Efforts to boost recycling rates in Lacey Green are continuing this month as officers from Cheshire East Council and Groundwork Cheshire are now at the midway point of a campaign to reduce the amount of residual waste in Lacey Green.
Recent research conducted in the Wilmslow area looked at how much residual waste arrived at depots following collection rounds and the rounds in the Lacey Green area returned with more residual waste, to be sent to landfill, than other areas of Wilmslow and so a campaign was drawn up to reduce this amount.
As part of the on-going campaign, which runs until March, officers from Groundwork Cheshire have visited homes in the area to carry out surveys and discuss any concerns residents may have with recycling. Residents will also be given the chance to order additional recycling containers.
Teams from both organisations have also taken the campaign into Lacey Green Primary School in the hope of teaching future generations about the benefits of reducing landfill. The weekly visits take place every Monday and encourage pupils to take part in a number of recycling-related activities, including: recycling assemblies and workshops, composting workshops and settng up the garden area to produce fruits and vegetables. A waste audit has also been carried out – helping children and staff identify the amount and types of waste the school produces and work towards reducing it.
Cheshire East Councillor Rod Menlove, Cabinet member with responsibility for environmental services, said: "It is clear that, as an authority, we need to do more to boost recycling in the Lacey Green area and enhance the local environment. We have a responsibility to our residents to provide them with every opportunity to reduce residual waste – something which costs Council taxpayers millions of pounds every year to send to landfill.
"I am delighted with the feedback we have been getting from the children at Lacey Green Primary School – their enthusiasm for recycling and reducing waste is something we can all learn from. I would like to thank Groundwork Cheshire for their contribution to this campaign and the Lacey Green Resident's Association for their continued support."
Groundwork Cheshire Project Manager, James Kerr, added: "We're making our way around Lacey Green hoping to talk to as many residents as possible and in the next few weeks we will have completed this part of the project. We've had some great feedback so far but there is still time for you to have your say."
Headteacher of Lacey Green Primary School, Lorraine Dooley, said: "We are delighted with the children's response to the recycling project which is currently being carried out throughout the whole school. All the children and staff were involved in the initial waste audit, which helped the children and staff identify the amount and types of waste the school produces and work towards reducing it.The weekly assemblies and workshops will help to keep the children focused on recycling. It is a great way to get our young people interested, enthused and involved in recycling and embraces the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle message which they can then take home with them."
The campaign will be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the Lacey Green Residents' Association on Tuesday, February 1st from 7pm in the Pavilion off Clough Avenue.
