Campaign aims to drive home message about recycling

Councils have been encouraging people to recycle glass, metal, paper and plastic for several years but the message has fallen on deaf ears in some parts.

Council officers charged with reducing the amount going into landfill sites say that a hardcore of people do not seem to be interested in recycling anything that they throw away.

Although recycling bins have been distributed widely in Bradford, some householders do not use them while others have not asked for replacements for those stolen or damaged.

One officer said: "They are putting everything in the normal bin; they can't be bothered."

He added: "Some people think we recycle to make money and they ask why they should they do it? People think they are doing us a favour because they already pay council tax. Others say they can't be bothered."

Despite this the council is positive that the recycling message is largely accepted by most people, and is reaching more people.

Bradford Council's executive member for environment and sustainability, Ghazanfer Khaliq, said: "We want to encourage people who haven't considered recycling in the past or have decided against it, to change their mind and make more of an effort to help the local authority increase recycling figures.

"Bradford Council works had to provide a wide range of opportunities for people to recycle a large proportion of their rubbish rather than sending it to landfill, but all that hard work goes to waste if people aren't prepared to help us.

"It really is time to bin the excuses and help us to reduce the impact the district has on the planet."

The campaign is aimed at people who are aware of recycling but have not yet contemplated it.

Others may have occasionally recycled sporadically, but not committed to it wholeheartedly.

The council wants to build on the success of the recent "Stop It" campaign in the Holme Wood area of Bradford, where there are 3,500 homes and 11,000 residents.

The council said the campaign led to a lot of requests for recycling bins.