Three Rs help zero in on waste target

Greater Manchester is on its way to achieving a target of sending no waste to landfill.

In 2002-03, 88 per cent of the region’s waste was taken to landfill, but 10 years later the amount dumped has been slashed — the figure has hit the significant milestone of 50 per cent.

In April, 2009, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) and Viridor Laing (Greater Manchester) (VLGM) entered into a 25-year recycling and waste management contract that aimed to avoid land filling at least 75 per cent of waste by 2015.

The authority said that reaching the 50 per cent mark means the 2009 aim is in sight.

GMWDA said the improvement has been brought about by residents recycling more and the investment in state-of–the-art facilities designed to treat the waste, which will all be operational by 2013.

The aim is to create a greener Greater Manchester by improving recycling and composting, diverting waste from landfill and producing green energy.

Landfilling waste is expensive, so any increase in recycling and composting also saves costs.

GMWDA, VLGM and the nine councils, which includes Rochdale, that make up the Recycle for Greater Manchester partnership, are actively promoting the 3Rs — Reduce, Re-use and Recycle — message to Greater Manchester residents.