Just an update on where the Council is with household recycling:

At the moment 240,000 households are having doorstep green compostcollections.

As of the fortnight starting 18th October, 100,000 households will haveplastics, metals and glass (multi-material) collected from the doorstep.

In April 2007, the multi-material collection will be expanded to cover atotal of 200,000 households

In April 2008, both the green compost and plastics/metal and glasscollections will be expanded to cover 360,000 households - this will meanthat all non-multi occupancy accomadation in Birmingham will have a doorsteprecycling collection.

In the municipal year 2003/4 - the final year of the Labour administrationthe amount of waste recycled was 12.83% (excluding incinerated material).

At the moment 17% of waste is recycled.By 2010, the Council plans to recycled 30% of household waste - excludingincinerated waste.

At the moment all plastics, metals and glass are sent to Blackburn to besorted - this is the nearest multi-material sorting centre. I'm informedthat the same company is now building a Midlands based centre in Aldridge.

The collected green compost is being sent to one of five companies:
i) Simpro - most compost from south Birmingham goes here. They arebased near Droitwich where they have long lines of compost heaps which theykeep regularly turning. The compost takes about six weeks to rot and is soldonto the farm industry
ii) Moodys - most compost from north Birmingham goes here. The rottedcomposted is bagged and sold at two outlets in Birmingham - Dennings DIYstore in Northfield and Gravelly Hill Garden Centre in Gravelly Hill
iii) Rymans - rotted compost goes the farm industry
iv) Neutramulch - I don't have any information on this company
v) The Council's own Cofton Park compost heaps. These will take some compostas an experiment to see how they do. This facility has bagging facilities,so could easily sell the compost back to the public.