Britain needs to recycle more waste

Britain needs much more radical solutions to its biggest environmental problems, according to a report from the Prime Minister's own think tank, the Performance and Innovation Unit.

The report - to be published soon - will warn that local councils have to triple the amount of household rubbish they recycle if the UK is to avoid fines from the EU. The Today Programme has learned that fines could total up to £half million a day if Britain does not hit its targets under the Landfill Directive by 2010.

Waste, the report says, is arguably the biggest problem facing the UK after climate change. It says the government is on track to reduce emissions of so-called greenhouse gases by 2010, but warns that emissions are then projected to rise again. More taxes and incentives will be need alongside a huge leap in technology if we are to meet the 60% emission cuts recommended by scientists to stabilise the climate.

View Full Article 14^th May 2007

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