We must recycle more metal, council urges (From Wimbledon Guardian)

We must recycle more metal, Merton council urges

11:44am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Omar Oakes

Merton Council leader, Stephen Alambritis, with some shiny recyclabes

Biscuit tins, aerosol cans and kitchen foil are not being recycled enough, the council has said in a new push to drive down the rate of metal going into landfill.

Merton Council will be sending out leaflets to residents promoting the ‘Metal Matters’ campaign, to remind people that recycling metal packaging saves energy, cuts carbon emissions and reduces the amount of landfill tax charged to the council.

Councillor Andrew Judge, the cabinet member for environmental sustainability, said: "Recycling one tonne of aluminium saves nine tonnes of CO2 emissions - the equivalent of driving nearly 3000 miles.

“Every tonne of recycled steel saves 40 per cent of the water required for virgin steel, saves half a tonne of coal, and uses only a quarter of the energy.

"Whilst most residents already recycle their food and drink cans, the Metal Matters campaign highlights the fact that sweet and biscuit tins, empty aerosols, foil trays, kitchen foil, metal bottle tops and jar lids can also be recycled."

The campaign is being pushed by the South London Waste Partnership - comprised of Merton, Sutton, Croydon and Kingston boroughs - and is paid for by the Greater London Authority and Viridor, the company that carries the councils’ recycling, composting and other waste treatment.

In the council’s latest financial report, Merton is actually forecasting a £500,000 underspend on waste management this year due to a reduction in expected transport costs and of levels of residual waste being taken to landfill.