Kerbside Collections Improving in Wolverhampton - Thanks to Liberal Democrats - But Still Some Way to Go!?

1.40.00pm GMT Mon 5th Jan 2009

Claire Darke campaigning for proper recycling

Thanks to insistent campaigning by Wolverhampton's Liberal Democrat Councillors and campaigners kerbside collections of plastic bottles, cardboard, garden waste and other recyclables are collected across the city each fortnight. Under the previous Labour regime there were no plans to introduce the collection of plastic bottles or cardboard.

The Liberal Democrat Council Group made plastic and cardboard kerbside collections a key demand prior to the annual Council meeting earlier this year.

Commenting Councillor Robin Lawrence said, "I am pleased that most of Wolverhampton's residents have their recycling collections and black bins collected on the same day each week and I am pleased to note that after a few teething problems the collection of plastic bottles and cardboard is improving. Clearly there is still much work to do. Many of the city's blocks of flats do not yet have recycling collections and there are on-going problems with the bags used for plastic bottles and cardboard blowing away after being emptied."

Robin Lawrence continued "However the biggest problem that is leaving residents of Wolverhampton South West annoyed is that Wolverhampton Council are not collecting mixed plastics. Residents still have to throw away the majority of their plastic waste into their black bins as the council will only take certain types of plastic away. Wolverhampton has the country's leading mixed plastics recycling and reprocessing plant and yet residents cannot have their mixed plastics collected at the kerbside. Sadly the ruling Conservative group have only really delivered half measures to Wolverhampton's residents who recycle."