'Green' scheme is a success (From Witney Gazette)

'Green' scheme is a success

9:00am Wednesday 1st November 2006 in Witney By Ruth Keeling

A GREEN recycling scheme has succeeded in composting hundreds of tonnes of waste and saving space in landfill sites.

West Oxfordshire District Council wants to see more people get composting, after more than 2,500 households composted 600 tonnes of waste as part of the Green Waste Scheme launched five months ago.

David Harvey, the cabinet member for environment, said: "We are all responsible for cutting waste and reducing the pressure on landfill sites, so it is wonderful that so many tonnes of green waste have been recycled into a useful product like compost.

"With the autumn leaves falling, it is a good time for people to sign up and make the most of this service, while helping the environment."

Residents, who signed up for the fortnightly collections when they began in April, paid £30, which included the cost of the hire of a 240-litre bin. The cost of joining the last six months of the scheme will be £21.

The collected waste is turned into compost at Agrivert, at Showell Farm, in Radcot, reducing the need for peat-based composts, and so helping to conserve peat bogs and the endangered species that live in them.

Recycling green waste also cuts down on the amount of space needed for landfill, and could also help the fight against global warming.

Green waste, when allowed to decompose on landfill sites, breaks down to form methane gas, as well as a toxic liquid, called leachate, which can pollute water and soil.

To sign up to the Green Waste Scheme, visit www.westoxon.gov.uk, or send an e-mail to green.waste@westoxon.gov.uk, or call 01993 861020.