06/02/2009  Fulham estate offers blueprint for recycling solutions

Jean Lambert, London's Green Party MEP, has congratulated a Fulham estate where 98 per cent of residents are now recycling.

The Clem Attlee estate in North Fulham has been running a pilot scheme, introduced by Sauce Consultancy, the environmental communications company, London Remade Solutions, another environmental consultancy, and the North Fulham New Deal for Communities, aimed at making it easier to reduce, reuse and recycle rubbish.

While doorstep collections operate for most residents living in street level properties across the UK, residents of larger estates, like the Clem Attlee, generally have less access to facilities. Where facilities do exist, they are often outdated and less efficient options, like recycling banks.

The organisers of the scheme set out to address this, introducing measures tailor-made to match the needs of residents in different types of buildings on the estate. In a tower block, for example, one rubbish chute was designated for recyclable waste, and mini recycling stations were installed in lower-rise buildings. The result is 98 per cent participation in recycling on the estate - one of the biggest improvements in the UK.

Jean Lambert MEP praised the scheme, saying:

"By applying a bit of imagination, the organisers came up with practical, common-sense solutions.

"When so many Londoners live in densely populated areas, it's great to see innovative ways of tackling our waste problem. This scheme also helps those who might find it harder to recycle, perhaps because they are less mobile, or struggle to find the time. It's particularly encouraging after figures in November showed London lagging far behind every other region in the UK for recycling.

"New EU targets will require the UK to recycle 50 per cent of paper, metal and glass from households by 2020. The Clem Attlee scheme provides an important blueprint as we work towards meeting these targets."

News type: Press Releases