Lancashire County Council launches specialist team to wage war on waste

The team has been established following a massive consultation by the County Council and the twelve district and two unitary councils of Lancashire, into how household waste is handled. Initially, the team intends to work with established community groups that are already working on waste reduction schemes, or those wishing to work on waste issues.

“Every year each Lancashire household throws away almost 1,000 kilos of
rubbish – the equivalent of 2,410 tins of baked beans, most of which is
currently buried in holes in the ground,” said County Councillor Brian Johnson, Cabinet Member for Community and Regeneration. “This is not only a waste of everyone’s resources but also costs the taxpayers of Lancashire and may cause damage to the environment. With this in mind the people of Lancashire have demanded effective alternatives.”

“Our Waste Minimisation team has been formed in response to demand from the public for help with reducing the amount they throw away,” added Johnson. “The public have told us they want to recycle and compost more and that they want to work with us towards a Greener Future.”

As a result of the County Council’s waste consultation, it was revealed that 52% of local residents felt that they could cut down on their household waste, and there was an almost unanimous willingness to separate household waste. As far as recycling is concerned, 81% wish to see an increase, but if only given the choice between landfill and energy from waste solutions, 89% prefer the latter option.