The amount of waste being recycled in Rochdale has fallen for the first time. Figures show that for the year ending April 2011, 30 per cent of the borough’s waste was recycled, down from 33 per cent the year before.
Rochdale council say the drop is due to a different way of measuring recycling, but opponents have accused town hall bosses of failing to keep up the momentum.
Councillor Wera Hobhouse, leader of the Rochdale Liberal Democrats and the former cabinet member for the environment, said the borough had lost its title as one of the greenest in Greater Manchester.
She said: "I am hugely disappointed about this news and I don’t accept the lame excuses that are being wheeled out for this failure. For many years we were leading the way of improving recycling and were second only behind Stockport council.
"While Stockport has retained its excellent recycling record Rochdale is now falling badly behind.
"When we Liberal Democrats took the borough to the top of the recycling tables in 2007, Labour continuously opposed our efforts. Now that they are in charge they make it perfectly clear that their commitment to the environment is non-existent." The 30 per cent figure places Rochdale sixth out of the 10 Greater Manchester councils in the recycling table.
Mark Widdup, director of operational services at Rochdale council, said the fall was due to a new way of classifying waste and that rates would have increased if the old measurement system was still in place.
He said that because the council does not collect food and garden waste together to turn it into compost, its green recycling figures were halved for 2010/11 under a new government-imposed measurement regime.
Without this deduction, he said the borough’s rates would have been 34 per cent, a slight increase.
He added: "The council is totally committed to increasing recycling rates due to the environmental and financial benefits this will bring.
"For this reason we introduced our food waste collection service last autumn which is already proving very successful. We are also working proactively to increase recycling rates in specific parts of the borough, including a recent project in Falinge has seen weekly recycling rates rocketing in just three months.
"In addition, we have linked up with the charity Mustard Tree to donate unwanted items of furniture to homeless and vulnerable people across the north west."
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I disagree,the food recycling is a HUGE failure. I know of nobody who is actually doing it.2 houses on the street where I live still have their brown slop buckets in the garden,behind the garden wall. Yes in exactly the same place as the council left them ( not going up to and knocking on the door ),and they have now taken root in the garden,where I expect come summer they will make a nice flower box.
A friend of mine tried it once,and that was it ,as it was smelling out his kitchen and house. He has now sacked the idea. Recycling team are their own worst enemies,they are unhelpful,surly ,will not assist,and when half an inch of snow falls they stop the collections.
Whovever dreamed up these brown food waste caddies should be sacked ,along with the heads of Environmental management.. They are a disgrace even by the standards of RMBC,and the service should be privatised. When ACRE did the recycling ,they did a much better job,and they were both reliable and friendly,and you knew when they would be coming to your street..........
Reading this particular announcement about Rochdale and it is recycling.
Surely, the Councillor whom is creating this furore about how much recycling will have checked to see if Mr Widdup is correct in what he has reported to the Council. On the other hand, is it a case that she will say anything to get publicity? We say bring back Councillor Davidson, at least she would have checked her facts before spouting off.
Hobhouse raises her head out of the proverbial wheelie bin.
Talking 'rubbish' as usual, how can the councils commitment to the environment be non-existant when it's still at 30%? Dumb comments, the people of Rochdale do enough recycling in my opinion and she needs to reflect the mood of her ward a bit more, not her personal opinions all the time.
I haven't seen her on my doorstep for a longtime yet when something green pops up out of the woodwork she appears. What about the rubbish on the streets of Norden Wera, or the lack of things to do for teenagers, the potholes all behind Edenfield Road...your paid to help out your community not spout your green politics all the time.
Its a joke Food recyling ( slop buckets) is a waste of time only attracts rats etc, What waste management qualifications has Mr. Widdup got?? I know part of the organisation is managed by an ex butcher!!! no wonder the service is failing!!!
Totally agree St. David,please read my comments below about the cost and the non use of these brown SLOP buckets. Is anyone still using them ? They certainly will not be in summer,a plague of vermin,maggots and insects will result. What have the great H+S ,and environmental health have to say about that?
I suppose they will not tell the truth and say it is not a Health issue,the same as fortmightly bin collections was deemed to be safe,and isnt. Many countries in Europe empty their bins MORE than once a week ,never mind once a fortnight,if you are lucky and an inch of snow doesnt fall,or a bin wagon breaks down.Remember last Winter? Some residents had NO collections for 6 weeks,what a joke when every other service was operating.
Food recycling?
I throw my food waste under a bush in the garden at night, it’s always gone in the morning.
Let's face it: recycling in Rochdale due to the council is a joke.
The council gives recycling bins for people but they, the people, do not know how to recycling food etc.
It is not the system that is wrong: the council needs to educate the people, and make them recycle.