Petition calls for plastics recycling

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 16th May 2009

Dave Kerr-Rettie & Paul Hodgkinson with the petition

Liberal Democrats on the CDC have handed in a petition at last week's Council meeting, calling for all plastic packaging to be recycled on the doorstep.

This follows on from successful recycling roadshows organised by the Lib Dems in the last six months which visited Cirencester, Tetbury, Stow, Northleach and South Cerney. Members of the public showed support by bringing plastics for recycling to the roadshows.

Shadow Environment spokesman Cllr Paul Hodgkinson (Churn Valley) who presented the petition said, "750 people at the roadshows have signed the petition and have told us they want plastics recycling on the doorstep. All over the country, firms are setting up schemes to recover many types of plastics, but in Cotswold District we can at present recycle only plastic bottles at bottle banks. Many people are complaining that their black bin is now mainly filled with plastics, and are astounded to find all of it is land-filled."

Cllr Hodgkinson is delighted at the big response to the campaign, "This has proved to be one of the best supported petitions we have launched. CDC's administration have said it would be too expensive, but if Stroud and many other districts can do it cost effectively, why can't we? Where there's a will, there's a way! Waste contractors now routinely collect plastics without it leading to increased council tax. If it were properly organised, we would also gain by not paying exorbitant fees and taxes for land-filling it."