National recognition for Oxfordshire successes
The latest annual report from Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) has just been published. Highlighted in the report are numerous Oxfordshire waste initiatives recognised for their success and innovation through national award nominations.
South Oxfordshire District Council’s new kerbside scheme, which has put the authority at the second best recycler in the country, is an award winner. David Dodds, the councillor responsible for recycling in the district, oversaw this rubbish transformation. He says: “It’s great to receive praise from our peers, and for all the hard work by officers and residents to be recognised. There’s a real sense of pride as we’re now one of the councils that others look to for inspiration.”
Other headline achievements picked out in the report include the fact that the county is now recycling more waste than it landfills (55%), the county’s recycling target has been met nine years early, new schemes in West Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse have helped recycling rates almost double in those areas and the new food waste collections are generating electricity for 4,200 homes through the county’s first anaerobic digester.
Wayne Lewis is the coordinator of OWP, he says: “This is a significant time to be working in waste management in Oxfordshire. Last year saw so many new developments it was hard to keep up! The anaerobic digester wasn’t even operating twelve months ago and now it’s recycling over 1,300 tonnes of food waste every month! I’m sure most people can’t imagine putting their food waste back in the landfill bin. We’ve got a challenge to do even more this year; but it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.”
