A press release issued by the Lewes Liberal Democrats accused the County Council of placing a cap on recycling in the districts and boroughs in order to guarantee enough waste for the energy recovery facility (incinerator) at Newhaven, which is due to open at the end of 2011.
This is not the case. The County Council has not placed a cap on the amount of waste that can be recycled – all the district and borough councils are free to recycle as much as possible. Furthermore, the waste that will be delivered to the energy recovery facility will only be waste that cannot be recycled and would otherwise be sent to landfill.
In 2003, the County Council agreed with the districts and boroughs that if they wanted to use their own facilities to recycle household waste rather than deliver that recycling into our waste management contract, the County Council would pay them for a percentage of it.
The agreed percentage figure for Lewes District Council has been 27%, but the District Council has never exceeded this amount. Last year, Lewes District Council achieved 25%. Other districts in East Sussex are achieving over 35%, although some of them collect 'green' waste which increases the recycling rate. Lewes District Council, on the other hand, encourages home composting.
The County Council has for the last year been working closely with all the districts and boroughs to agree a new approach to support increased recycling, which will mean even less waste will go to landfill.
All five district and borough councils have already sought, or will soon be seeking, approval from their own respective cabinets to sign up to the new arrangements and it is hoped that all five will be in a position to start the new scheme by 1 April 2010.
This new approach will help increase recycling in East Sussex and help us recycle up to 50% of our household waste by 2020.
Further information
For more information about the agreement see the Cabinet meeting papers for 9 March 2010.
Reference:
PR 2755
Contact the press team
East Sussex County Council