Recycle Kitchen Waste, say Lib Dems

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 4th Jun 2007

Cllr Carl Mayhew wants kitchen waste collections

A trial of the collection of Kitchen waste is being suggested by the Liberal Democrat Group at City Hall.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Mile Cross Ward, Carl Mayhew, who is asking

the Council's Executive to consider a trial, commented:

"I am fully behind the Council's Waste Management Strategy and the introduction of an alternate weekly collection for some wards from October. However if we are to really have aspirations of being 'amongst the best recycling authorities in the

country by 2012' then we must be looking at what other councils are doing.

"Our neighbours in Broadland and Waveney District Council have announced

trials of kitchen waste and I think we should be doing the same.

Over 13% of what goes to landfill is food waste. Therefore this should be

collected separately and I think a trial on the lines of Broadland DC should

be looked at.

"At the same time this would show that the Council is looking to find ways to

deal with food waste which we are hearing from residents is one of their

main concerns with the AWC."

Cllr Mayhew will put his idea to the Labour Executive at a Council Meeting on Tuesday. He will ask:

Following the recent publicity from neighbouring Broadland DC & Waveney DC

who are to introduce a pilot scheme to collect kitchen waste would the exec

member for environmental impact and transport consider a similar pilot to

compliment the councils Waste Management Strategy which will see some areas

of the city moving to an Alternate Weekly Collection in October?

Whilst residents appreciate the need to reduce the amount of rubbish going

to landfill there is a genuine concern that AWC would result in an

unhygienic situation. The collection of kitchen waste would overcome many

anxieties connected with AWC and the Liberal Democrats who fully support the

council's Waste Management Strategy wish to respond to the concerns of

residents and push this Council to achieve more by at least agreeing to look

into collection of kitchen waste.