Londoners need help getting greener!

• Jun. 5 by Chloe Botting (0)

 

Residents of Birmingham will be pleased to know that despite being renowned for many things we might not be so proud of, ‘brummies’ are not so bad at recycling!

 

Surely our capital city should be setting a good example, but in fact recycling rates in London are among the lowest in the UK. Whilst the city’s appetite for cycling appears to be on the increase apparently there is a serious lack of recycling bins in the residential areas of London and the provision of recycling bins for mixed plastics is particularly poor.

“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.” (Darren Johnson, deputy chair of the London Assembly environment committee)

“London is a very fast-paced city, and I think people would welcome being able to recycle ‘on the go’.” (The Mayor)

The report, published by the London Assembly’s environment committee, 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 which would amount to £44 million pounds on cost!

 

So recycling “On the go” is perhaps something all fast-paced cities can do to prevent people’s fast-paced lifestyle getting the better of their greener side.

 

“People will soon find it easier to recycle when they’re out and about. ‘Recycle on the Go’ is a new drive to put accessible recycling bins in public places, developed by Defra, Recycle Now and Encams (Keep Britain Tidy).It’s already started, with The Royal Parks rolling out a recycling bin pilot in Hyde Park over the next three months. A good practice guide and a code of practice will help those responsible for public places to make recycling easy and accessible.” (Joan Ruddock, Waste and Recycling Minister Defra UK)