New figures show that Hampshire residents are some of the best in the country for recycling their household waste. In association with Project Integra, the innovative partnership of all local authorities in Hampshire for dealing with household waste, the area is continuing to lead the way for recycling and sustainability.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) recently published figures on national waste management statistics. From these, Integra officers have been able to compare them to Hampshire to see how the county ranks against the national average.

The recycling rate for the partnership is a particular cause for celebration. DEFRA figures show that the national average is just 13%, while the south-east region fares only slightly better at 17%. However, Hampshire’s current rate (including Southampton and Portsmouth) is over 22%, showing the difference that the Integra partnership is making. The unique partnership approach allows joined up thinking and strategic planning to maximise efficiency.

All this is helped greatly by the many successful kerbside recycling schemes across the county. Latest figures indicate that up to 95% of Hampshire households now have access to a kerbside collection for dried mixed recyclables like newspapers, cans and plastic bottles. This is a long way ahead of the national average of 58%.

Project Integra’s long term aim is to achieve 40% recycling in the partnership by 2005/06, and this is certainly achievable thanks to some new initiatives coming on-line. Funding of over £5 million from DEFRA will go towards providing additional kerbside collection schemes and increased green waste processing capacity. To help process all the extra recyclables collected, a new sorting facility will open in Alton next summer, capable of handling 85,000 tonnes per year.

Councillor Alan Marsh, Chairman of the Integra Policy, Review and Scrutiny Panel, said: "The latest figures show that Hampshire and the Integra partnership continue to lead the way in waste management. Everybody can now do their bit to ensure recycling gets even more efficient as we aim for our target of 40% recycling by 2006."

The County Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Councillor Keith Estlin, added: "The figures are excellent and residents should be rightly proud of their achievements. They should, however, make sure that they are not complacent, ensuring continued success."

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For more information, please contact Paul Laughlin on 01962 846629.