People in Leeds are being congratulated on their recyling efforts resulting in over 17,000 tonnes less waste being sent to landfill during the last 12 months. Latest figures from the city council for 2007-08 reveal:
The proportion of waste recycled or composted has risen from 22.3 per cent in 06/07 to almost 26 per cent in 2007/08.
Over 10,000 tonnes more waste was recycled or composted, largely due to the success of a pilot garden waste collections which del
ivered nearly 3,500 tonnes.
More people are using glass collections at 'bring banks' across the city which saw an increase of 18 per cent.
Residents are using their household green bin more as levels rose by over 2,200 tonnes, up 9 per cent on last year.
The proportion of waste sent to landfill has dropped to 73.7 per cent compared with 77.1 per cent the previous year.
Some 17,042 tonnes less waste was sent to landfill in 2007/08 compared to the previous year, the equivalent of more than 2,400 double-deck buses.
Households have cut the amount of waste created in the first place from 467kg per head of population to 440kg per head in 2007/08.
Executive board member for environmental services Coun Steve Smith said: "We're making progress with recycling and we're grateful to those households that are playing a part.
"Now we need to build on this and take the city's performance up a level if we want to be recycling 30 per cent of our household waste next year and over 50 per cent by 2020.
This week the council is teaming up with Asda with a series of education and advice events for shoppers.
Teams of recycling experts will show visitors how they can recycle, reuse and reduce products bought in a typical weekly shop at Asda stores in Morley today from 12pm to 3.30pm, Pudsey tomorrow from 10am to 12:30pm, and Killingbeck on Friday from 10am to 1pm.
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