§ Mr. CrowtherTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance the Government have given towards the industry target for glass recycling; and what figures he has for the number of bottle banks in operation in(a) 1986, (b) at the present time and (c) estimated for 1995.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryThe industry's target of 5,000 bottle banks by July 1991 was agreed at a conference organised by the Department of Trade and Industry on 2 July 1986. Following that conference, and with the support of the glass manufacturing industry, my Department and the local authority recycling advisory committee (LARAC) set up a series of regional seminars, held between November 1986 and April 1987, with the aim of increasing the number of bottle banks in local authority areas, and LARAC subsequently produced a booklet entitled "Expanding Glass Recycling". Figures from the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation show that there were 2,842 public bottle bank sites in 1986 and 4,330 at the most recent count. The industry target of 5,000 banks by 1991 should comfortably be reached.