News Release

20th March 2001

MICHAEL FABRICANT CALLS FOR A NATIONAL DOORSTEP RECYCLING SCHEME

Michael Fabricant today called for a national recycling scheme that would revolutionise recycling in Britain. Michael has signed a Parliamentary motion to put pressure on the Government to take decisive action on recycling. Currently the UK lags way behind other countries on its recycling record, recycling a pathetic 11% of household waste, in comparison to 52% in Switzerland, 48% in Austria and Germany, and 46% in the Netherlands.

Michael Fabricant says: "Failure to ensure that recycling schemes are expanded to the doorstep will inevitably mean more rubbish going to landfill sites or incinerators. At the last election, the Conservative Party promised to introduce doorstep recycling to every home. Unfortunately the Labour Party failed to make the same promise. Currently, 42 % of Labour local authorities have no provision for separating recyclable material from household waste; this figure compares to 29% for Liberal Democrat authorities and only 19% for Conservative Authorities. I believe that effective recycling is the only long term solution to UK's growing waste problem. We need to set ambitious targets. Most constituents I meet want to recycle and do their bit for the environment, but all too often it is just too inconvenient or difficult to get to the right facilities. By making recycling as easy as putting the rubbish out, we will start to see real progress. I am pleased that Lichfield District Council is setting a good example in this area".

Martyn Williams, Senior Parliamentary Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, says "We congratulate Michael for signing the Motion, an important move supporting doorstep recycling to every home. Easy and effective recycling will benefit us all, creating jobs locally and saving resources. The Government must follow the Conservative example here to lift the UK from having one of the worst recycling records in Europe".