Save Haringey's recycling banks

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 24th Sep 2008

Liberal Democrats demanded a halt to the scrapping of Haringey Borough's 75 recycling banks. The revelation that they are to be cut was unearthed this week in a cross-party Overview and Scrutiny review into the London Borough of Haringey's waste management and recycling services.

The dedicated recycling facilities located through Haringey offer the only alternative to Haringey Council's controversial doorstep co-mingling scheme.

Critics of the co-mingling scheme point to poor quality of the recycled material after it is recovered. For example glass recovered from the co-mingled process cannot actually be recycled into glass because of contamination and instead is used as road fill, losing much of the energy saving potential.

Commenting, Councillor Lyn Weber, Overview & Scrutiny Panel Member said:

"We couldn't believe what we were hearing at the Scrutiny review meeting. Haringey Council should be aiming for better recycling standards not worse.

"Coming only weeks after Labour's Greenest Borough initiative, the scrapping of this service shows that they haven't got a clue when it comes to the environment."

Councillor Ed Butcher, Haringey Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson added:

"Whilst co-mingled is the best worst option for increasing recycling, it is ludicrous to make it impossible for those dedicated green souls who are willing to make the extra effort to save the planet.

"This decision proves that Haringey Labour carries out absolutely no green assessment of its decisions. If they had done so the evidence would have clearly shown that this bonkers plan will increase the amount of carbon dioxide Haringey Council is indirectly responsible for."