'IS THE COUNCIL PAYING TWICE TO HAVE YOUR OVERSPILL RECYCLING SENT TO THE TIP?' - LORELY BURT MP
March 26, 2007 12:00 AM
Solihull's MP, Lorely Burt has questioned whether Solihull Council is not paying twice over to have materials left for recycling sent to landfill.
Mrs Burt, who recycles regularly at the Monkspath Hall Road bring site, recently dubbed the newly introduced plastic recycling point "woefully inadequate" after residents left a sea of plastics around a container that was stuffed full over the weekend.
As a result, the number of containers was increased to four, but now she has learned that the Council is paying contractors to clear up the overspill from the site and has been told that they are dumping these materials into landfill if the containers are full.
Lorely Burt MP said:
"My husband, Richard arrived to recycle this Monday to find that all the plastic and bottle banks were full, and that materials had been left around the containers. Contractors were clearing the overspill into a van and when he asked them what they were doing with the materials said they would be tipping it - "what else can we do?"
"In effect, the council is paying twice for recyclable materials brought to the site to be dumped, because they are paying for its collection and for the landfill tax at £21 per tonne.
"This is a betrayal of people's trust, a waste of taxpayers' money and causes extra damage to the environment.
"On revisiting the site this Tuesday morning Richard discovered that containers still had not been emptied from the weekend and that a new pile of materials had been left on the floor, presumably to be shovelled into the back of a van and sent to landfill.
"Thousands of Solihull residents have responded to my recent environment survey and the vast majority want to recycle more. The sooner Solihull Council respond to their demand the better.
"This kind of behaviour is simply not acceptable - particularly for a Council that likes to trumpet their environmental credentials."
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