MEPS VOTE FOR MORE RUBBISH RECYCLING

 Although the North East might have seen the greatest improvement of any region in the country, in the percentage of household waste recycled from 2002-2006, new EU legislation will help the region aim higher in a bid to improve recycling rates for household rubbish across the UK.

MEPs have reached an agreement with Europe's environment ministers to set a target of recycling 50% of household waste by 2020, and of 70% for industrial and commercial wastes. Governments that fail to introduce the necessary measures could face multi-million pound fines.

Fiona claims that EU environment legislation has played a major role in raising the regions’ ambitions, whilst also tackling a major cause of pollution - landfill and waste incineration.

Fiona said: "Britain's record on recycling was abysmal until ministers took action to avoid falling foul of the EU Landfill Directive. Now we are making better use of resources and reducing the global warming gases emitted from landfill sites.

“The fact that the percentage of household waste being recycled in the North East has trebled from 7-21% in four years, just goes to show that more people in the region want to recycle. As recycling goes from strength to strength, I hope this will mean a greatly reduced need for landfill in the future.”

But she expressed disappointment that governments across Europe will have another six years in which to draw up plans to reduce the growing size of their waste mountains.

 "Reducing waste is a matter of political will," Fiona said. "Some major supermarkets in the UK have pledged to reduce the waste they create by 25% over the next four years. Governments could ensure that all businesses aim to do the same."

The new law gives weight to the principle that recycling should be given priority over incineration when it comes to dealing with waste, but the latter will be permitted so long as energy is recovered from the material that is burned. A study carried out by environmental charity Friends of The Earth showed that the 50% household recycling rate across Europe could save emissions equivalent to taking 31 million cars off the road.