Cheadle Hulme Partnership signs up to Climate Change
| Published: 3rd April 2008 21:50 |
Cheadle Hulme Partnership signs up to Climate Change
Richard Watson asserts that Climate Change Events are here to stay in Cheadle Hulme and Councillor Stuart Bodsworth presents Stockport's Council's Big Time Push towards Recycling.
Richard Watson
During the last Cheadle Hulme Partnership meeting on March 12th Richard Watson summarised the recent Climate Change Event/Exhibition on the 8th, 9th and 10th February which included a public meeting with keynote speakers Mark Hunter MP, Dr Jim Watson, Phil Turner and Cllr Stuart Bodsworth. Various local schools, Stockport Council, Oxfam, Christian Aid and companies in the Green and Energy Saving Sector were present at the event. Richard said this was not to be seen as a one-off but as the first of several such events that the Partnership hopefully would support in the future.
Councillor Stuart Bodsworth gave an abridged version of his presentation at the Climate Change event: Stockport has 4th largest carbon footprint in NW BUT IS LEADING UK IN RECYCLING.
"The Council is a leading ‘green' borough and has the power to influence change, and although direct power is limited it does have influence not only over the many Council buildings but also over the services provided, and the greatest influence over residents is with respect to waste. This year the council has received very little funding. Therefore it is imperative that the council reduces its carbon footprint as financially the borough cannot sustain current waste levels. Stockport is the third largest borough after Wigan and Manchester within the Greater Manchester Area, and as we have the M60, A34, A555 and A6 all running through the borough we have got the 4th largest carbon footprint in the North West. The council are working to reduce that and have formed a working relationship with the Energy Saving Trust. Stuart went on to say -
UK Landfill so high that UK is known as the 'Dustbin of Europe'
Landfill in the UK is the highest in Europe after only Bulgaria and Ireland, thus the UK is known to be ‘The dustbin of Europe'. In Stockport, Green Waste collections are a big success. This includes organic food waste and garden waste. Home composting has been introduced - and home composters can be bought at the council premises on Bird Hall Lane.
STOCKPORT BEST IN THE COUNTRY
Last year over 32% waste was recycled in Stockport therefore making Stockport the best in the country which is good by British standards but not comparable to the rest of Europe where in comparison, we are average for waste recycling. So overall we do not recycle enough - we are only marginally better than Greece and Portugal.
UK WILL BE FINED MASSIVELY IF UK DOESN'T HIT RECYCLING TARGETS
The real financial cost of dealing with waste within the UK is £11.6 million or £93 per household. If the UK does not improve the cost will be £17 million - £136 per home. And that is without ‘LATS' - the fine imposed to the UK of £120 - per tonne of waste in landfill, if the UK does not meet recycling targets.
Stuart went onto say that the way forward is to increase the collections of household waste for recycling in the future with an estimated breakdown as follows:
STOCKPORT CAN RECYLCE 65.7% OF WASTE
Weekly food waste collection 34.3%
Plastics (when plant has been built) in 2 years time 18%
Cardboard (following roll out in April/May incl. Telephone directories) 8.0%
Glass 3.7%
Removing Garden Waste 1.7%
Total % of waste that would be recycled = 65.7%
SUPERMARKETS HAVE BEEN OFFERED 'PACKAGING AMNESTY'
Naturally there will be a huge demand for wheelie bins and these can be obtained from Council offices at Bird Hall Lane. The council have offered to work with supermarkets on a ‘packaging amnesty' - so shoppers can unpack their unnecessary packaging at the tills. They have tried plastic bag recycling but now it is up to the government to take a stance on this.
Stockport is the 3rd most polarised borough in the country - there is a massive difference as to the amount of money it receives in comparison to others, the assumption being that it is a ‘wealthy' borough. However for Stockport - the recycling of waste is not about saving money, but it is about STOPPING THESE COSTS."
What do you think?
You will need to sign in to post a comment to this article. if you do not have an AboutMyArea account, you can join now for free.
