first time that England has met its recycling and composting target. Householders in the East of England have clearly made a substantial contribution to this success but we must not be complacent.

"We must now work towards our more ambitious national target of recycling and composting a quarter of household waste by 2005/06.

"There is a growing list of materials you can recycle either through kerbside collection schemes or recycling collection points from junk mail to plastic milk containers and drink cans.

"However recycling isn't just confined to what you can drop off in your recycling bins - many organisations are raising vital funds by recycling more unusual goods like mobile phones, books, computers and spectacles."

According to the figures householders in England are now recycling and composting an average of 18% of their household waste - a rise of 3.2% since 2002/03.

The report also shows that kerbside collection schemes are growing in popularity, with 50pc more waste collected in this way between 2003/04.

Meanwhile 'bring' sites, such as bottle banks and civic amenity sites, continue to be popular, with 58pc of all recyclable waste collected via one of these methods.

For more information on what can be recycled and how visit www.recyclenow.com