Following publishing of the government response to the simpler recycling consultation, North London Waste Authority Chair, Cllr Clyde Loakes, made this statement:
“The government’s reaction to the simpler recycling consultation does nothing to address the concerns we set out in our response last year. Yes, it’s positive that councils can choose how to collect recycling and food and garden waste, but it is disappointing they are not allowing the same flexibility with rubbish collections. Local councils know what works best for their local area and should retain flexibility to do what is best for their residents.
"Instead of worrying about how often councils collect bins, the government should focus on bringing forward the changes that will reduce consumption, tackle contamination and stop recyclable materials going to waste. The policies that might do that – the deposit return and extended producer responsibility schemes – keep getting delayed and watered down.
"We would also like to see support from government to address the specific challenges urban areas face to implement and drive up participation in food waste collections. And while some funding has been given to collection authorities for new food waste services, there’s still no confirmed funding for waste disposal authorities to handle and process that waste. All of this, alongside the proposed emissions trading scheme, could make services more expensive for council tax payers without leading to a meaningful reduction in waste.”
