Barrow is one of the top ten most improved areas in the country for recycling household waste, new figures have revealed.
Following the roll-out of a new recycling and waste collection scheme across the Barrow borough last year (2009/10), more than 33 per cent of household waste in the area was sent for recycling or composting according to figures compiled by DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs).
This figure puts Barrow in the top 10 of England’s most improved recyclers and is an 11per cent improvement on the previous financial year.
The new recycling service for Barrow, launched in Spring 2009, by Barrow Borough Council in conjunction with Resource Cumbria - the waste partnership between the county and six district councils - saw households supplied with new bags for recycling plastic and cardboard at the kerbside and the introduction of smaller more compact bins to encourage people to recycle rather than depositing waste in the bin.
To inform people about and publicise the new service for Barrow, Resource Cumbria delivered 'Recycle for Barrow' - a communications push that involved a host of roadshows, broadcast and print media campaigns and various adverts from bus billboards to guides delivered to households across the borough. Recycle for Barrow was funded and supported by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme).
Cllr Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member for waste management, said: “I’d like to thank people in the Barrow borough for utilising the new and improved recycling service and boosting recycling rates.
“While being in the top 10 is a great achievement, there is always room for improvement so I’d like to encourage people in Barrow and across the county to reduce, re-use and recycle every item they possibly can.”
Emma Marsh, local communications manager for WRAP, said: “I congratulate Barrow Borough Council and the Resource Cumbria Partnership for all their efforts to increase recycling and consumer awareness.
“It’s fantastic that all their efforts have resulted in them being in the top ten most improved recyclers. But what impresses me more is what this will mean on the ground in Barrow with improved communications, increased recycling and less waste going to landfill.”
Cllr Ken Williams of Barrow Borough Council said: “This is excellent news and is not only testament to the great partnership work done between county and district colleagues, but more importantly shows how well the people of the borough have taken the scheme on board."
If people need any further information on recycling or require any containers then they should call 01229 876487.
Across Cumbria as a whole the amount of waste per household dropped from 637kg/hh to 604kg/hh over the financial year 2009/10, meaning every household in Cumbria is throwing away 33kg less waste.
With every tonne of waste sent to landfill costing the county around £80 in landfill fees and tax, this amounts to major savings.
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