Call for county to go greener (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Call for county to go greener

12:52pm Monday 19th March 2007 in News By Alex Lewis

ENVIRONMENTALISTS are attacking Hertfordshire County Council for not doing enough to help the fight against global warming.

The authority recently signed the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change, but St Albans Green Party says much more needs to be done, and urgently.

Leader Simon Grover said: "Hertfordshire could be taking the lead in this area instead of tinkering at the edges.

"Shropshire Council has a full-blown climate change strategy, an energy agency and a strong sustainable transport policy.

"Other councils have carbon-neutral public buildings, combined heat and power projects, smart metering and street-light replacement programmes, to mention just a few."

The methane produced by landfill sites is an increasing contributor of climate change, and Mr Grover argued that instead of planning massive new hi-tech plants to dispose of the growing mountain of rubbish, the council should do more to restrict the amount of waste produced, for example by installing free composters.

And Greens are urging the authority to subsidise a county-wide nappy laundry service to encourage parents to switch from disposables.

Mr Grover said: "These are simple, workable, human-scale solutions that would actually work."

A council spokesman responded: "Hertfordshire County Council is committed to playing its part in tackling climate change and signing the Nottingham Declaration is the first step towards this.

"The next step is to introduce initiatives such as a climate change strategy to establish tough targets on the reduction of greenhouse gasses for the authority and the county.

"As a council we want to set an example to others. We are already meeting some of the commitments, but there is further work to do and we are working towards that.

"The Hertfordshire Waste Partnership made up of the county council and ten district councils is currently carrying out a public consultation to look at ways of encouraging residents to reduce the amount of waste they produce, recycle and alternative treatment methods for the residual waste that's left.

"As part of this exercise we are looking at alternative waste treatment methods to landfill.

"We discourage people from using disposable nappies and promote the use of real nappies to reduce the amount sent to landfill.

"We offer a cash-back incentive for people switching to real nappies to further encourage them. Heavily discounted composters and water butts are offered to people through a partnership with Blackwall Nurseries so that for a low price all year round rainwater and compostable materials can be re-used in the garden."

To have yourr say on the future of waste disposal, you can request a consultation form on 08457 425000 or by visiting the website at www.wasteaware.org.uk/strategy before Friday, March 30.