NEWS RELEASE
From the office of the Green MEPs


22 July, 2003

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Event: London MEP to visit London recycling company
Date: Wednesday, July 23, 4.30pm
Place: London Recycling Ltd, 4D North Crescent, Cody Road, London E16 4TG

GREEN MEP TO VISIT LONDON RECYCLING COMPANY

London's Green MEP Jean Lambert will visit London Recycling Ltd, one of London's largest independent recycling companies, as part of a week-long tour of community projects in London.

Mrs Lambert is touring a select group of London's good practice businesses and organisations this week, under the theme of "jobs from recycling".

Based in Newham, London Recycling was formed in 1986 and offers a wide range of services to London communities.

The company runs a regular collection service in the city and has recycling facilities equipped to handle more than 40,000 tonnes of paper each year.

London Recycling also boasts a unique paper shredding machine that is currently the only one of its kind in the UK.

Mrs Lambert will tour the company's facilities and engage in an open discussion about waste and recycling issues in London.

Mrs Lambert said: "Britain has an abysmal recycling record. We only recycle 11% of our household waste which is only a quarter of our northern European neighbours. By 2016 EU law will force Britain to cut the 80% of its waste going to landfill down to 33%."

"Nine out of 10 people in London would recycle more waste if it were easier, but for many there are few facilities, and for some items no opportunity to do so at all!"

"We are reliant on small enterprises, such as London Recycling, to drive the agenda forward - striving to minimise the amount of waste in London and protect our local environment."

"I am looking forward to this opportunity to hearing first hand accounts from those working on the frontline of waste and recycling in London."

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Jean Lambert MEP's tour of local projects will include:

21st July: Toynbee Hall Community Centre: Tower Hamlets
23rd July: Shaftesbury Resources Centre: Southwark
23rd July: Green Bottle Unit: Hackney
23rd July: London Recycling: Newham
25th July: TRAID (Clothes from recycling): Brent
25th July: Computer Aid: Islington

Visit London Recycling Limited's website

For more information please contact Ben Duncan on 020 7407 6280, 07973 823358 or at press@greenmeps.org.uk