Recycling is too expensive
BUSINESSES have raised concerns that tight finances are making it more and more difficult to recycle. And they called for Brent Council to provide a commercial recycling collection service as some other London boroughs do. Pub owner, John McCooke, who
BUSINESSES have raised concerns that tight finances are making it more and more difficult to recycle.
And they called for Brent Council to provide a commercial recycling collection service as some other London boroughs do.
Pub owner, John McCooke, who runs the Good Ship in Kilburn High Road, said a combination of costs, including rocketing business rates, were making it more and more difficult for businesses to recycle.
He said: "The business rates are ridiculous and we get literally nothing for it. You have to pay for your own refuse collection.
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"We literally drive all our bottles up the road and recycle them all ourselves."
A Kensal Rise business owner, who asked not to be named, said: "We have enough expenses and we pay enough and we don't get the full service.
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"If you want rubbish collection every day you pay an outrageous amount but they don't even deal with recycling."
He added that he believed the council should provide a service to businesses where it collected paper recyclables 'once a week.'
"We're happy to fold it and put it neatly. Everyday half of the bin is full of cardboard. If they collected recyclables it would cut a lot of material out of our everyday rubbish."
Brent Council has a contract with Veolia to collect all of the borough's trade waste.
Most local authorities do not currently pay for the collection of recycling from businesses, but neighbouring Camden Council does provide a recycling collection service to businesses for an annual charge.
Ruth Dar, of the Aylestone Park Tenants' and Residents' Association said she thought it was a 'scandal' that Brent did not provide such a service.
She said: "If Veolia can't be forced to renegotiate their contract, then Brent itself must encourage business recycling by making provision to collect it."
A council spokesman said: "The council has no control over the collection of recyclable waste from businesses as they have to organise collections with private waste contractors.
He added: "The Waste Enforcement Team gives advice onsite to Brent businesses with their main focus being to ensure businesses are storing and disposing waste legally and to offer advice on how to recycle waste.
