London,
27
September
2012
|
23:00
Europe/London

Residents help Hackney to boost recycling

Hackney residents recycled more waste than ever before in May, thanks to new schemes for people in flats and estates.

More than 1,400 tonnes of waste was sent for recycling, roughly the same weight as three jumbo jets, the most since the service began in 2002.

An expansion in food waste collections helped more than double the amount collected from flats and estates as more properties were serviced, and mixed recyclables also hit a record high with more than 464 tonnes sent for recycling.

This, added to the large amount of recycling collected from street level properties helped the borough set a new benchmark for success.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: "It's great to see people taking advantage of the wide range of recycling services we offer.

"Here in Hackney it's possible for residents to join in with all sorts of recycling schemes for food, garden and household waste and to use recycling bins on the go out on streets and in our parks."

The latest figures are a boost to Hackney ahead of a change in the way materials are collected in 2013.

Following a trial in Cazenove ward the Council is set to introduce a commingled collection which will see recyclables mechanically separated at a special facility rather than by hand at the kerbside.

This will speed up collections, save money and could boost recycling by up to 26% in the borough.