Lib Dems win recycling battle with Tories

12.24.00am GMT Thu 11th Mar 2010

Lib Dem-run Lewes District Council has won a long-running battle to increase recycling in the district. Recycling levels had been capped by Conservative-run East Sussex County Council to guarantee waste for their incinerator, but Lib Dem-run Lewes District has won a campaign to lift limits on recycling.

Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, who had raised the issue with the government in the House of Commons, says: "The true colour of David Cameron's Toxic Tories has been exposed locally. I am delighted that the Lib Dem-run district has won this fight, and I will continue to press with my colleagues to increase recycling levels here."

Council leader Ann De Vecchi says: "This is a victory for the environment. The Conservatives were limiting recycling so that there was enough waste for their hated incinerator in Newhaven[1]. They have now been shamed into this climb-down. While the Tory-run district councils rushed to sign this new contract, we have renegotiated it to make sure that we can definitely increase the amount of recycling we do."

"This agreement we have negotiated means two things. Firstly, we can increase the amount and type of recycling we pick up, so we would hope to expand cardboard recycling and potentially introduce kitchen waste collection. Secondly, we will now be able to sell our recycled materials on the open market, and therefore receive a better price for it."

Lewes District Council has almost reached its target of 27%, and is aiming for a recycling rate of over 50% in the long term. It is investing in new glass collection for the areas of Lewes which do not currently have it.

Recycling costs East Sussex County Council £2.2 million each year. The county council have committed to a further £6 million over the next 25 years. This sum is dwarfed by the estimated cost of the Newhaven incinerator at £146 million over the same period. The county council has also caused anger among local residents with its plans for landraise sites in the county.

[1] Joint Waste Management report, item 2.2. http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/6ECAD658-421F-401B-A15B-DFBB77F1AB0D/22994/C9Mar2010Item7JointWasteManagement.pdf