GBP76 million for local recycling projects

The money is being taken from the National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund, which has received 357 applications for funding for 2003-4. Of these, 142 schemes have been approved.

Fifty-two percent of the cash has been allocated to local authorities in the Turning Around Low Performance category. Twenty-six percent is to go to applications in the Partnership category, and of the remainder, 16% has gone to general projects, 4% to best practice in innovation, and 2% to community initiatives.

The funding includes £328,000 to Adur District Council for kerbside dry recycling scheme from fortnightly to weekly collections; £411,000 to Lichfield District Council to provide kerbside dry recyclables collection to difficult types of housing that are currently excluded; and £225,000 to West Lindsey for a kerbside green waste collection.

Announcing the cash, Beckett noted that the Strategy Unit’s report on waste management in the UK, published on 27 November, calls for 45% recycling of household waste, and gives a number of recommendations as to how this could be achieved (see related story). “We certainly do need to raise our game on recycling, whatever other measures are put in place,” she said.