U-turn - they will be recycling plastics. About time

12.48.50pm GMT Mon 20th Mar 2006

Wash and squash - until a recycling point is available in Handside, we will continue to recycle plastics here.

News that the council had finally yielded to demands for the provision of facilities to recycle plastic bottles was greeted with delight and great satisfaction by local Liberal Democrats. Speaking after the Environment Committee meeting last week, at which the U-turn was announced, Cllr. Tony Skottowe said, "We are overjoyed that the sustained pressure, over many years, from local LibDems, and an increasing chorus of demands from local residents, has finally forced the Conservatives to accept the inevitable." The LibDems have been particularly upfront on this issue and have been running collections from the Free Church car park opposite Salisbury's for years. They have also kept the subject at the forefront of recycling demands in the District.

"The only argument we have with the announcement is that there are no proposals for a collection point in Welwyn Garden Town Centre." said Tony Skottowe. "Given that Handside has been one of the key driving forces behind this issue, and has been recycling substantial amounts of plastic bottles for years, it is totally unacceptable for the council to miss us out. It may be difficult to find a site, but one has got to be found, or the residents of Handside will be outraged." he continued.

Nigel Quinton had earlier pointed out from the public gallery that the committee need look no further than neighbouring St Albans and Watford to see what can be done to encourage greater recycling, even if it meant one had first to elect a Liberal Democrat council!