In just three years, 80% of council waste now recycled

The world may have been a blanket of white, but Leeds City Council is becoming increasingly green – thanks to a massive increase in recycling rates.

The amount of waste from Leeds City Council buildings that is recycled has gone from 20% to almost 80% in just three years.

Recycling rates have been boosted by the introduction of paper and card recycling bins in every office, followed swiftly by plastic bottle and tin can recycling bins. Some larger offices are now sending half of all their waste to be recycled.

However recycling bins are not the end of the process. Even when waste is put into normal bins destined for landfill it is sorted prior to disposal at a plant that achieves a 70% recycling recovery rate.

And for the first time, waste from skips used by the council is now collected and 73% of it eventually is recycled.

All together, it means that 80% of all council waste is recycled.

The council receives a rebate on segregated recycling, which is invested back into improving facilities in offices to encourage staff to recycle even more.

Councillor James Monaghan, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for environmental services, said:
“I’m pleased that we have been able to achieve such high levels of recycling in our offices and workplaces.
“This has been both staff taking the time to sort rubbish themselves and also using innovative means to deal with rubbish that would otherwise be consigned to landfill.
“We’re asking the public to recycle more and more, so it’s only fair that we put our own house in order.
“It’s clear that the council is leading the way on recycling and, if we can reach 80%, then all commercial businesses in the city should also be able to reach that target.”

Figures for all council buildings showing percentage of building waste sent to landfill:
2007/08 80%
2008/09 24.6%
2009/10 (current) 23.4%

ENDS
For media enquiries please contact:
Michael Molcher, Leeds City Council (0113) 224 3937
e-mail: michael.molcher@leeds.gov.uk