Defra finds extra £2m to support local waste management

A two million pound payout to encourage four councils to recycle and minimise more of their municipal waste has been announced by Environment Minister Elliot Morley.


The money will be shared between Great Yarmouth, Bedford, North Kesteven and Rushcliffe local authorities to help local residents and businesses cut down their waste and recycle more.

After the four local authorities were deemed “near misses” during the last funding round, Defra managed to make the extra £2 million available for them.

Using the money, the selected councils will implement projects over the next year to help them meet their recycling and composting targets. Altogether, these schemes are expected to divert around 25,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill and boost national recycling rates.

Mr Morley said that the awards demonstrated the government’s continuing commitment to improving waste management in the UK at every level.

“The funding of these schemes will contribute towards our highly challenging national target to recycle and compost a quarter of our household rubbish in 2005/06, but it can only work with the enthusiasm of residents,” the Minister stated.

“If residents embrace the scheme we can achieve results we can be proud of, and I’m confident that residents will do just that.”

The money will be donated from Defra’s National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund, which invites applications from local authorities for money to kick start waste management schemes.

Since 2002, the fund has awarded over £225 million to over 350 projects outside London.

By Jane Kettle

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