§ Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities currently operate a collection service or provide disposal facilities for the recycling of (a) paper, (b) glass, (c) cars, (d) plastics and (e) oil.
§ Mr. FoxIn 1977, 196 local authorities in Great Britain made separate collections of waste paper but some have since ceased to collect because it has become increasingly difficult to make such operations economically viable. A total of 37 local authorities at present cooperate with the Glass Manufacturers Federation in its "bottle bank" scheme and provide collection points to which the public can bring glass containers for recycling. The scheme is being extended and the number is likely to increase by about 12 in the next few months.
Information about local authority collection services or disposal facilities for materials from cars is not kept centrally.
No local authorities are known to make separate collection of plastics: the wide variety of polymers used in plastics make these materials difficult to recycle at the present time.
Many local authorities provide facilities for disposing of waste oil at civic amenity sites; others organise and publicise collection points at garages within their areas. The exact number involved could be ascertained only at disproportionate expense.