From Ben A
Monday, 19 November 2007

I recently read a letter in the Hebden Bridge Times (15/11/2007) by Barbara Green (I hope she won't mind my referencing her) stating that the Plastic Recycling Club based at Hebble End is facing closure due to a lack of funding. She argued her point far more eloquently than I could. This is an absolutely fantastic service and deserves our support.

Please e-mail requests for support to customer.first@calderdale.gov.uk for the attention of Mr.Malcolm Ackroyd, Waste Manager. By my limited understanding the Plastic Recycling Club has been set up and run on one grant and little other financial support. It would cost the council little in the greater picture and do nothing but good for all involved (council included).

Posted by Jim Band
Monday, 19 November 2007

This is indeed a worthy cause, but according to Ms. Green this project was never funded by the council, so why harangue them now about it's closure?

Would it not be more appropriate to lobby whichever organisation initlally funded this project and then pulled out?

It's a worthy cause, but if the project was launched without future funding secured or agreed support from the MBC, I think it is grossly unfair (and tantamount to blackmail) to suddenly now inundate them with emails demanding support for it being re-instated.

If we genuinely feel so strongly about plastic recycling, maybe we should accept responsibility for dealing with it ourselves.

From Ben A
Tuesday, 20 November 2007

That's fair comment Jim. I certainly wasn't trying to encourage blackmailing of the MBC (although that also sounds appealing just as a pastime), merely trying to think of who may be able to offer some kind of financial support. Perhaps the club could look towards some kind of monthly/yearly subscription from its membership.

From Tim N
Wednesday, 28 November 2007

As it is Calderdale MBC who are responsible for getting rid of our household rubbish I would have thought they are an exellent place to lobby in the first instance. Every extra ton of waste that goes into landfill costs the Council (and therefore CT payers).

I'm not convinced of the sense, logic or long term economics of incineration. Therefore I would prefer that the Council developed all possible recycling options in preference to landfill or burning.

Should the voluntary sector really being the ones that deal with our waste in the most sensible way?

From Ben A
Tuesday, 20 November 2007

It has come to my attention that the Council has in fact supported the Recycling Club. They actually initially helped financially to set it up and supported it with another couple of grants, so I apologise to Mr. Malcolm Ackroyd for suggesting otherwise.