Harlow Recycling Scheme is
Given Boost
Due to the huge success of its battery
recycling scheme, Harlow Council has today (31st July
2007) announced that the initiative will be extended throughout the
town. In addition to the 6,000 households currently taking part in
the scheme, 24,000 further households will now be able to recycle
their batteries, bringing the total number of households
participating to 30,000.
The scheme, which is being run by Harlow
Council and ECCO in partnership with WRAP (Waste & Resources
Action Programme), was originally launched in April 2006. Since
then, more than 40,400 batteries have been collected – the
equivalent of over one tonne of waste being diverted from landfill
to be recycled.
Councillor Eleanor Macy, Harlow Council’s
Chair of the Environment and Community Committee, says: “This is a
very encouraging development to an important pilot scheme. I would
like to thank Harlow residents for their battery recycling effort,
it’s fantastic that even more people can now participate. I’m
delighted that this scheme will enable more items to be recycled by
residents rather than sent to landfill.”
Chris Davey, Manager Local Authority
Relations at WRAP, said: “It’s quick and easy to add batteries to
your recycling routine and every battery counts. It’s great to see
that the residents of Harlow have made battery recycling a regular
habit, and I’m sure this enthusiasm will be adopted by many more
residents as the scheme extends.”
The scheme now covers all properties with
ground floor front doors across the Harlow district. Designed to
help residents to recycle more batteries more of the time, size
AAA, AA, C and D size household batteries - as well as button,
mobile phone, laptop and rechargeable batteries can be recycled
through this kerbside scheme. Residents in flat blocks can take
their batteries to the Recycling Centre for Household Waste.
WRAP is operating trials of kerbside
collection in 13 local authority areas across
the UK; retail take-back schemes in Swansea,
Perth & Kinross, and Eastleigh in Hampshire; community drop-off
trials in Camden, Cherwell and Falkirk and postal trials in parts
of Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
The scheme will be reviewed end of March 2008.
Results from the different battery recycling trials will help
identify the most effective collection strategy, to enable the UK
to meet the Batteries Directive, which requires the collection of
25% of all household batteries by 2012.
ECCO, the not for profit organisation working
with partners in Harlow can answer questions on the scheme on 01279
444244.
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