Councils launch landfill probe

The region's councils, together with Stoke-on-Trent City Council, are forging a new approach to dealing with rubbish, which aims to stop using landfill.

Top of the agenda is maximising recycling and generating useful energy with what's left over.

The partners want people's views on the strategy and have organised a series of media launches, with events being held in Stafford Market Square tomorrow and in Lichfield's Market Square; Cannock's Market Square and Codsall Co-op car park on Wednesday.

The events will be headed up by Professor Watt – an expert in rubbish – who, along with an inflatable light bulb, will help give the issues a voice and a face.

Every household in Staffordshire and Stoke produces about one tonne of waste every year – the same weight as a small car. There was 600,000 tonnes of it last year, and it is expected to rise to 700,000 by 2020.

At the moment a third is recycled, a third is landfilled and a third is turned into energy. Landfill is more polluting and is costing the tax payer more every year, with government fining councils that don't meet reduction targets.

Recycling rates have been pushed up dramatically in recent years and now the councils want to hit the 50 per cent rates achieved by top recyclers. Staffordshire Cabinet Member for Economic Prosperity and Sustainable Communities, Councillor John Wakefield, said: "We can't do this without you," he said. "Everyone in Staffordshire is part of the problem so you all have a stake in being part of the solution.

"The newspapers are full of stories about the environmental crisis and the costs of inaction. Council tax payers don't want to pick up the bill."

People can visit one of 90 exhibitions across the region or go to www.staffswaste2020.info