Mayor must help Londoners recycle ‘on the go’
A new report from the London Assembly today calls for the Mayor to tackle the mountain of waste produced by people while out and about in the capital.
London has the lowest recycling rates in the UK and every week, people living, working and visiting the capital produce enough lunchtime waste to fill Trafalgar Square1.
The report from the Assembly’s Environment Committee says the amount of plastic collected is growing and public appetite for recycling is increasing. Despite this, there is a distinct lack of special "on the go" recycling bins and poor provision of facilities for mixed plastic recycling in London.
Darren Johnson AM, deputy Chair of the London Assembly Environment Committee, said: "While Londoners’ facilities for recycling at home have improved greatly over recent years, it can be a real headache finding decent recycling facilities when you’re out and about – whether on the Tube, out shopping or at a football match. The Mayor must take a lead in changing this.
"The environmental cost of disposable plastic food and drink containers is higher than ever. The capital recycles or composts just 22 percent of its municipal waste, and cannot continue to cope with the amount of rubbish going to landfill.
"London is a very fast-paced city, and I think people would welcome being able to recycle ‘on the go’."
The report says that if all of London’s plastic currently sent to landfill and incinerated was recycled, it would save around 1.2million tonnes of CO2 per year and over £44 million in costs.2
Some businesses and organisations, such as Earl’s Court Olympia, Heathrow Terminal Five, Prêt a Manger and Tesco, have already realised the benefit of recycling ‘on the go’. Other companies, like Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, are also working to simplify the composition of plastic to make the collection and recycling process easier.
While recycling mixed plastics is not as straightforward as other waste, it is possible. London needs its own special recycling facility like those that exist elsewhere in the UK and Europe. The report calls on the Mayor and the London Waste and Recycling Board to ensure London manages its own waste and does not rely on exporting it, either overseas or to other parts of the UK, or dumping it in landfill.
The Committee highlights a number of ways for increasing recycling:
* The Mayor should direct a London-wide ‘on the go’ waste management scheme, making it easier and more convenient to recycle.
* He should work with private sector companies, such as Coca-Cola, who are keen to increase the number of ‘on the go’ recycling zones throughout the UK.
* There should be enough bins on the streets, in parks, shopping centres and entertainment venues, and consistent signage and symbols for ‘on the go’ recycling bins should be used.
* Recycling provision on the transport network must be extended to include plastics.
Darren Johnson said: "The Mayor must take action to ensure London is at the forefront of the recycling industry. Almost one million people commute into central London on an average working day by public transport – and recycling should not end at home.
"It is especially important that > ‘> on the go> ‘> recycling is in place before London 2012 so that the Games can stay true to its mission of sending zero waste to landfill."
Notes:
1. http://londonremade.com/closed-loop-recycling
2. Total cost of incineration and landfill excludes transport cost and energy income. London Waste and Recycling Board.
3.> As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.