HOW GREEN IS YOUR POLITICIAN?waste they use up in the process is itself wasted as incinerators need a minimum amount of waste to be cost effective and large amounts of high-energy fuel, like paper, to be really efficient. In the UK our recycling rates are appalling. We recycle only 8% of our domestic waste. When we compare this to countries like Switzerland who are already recycling 52% of their waste, we see how far we still have to go. The only real way to achieve a decent level of recycling is by encouraging the separation of our waste and providing a quality door-to-door service which will collect all recycleable household waste. What have these targets to do with my country? If you do not live in the UK, you might be forgiven for suspecting that this article has nothing to do with you. You would, however, be mistaken. Although the actual targets might be inappropriate for your country - eg. if you lived in Switzerland for instance, asking your politicians to commit to a 20% recycling level by 2010 would be a backward step - the themes are universal. Let me explain:
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