The UK is still bottom of the European Union dustbin league, the Local Government Association has said while praising the doubling of the recycling rate in the past five years.
But 2007 figures show that the UK still dumps around 19.9 million tonnes in landfill per year, compared with 14.7 million in Italy, 14.3 million in Spain and 11.4 million in France.
Gary Porter, chair of the LGA’s environment board, said: ‘Britain is still throwing more rubbish in the ground than any other country on the continent. People have done a brilliant job in recent years to recycle more, but there is still a long way to go if we are to avoid huge EU bin fines.
‘Councils could use the money they pay to the government in bin taxes to invest in new technology that would make it even easier for people to recycle.’
But 2007 figures show that the UK still dumps around 19.9 million tonnes in landfill per year, compared with 14.7 million in Italy, 14.3 million in Spain and 11.4 million in France.
Gary Porter, chair of the LGA’s environment board, said: ‘Britain is still throwing more rubbish in the ground than any other country on the continent. People have done a brilliant job in recent years to recycle more, but there is still a long way to go if we are to avoid huge EU bin fines.
‘Councils could use the money they pay to the government in bin taxes to invest in new technology that would make it even easier for people to recycle.’
