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New Recycling Standards To Cut Emissions

19 October 2010

To date, local authority recycling rates are based on weight, regardless of which type or quality of materials are being recycled. However as part of the Mayor's draft municipal waste strategy, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson is proposing that London boroughs now focus on methods that achieve the greatest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with the collection, recycling and disposing of their rubbish.

Reportedly a world first for a city government, the Mayors innovative new standards for waste management will incentivise boroughs to drive down the amount of waste produced, save money and to adopt cleaner, greener recycling practices. In practice this will encourage an increase in plastics and metal recycling, as well as food and garden waste composting, and cut the emissions involved with using virgin materials in manufacturing, and in the energy required to recycle them in the first place. This will emphasise the collection of high quality materials, which will have a higher economic value as a profitable commodity. In this way, a bigger market for this material will be developed stimulating new enterprises and jobs.

These proposals, taking account of savings from avoiding emissions involved in manufacturing virgin materials and generating energy from fossil fuels - could save London 1.6m tonnes of carbon per year and, after maximising recycling, save £90m off the city's £4.4bn electricity bill and £24m off London's £2.5bn gas bill.

Boris Johnson, said: "My waste plans seek to maximise the economic value of London's waste material whilst moving away from environmentally damaging methods to dispose of it. This will include funds for infrastructure to make recycling easier and to use waste to generate cleaner, more efficient energy. I also want to ensure our streets and town centres are rubbish free to improve quality of life especially as we gear up to welcome the world to London in 2012."

The Mayor's draft municipal waste strategy and business waste strategy are open to consultation until 14 January 2010. Both can be viewed at: www.london.gov.uk

Gemma Howard