Mayor and Olympic champion support recycling

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Sir Matthew Pinsent has urged residents in Wandsworth to make recycling their goal

July 6, 2005

Four times Olympic rowing champion, Matthew was supporting last week's high profile campaign called 'the BIG Recycle', which aimed to encourage more people to recycle more of their household waste.

The Recycle Western Riverside campaign, which is working alongside Wandsworth Council to raise local recycling rates, organised events during the week throughout the four boroughs that comprise the Western Riverside Waste Authority. These are
Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea.

A huge orange recycling sack was situated in the Southside Shopping Centre on Saturday, July 2 and passers by were encouraged to throw recyclable materials such as plastic bottles and newspapers into the bag to score a 'recycling goal'.

People who took part received a reusable canvas bag, so that they don't need to use plastic carrier bags. They were also given pens and pads made from recycled paper, leaflets with information about recycling and a 'no junk mail' sticker which residents can stick on their letterbox to discourage junk mail droppers.

One of the first to score a recycling goal was Wandsworth's Mayor Cllr Diana Whittingham who said: 'The BIG Recycle week provided residents with a great opportunity to join in with the national event and find out more about recycling in the borough. I urge everyone to make recycling their goal.'

Matthew Pinsent expressed his support for the campaign, saying: "If we all realised what a massive difference we could make by recycling used packaging, such as soft drinks and food cans, paper, glass, plastic bottles and jars, I think we would all do it.

'I know from my own experience that it has never been easier to make recycling a part of your everyday life. That's what the BIG Recycle is all about ' letting people know how and where they can do it, wherever they live.'

People in Wandsworth are already well ahead of their neighbours in other boroughs when it comes to recycling. Last year, Wandsworth was the only borough out of the four constituent members of WRWA to meet its statutory recycling targets. Wandsworth's rate of 17.5 per cent surpassed the Government's target of 16 per cent.

The ratio of recycling banks to residents now stands at 1:107. In comparison, the Mayor of London's target for this ratio is 1:500.

Residents of privately owned housing blocks who would like a recycling bank should telephone (020) 8871 6233. Council tenants or leaseholders should telephone (020) 8871 8604.

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