[Wylug-discuss] paper recycling

[Nigel Cemm]

Hello,


Sorry for the (very) off topic item ...

> Saying that, Leeds do now have a recycling scheme that collects waste
> paper, card, cans and plastic bottles from those residential
> properties they have provided a green wheelie bin to. Whether it is
> anything but an attempt to be seen to be doing something is debatable
> - after all it is still unsorted and dirty waste of debatable
> commercial value.
>

I recall a item broadcast last year in the regional slot by the Beeb
(I forget the actual program name). It went into some detail
regarding the "recycling collection" being run by Leeds City Council
at the time.

In essence, a Sheffield based company collected the items from the
green wheelie bins, containerised it ... then shipped it to Indonesia
for landfill!

The reporter attempted to extract an explanation from the city
council and the recycling company and, as I recall, the concensus was
that it had to be sent to landfill because nobody could make any
money from it.

There was no explanation forthcoming regarding the need to make money
from recycling, (are we simply unable to pay for materials to be
recycled?), and why the need to ship the material to the other side
of the globe.

It was somewhat depressing to be presented with the images of
landfill sites in Indonesia full of supermarket bags from West Yorks.

Does anyone have an update on the current situation?


---
nigel.