Recycling Pledge Gains Support

Paddy Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has joined the Somerset Waste Partnership's 'Pledge to Recycle' campaign.

Somerset is the first county to combine recycling and refuse collection services countywide. Last year, it achieved a recycling rate of over 47 per cent, compared to a national rate of 30 per cent. Somerset recycled 129,957 tonnes of household waste, with 144,932 tonnes going to landfill. Aimed at encouraging further recycling, the Pledge was launched in June by cricket stars Marcus Trescothick and Neil Edwards.

Lord Ashdown commented: "Recycling is an important part of looking after our environment, not just in helping to save natural resources, but also in helping to reduce the impact of climate change."

Chair of the Somerset Waste Partnership, Councillor Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, hopes as many people as possible will sign up: "The Pledge Campaign is a great way for people to keep up to date with all the latest recycling information."